In Illinois – and across the country – the demand for legal services for low-income individuals and families far exceeds the supply. But individual attorneys, legal aid organizations, law firms, corporate law departments, and bar associations across the state are working to close the gap or mitigate its effects through pro bono and volunteer service.  

The Illinois Supreme Court handed down an opinion today in People v. Chairez. At issue in this case was the constitutionality of a section of the unlawful use of a weapon statute that prohibits an individual from carrying or possessing a firearm within 1000 feet of a public park. Kerry Bryson of the Office of the State Appellate Defender reviews the court's ruling. People v. Chairez Over the past several years, constitutional challenges to various provisions of the unlawful use of weapons (UUW) statute have made their way through the courts. Chairez involves another such challenge, specifically with regard to the provision prohibiting an individual from carrying or possessing a firearm within 1000 feet of a public park [720 ILCS 5/24-1 (a)(4), (c)(1.5)]. In 2013, Julio Chairez pled guilty to possessing a firearm within 1000 feet of a park in Aurora. Subsequently, Chairez filed a post-conviction petition arguing that the statute violated the second amendment and seeking to vacate his conviction. The circuit court agreed, and the case proceeded directly to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Asked and Answered By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC Q. Our firm is an eight-attorney estate planning firm in the Chicago area. Our firm has grown from two attorneys to our present size in four years. We have five partners and three associates. Firm management is currently handled by a managing partner. The partners have been discussing hiring a legal administrator. We were thinking of hiring someone with experience in managing law firms and a solid background in human resources and bookkeeping/accounting. One of our clients suggested that we hire someone with a strong academic background, such as an MBA or CPA who has served as the CEO of a mid-size corporation. What are your thoughts?

The Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc.(LOLLAF) is looking for a staff attorney for the Southern Illinois University Medical-Legal Partnership at the Center for Family Medicine (SIU-MLP) operating out of LOLLAF's Northern Regional Office. The SIU-MLP is a collaborative partnership between LOLLAF and SIU Center for Family Medicine wherein healthcare providers refer patients for legal assistance in order to address social determinants affecting patient health outcomes.