Don’t miss ISBA’s 16th Annual Illinois Environmental Law Conference in Chicago on May 4-5, 2017! Once again, this two-day premier conference features annual updates on agency activities and priorities in Illinois and the Region presented by top representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. In addition, you won’t want to miss the lively two-hour professional ethics session on “Identifying and Resolving Ethical Issues Arising in Environmental Law” and a new plenary session on “Carbon-Sequestration Technology.” Attendees will also learn about the latest hot topics in environmental law from leading practitioners, including: the evolving regulation of lead in drinking water; federal, state, local, private, and non-profit sector response to the legal and political dynamics of carbon; watershed-level pollution reduction strategies; the public and private rights of Lake Michigan shores; understanding how pharmaceuticals and personal care products are contaminating the environment and the legal developments surrounding this issue; how two recent federal developments may impact the management of hazardous materials and chemicals; what to do after buying an environmentally-impacted property; the ongoing issues with “The Clean Water Rule and the “waters of the United States”; techniques to enforce the RCRA air emission standards; and much more!

There's a six-year statute of repose for legal malpractice - unless the alleged act or omission isn't discovered until the client dies. Estate planning lawyers want more protection, and they're hoping new legislation can provide it. Virtually all attorneys understand statutes of limitations. From the time an injury or other bad act occurs, there is a specific, defined timeframe in which a party may bring suit. In some types of cases, the limitations period does not begin to run until an injury is discovered. In others, such as personal injury cases, the discovery rule generally does not apply - people generally know they're physically injured at the time of, or shortly after, an accident. Statutes of repose, on the other hand, bar an action once a specific period of time has passed, regardless of whether the potential plaintiff later discovers the act or omission giving rise to the claim. In Illinois, there is a statute of repose for attorney malpractice lawsuits. The problem is that not all attorneys are protected by it. The current law, 735 ILCS 5/13-214.3, establishes a two-year limitations period and a six-year statute of repose for legal malpractice actions. The two year limitations period incorporates the discovery rule (735 ILCS 5/13-214.3(b)), but the six-year repose period (735 ILCS 5/13-214.3(c)) prevents former clients from "discovering" malpractice well after it was allegedly committed.

On April 3, 2017, the Illinois Supreme Court approved Supreme Court Rule 293, which requires trial courts to commence a jury trial if requested by a respondent in an involuntary admissions proceeding under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code within 30 days of the request effective immediately. The decision to approve this rule stems from years of confusion and debate. Recognizing the serious rights at stake in cases such as In re James W., 2014 IL 114483, and In re Rita P., 2014 IL 115798, the Court asked its Special Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning to study the matter and recommend solutions. Rule 293 was proposed by the Committee to clarify and make mandatory the time limit trial courts have to convene juries in mental health involuntary commitment hearings.  The importance of creating one uniform rule for the state cannot be understated. It recognizes the importance of fundamental liberty interests; provides one consistent standard for judges to make clear, concise, and complete findings of fact; and provides guidelines to  judges who lack experience in these types of case. Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier explained, "The Court is confident that the new rule will provide much needed guidance to the courts and officials charged with enforcing the orders and, in so doing, ensure full and proper protection of the fundamental liberty interests of citizens facing involuntary admission or treatment for mental health issues.”