Justice Charles Freeman Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. Justice Charles E. Freeman, the first African-American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and as Chief Justice, will retire June 14. Justice Freeman, 84, is the fifth-longest serving justice in Illinois Supreme Court history at 27 years, six months. The Supreme Court has constitutional authority to fill interim judicial vacancies and has appointed Appellate Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., to fill Justice Freeman's seat, effective June 15 through Dec. 7, 2020. Justice Neville has been a member of the First District Appellate Court since 2004, and a judge since 2000. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Carl Anthony Walker has been assigned to the First District Appellate Court until further order of the Court. Appellate Court Justice Michael B. Hyman was also reassigned to an Appellate Court seat effective until Dec. 7, 2020. Born in Richmond, Va., Justice Freeman descended from slaves freed by Quakers before the American Civil War. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Union University in 1954 and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School in 1962.  He also served as an Illinois assistant attorney general, Cook County assistant state's attorney, and assistant attorney for the County Board of Election Commissioners. He was an arbitrator with the Illinois Industrial Commission and he later served on the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Asked and Answered  By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC Q. We have a 16-attorney firm in Chicago. Our marketing committee has been discussing implementing a client survey program. We are not sure where to start or how best to collect and report the data. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

New attorneys were admitted to practice in Illinois on May 10 at five separate locations across the state. The Fifth Judicial District ceremony was held at Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Dr., in Collinsville.

Back by popular demand! Don’t miss the 6th Annual Minority Bar CLE Conference, held June 20-21 in Chicago. Enhance your knowledge about an array of key issues, including how unrepresented litigants are hindered in their access to justice and what is being done to rectify this issue; how in-house and outside counsel can partner to promote diversity; the immigration law issues every employment lawyer should be aware of; the current immigration climate and the efforts being made to recruit minority attorneys and foreign talent; how to handle the loss of capacity in a client, as well as the pitfalls you can avoid or mitigate; the intersection of real estate issues with other practice areas; the role of the bench and bar in serving diverse litigants and what can be done to ensure that justice is blind; and how to prepare for law firm partnership.