Twenty years ago, law firm document management revolved around meticulously organized manila files, metal drawers, and bankers boxes, with instructions not to fold, spindle, or mutilate them as they were being physically transported to another attorney or a courtroom. While those physical manifestations still remain to varying degrees in law offices, document management today is more likely to focus on electronic files that need to be created and managed on a server or in the cloud, with instructions to ensure they're adequately encrypted before being electronically transported to one of the aforementioned destinations. Paul Unger, a partner with Affinity Consulting Group who works with attorneys and law firms, recommends that legal offices use a top-shelf, sophisticated electronic document management system to handle the creation and storage of most types of documents. "If we're talking about transactional attorneys - or even if it's litigation, but it's your own work product, your own correspondence and responses - anything we would draft ourselves, pleadings, motions, I would recommend in today's age that a firm have a document management system," he says. Unger recommends four primary choices: Worldox, NetDocuments, iManage (formerly Interwoven Worksite), and Open Text (formerly Hummingbird). Find out more in the May IBJ.

ISBA's Allerton Conference 2017, sponsored by the Civil Practice and Procedure Committee, took place last week, on April 19-21, 2017, at Starved Rock Lodge in Oglesby, Illinois. The conference provided an opportunity for invited lawyers, judges, and law professors from around the state to discuss important issues affecting civil procedure and litigation. The ultimate goal of the event is for attendees to offer suggestions for new Supreme Court rules and legislation sponsored by the ISBA, and propose programs to the ISBA Board of Governors. The focus of this year's conference was the changing landscape of civil practice, with an emphasis in the areas of technology, ethics, and economics. The event kicked off on Wednesday evening with a welcome reception, followed by introductory comments from Jessica Hegarty, Allerton 2017 chair; Vincent Cornelius, ISBA President; and the Hon. Michael McCuskey of the 10th Circuit. Lloyd Karmeier, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, delivered the opening remarks. Thursday's programming featured Keynote Speaker Daniel Katz, professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law. He addressed how technology is changing the practice of law and the challenges lawyers are facing as a result. The rest of the day's events included fireside chats and afternoon sessions on reducing costs while increasing efficiency, alternative business structures, and alternative dispute resolution. The day concluded with a brainstorming dinner in which guests split into groups for discussion.

The ethical issues government attorneys encounter differ from those faced by private practitioners. Join us in Chicago on May 11, 2017 for this lively program that’s comprised of skits, scenarios, and group discussions, allowing participants to gather invaluable information on identifying potential ethical dilemmas and applying the Rules of Professional Conduct in a fun and interesting way. Government attorneys with basic to intermediate practice experience will benefit from the ethical information presented throughout this seminar. The seminar is presented by the ISBA Standing Committee on Government Lawyers and qualifies for 4.0 hours MCLE credit, including 4.0 hours Professional Responsibility MCLE credit (subject to approval). Click here for more information and to register.

After nearly a year of renovations, updates to the Illinois Bar Center — the Springfield headquarters of the Illinois State Bar Association, located east of the state Capitol complex — were completed last month. For many years, the ISBA invested in the Chicago Regional Office, which is frequently used as a meeting space by members. But, as the Springfield office heads into its 50th year of existence, a major renovation was in order. According to Dennis Archer, ISBA’s assistant executive director for administration and finance, “It was time for us to bring [headquarters] up to the level that the CRO is.” After all, as Archer pointed out, “When our members come to Springfield now, we are expecting them to stop by so I think that is what we really got out of it. It kind of opens up another meeting place for our members.” In preparing for the remodel, ISBA had several goals in mind: to make the space more appealing to members and increase the building’s accessibility, all while preserving the building’s historical architectural roots and maintaining the organization’s professional atmosphere.