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John E. Thies

  • November 19, 2012 | ISBA News
    ISBA Member Update with John Thies - Happy Thanksgiving

    ISBA President John E. Thies would like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to ISBA members and staff.

  • November 13, 2012 | ISBA News | Practice News
    President Thies responds to Chicago Sun-Times editorial on judicial reform

    ISBA President John E. Thies wrote a letter to the editor in response to the recent Chicago Sun-Times editorial on judicial reform. President Thies' letter is below.

    Editorial Page
    Chicago Sun-Times

    To the Editor:

    The Sun-Times editorial "Time to give the boot to bad judges" is right on the mark. On November 6th, Cook County voters made no distinction between the vast majority of judges who deserved to be retained and the few who should not be entrusted with deciding issues of life, liberty, and the rights of their fellow citizens.

    Illinois has 40-plus years of experience with the current system of selecting judges - partisan elections and non-partisan retentions - and the flaws of this system are more apparent with each passing election.

    The Illinois State Bar Association favors an appointment system in which judges would be selected with the benefit of nonpartisan commissions composed of lawyers and nonlawyers. We believe such a system would bolster an independent, qualified judiciary. But changing the selection process requires an amendment to the Illinois Constitution. We know how difficult this is, after many years of trying.

    This leaves us to pursue other measures that can improve the system we have. One of these is tighter rules outlining when a judge should disqualify him or herself due to campaign support that creates a probability of bias. Public confidence in the justice system demands this kind of common sense rule, and the Illinois State Bar Association will be voting next month to approve such a proposal.

  • November 12, 2012
    ISBA Member Update with John Thies - How ISBA members can get more involved

    ISBA President John E. Thies discusses way ISBA members can get more involved. The key ways include joining a section or committee or running for ISBA office.

  • November 5, 2012 | ISBA News | Practice News
    ISBA voices support for attorney-client privilege in letters to Kirk, Durbin
    ISBA is voicing its support for legislation in Congress addressing a situation that may open the door to breaches of attorney-client privileged information. In letters to U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, ISBA president John E. Thies urged passage of S. 3394, which clarifies when privileged information is submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the privilege is not waived as to any third party. Read the letters to Kirk and Durbin.
  • November 5, 2012 | ISBA News | Practice News
    ISBA Member Update with John Thies - Voting for Judges

    ISBA President John E. Thies urges everyone to use ISBA judicial evaluations when they vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Judicial evaluations are available at www.isba.org/judicialevaluations

  • October 29, 2012 | ISBA News
    ISBA Member Update with President John E. Thies - Lawyers in the Classroom

    ISBA President John E. Thies discusses the "Lawyers in the Classroom," a program that sends Illinois lawyers to classrooms around the state. If you would like to be a part of this program, please visit www.isba.org/lawyersinclassrooms

  • October 24, 2012
    ISBA Board backs new guidelines for judicial recusal

    The ISBA Board of Governors voted to support the Special Committee on Judicial Disqualification Standards proposed rule and special commentary at its meeting on Oct. 19. The special committee was organized by ISBA President John E. Thies in response to increasing public and professional attention to campaign contributions in judicial elections and the perception that such contributions may influence judicial decision making.

    “I want to compliment the special committee’s hard work. I’d also like to thank the ISBA Board of Governors for unanimously passing the recommendation,” President Thies said. “If adopted by our Supreme Court, the new rule – which would amend the Code of Judicial Conduct – would be an important step toward enhancing public confidence in the judiciary.”

  • October 23, 2012 | ISBA News | Events
    1st hearings on law school debt held in Wheaton, Peoria

    The Illinois State Bar Association's Special Committee on Law School Debt, formed by President John E. Thies, hosted its first two meeting this week in Wheaton and Peoria (remaining schedule below). ISBA members are encouraged to attend these meetings to discuss how increasing law school debt is impacting the delivery of legal services.

  • October 22, 2012 | ISBA News
    ISBA Member Update with President John E. Thies - Retention of Judges

    ISBA President John E. Thies discusses the importance of using ISBA ratings when voting for judges in the upcoming election. Ratings can be found at isba.org/voteforjudges

  • October 8, 2012 | ISBA News
    ISBA Member Update with President John E. Thies - ABA Annual Meeting highlights

    ISBA President John E. Thies provides highlights from the ABA Annual Meeting, where Chicago attorney Laurel G. Bellows became the organization's 136th president.