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  • October 12, 2016 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Law Firm Management - Valuing a Personal Injury Practice
    Asked and Answered By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC Q. I am the firm administrator for a small personal injury five attorney practice in Des Moines, Iowa. The firm's owner is approaching retirement and is planning on approaching other law firms regarding sale of the practice or merger. He has asked me for reports in order that we can value the practice. QuickBooks is the only software that we use. What reports should I use to establish a value for the practice?
  • October 11, 2016 | Events | ISBA News
    Environmental Law: Professional Development Luncheon
    Lead in Water, Who's Problem is It? Tuesday, October 25, 2016, Noon to 1:00 p.m. ISBA Chicago Office (map and directions) 20 S. Clark, Suite 900 Chicago, IL 60603 312-726-8775 The ISBA Environmental Law Section Council is pleased to invite you to join us to hear Justin DeWitt and Kathryn Pamenter speak at our October 25, 2016, Professional Development Luncheon on the challenges we face regarding lead in water. This panel presentation will include an in-depth look at Senate Bill 550, which requires schools to test for lead in drinking and cooking water sources.
  • October 11, 2016 | Member Services
    Guarantee your payments with LawPay
    Tired of not knowing when, or even if, your clients are going to pay their bill? Take the guess work out of the equation by scheduling payments in advance. With LawPay’s scheduled billing feature, you can automatically run payments without collecting client card information each time. It's your guaranteed solution to getting paid on time. Use LawPay's payment authorization forms to pre-schedule client billing.
  • October 11, 2016 | Practice News
    Celebrate Pro Bono - October 24-28
    Celebrate Pro Bono Week October 24-28 with various programs and events across the state. By Michael G. Bergmann Coordinated by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. This initiative provides an opportunity for legal organizations across the country to collaboratively commemorate the vitally important contributions of America’s lawyers and to recruit and train the many additional volunteers required to meet the growing demand. The Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service undertook this initiative to provide a format for showcasing the incredible difference that pro bono lawyers make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve. For more information, visit www.celebrateprobono.org.
  • October 10, 2016 | CLE
    CLE: Real Estate Law Update 2016
    Stay up to date on current developments and trends in the real estate law arena with this full day seminar that offers a look at new legislation and case law, as well as best practices tips resulting from actual ARDC cases and discussions on a potpourri of interesting short topics! The program is available in Bloomington on October 27, 2016 and in Lombard on November 2, 2016. Commercial real estate attorneys, residential estate lawyers, and general practitioners with basic practice experience who attend this program will better understand: the recent case law developments and real estate legislation that can impact your client; the ethical issues raised by recent ARDC decisions; whether or not to recommend a trust in connection with real estate transactions; how to advise clients on homeowner and commercial real estate insurance policies; what to do when the seller fails to vacate the premises; damages to property that occur immediately prior to closing; contractor mechanic’s lien priority issues; and more!
  • October 10, 2016 | Member Services
    Lenovo October Offers
    Leaves are changing but great savings remain! The fall brings discounts up to 32% off Lenovo Tablets, Laptops, and PCs. Shop now and save big! These exclusive offers are tailored specifically for you and include: FREE shipping on all web orders, access to energy-efficient green technologies and award-winning service.
  • October 7, 2016 | ISBA News | Practice News
    Ready to Lead? Nominate Yourself for an ISBA Committee or Section Council
    Nominations due by February 1! By Russell W. Hartigan, President-Elect Looking for a chance to lead? To grow? To make a difference in the Illinois State Bar Association and the legal profession? Then consider nominating yourself for one of our many section councils and committees for 2017-18. As president-elect, it's my privilege to make appointments to section councils and committees for the coming fiscal year. These small but influential groups are the lifeblood of the ISBA. They produce newsletters and CLE programs, propose legislation and rules, and help ISBA serve and protect its members in countless ways.
  • October 7, 2016 | Practice News
    Chief judge announces two finalists for associate judge vacancy
    Chief Circuit Judge Kathryn E. Creswell is pleased to announce that following an October 6, 2016 meeting of the Circuit Judges of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court, two finalists for the Office of Associate Judge have been selected and certified to the Illinois Supreme Court. The finalists are seeking to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Associate Judge Karen M. Wilson to Circuit Judge. From these names, the Circuit Judges will select one appointee by secret ballot.
  • October 7, 2016 | Member Services | ISBA News
    Illinois Lawyer Finder makes over 800 referrals in September
    The Illinois State Bar Association's Lawyer Finder Service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays. The Service makes referrals in a number of areas of law. For the month of September 2016, there were 825 referrals. ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:
  • October 6, 2016 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court adopts new rules on juvenile shackling
    The Illinois Supreme Court has adopted a new rule and amended another to address the use of restraints on a minor in delinquency proceedings arising under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The new rule and rule changes take effect November 1, 2016. New Supreme Court Rule 943 (Use of Restraints on a Minor in Delinquency Proceedings Arising Under the Juvenile Court Act) provides that instruments of restraint shall not be used on a minor during a court proceeding unless the court finds, after a hearing, that such restraints are necessary to prevent physical harm to the minor or another, the minor has a history of disruptive behavior that presents a risk of harm, or there is a well-founded belief that the minor presents a substantial flight risk. Amendments were also adopted to Rule 941 to state that the rules in Article IX apply to all juvenile delinquency proceedings filed under Article V of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.