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  • July 14, 2016
    Legislature approves clearer Miranda warnings, lower minimum probation for juveniles
    One juvenile-justice bill passed by the General Assembly this session would require child-friendly Miranda warnings, while another reduces the length of mandatory minimum probation. SB 2370, which passed the Senate on a unanimous roll call, expands protections for children who are in police custody. HB 6291 is designed to bring Illinois law in line with other states by reducing mandatory minimum probation lengths. It also treats low-level drug offenses as a public health issue, not a criminal one. Both bills received support from the Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI), which was founded in 2000 as a collaboration between the Woods Fund of Chicago and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Its mission is to reduce reliance on incarceration, enhance fairness, and develop community-based resources throughout the state. Find out more in the July Illinois Bar Journal.
  • July 13, 2016 | Practice News
    Best Practice: The 3 types of realization rates
    Asked and Answered By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC Q. Our firm is reviewing its partner compensation system and one of my partners suggested that we incorporate realization rates. This term was new to me. Is realization the percent that we collect? Your comments would be appreciated by all of us.
  • July 13, 2016 | Member Services
    Check out Lenovo's July offers for ISBA members
    July is full of fireworks & savings from Lenovo! As an ISBA member you can take advantage of this month’s special offers up to 21% off select computer technologies! Add sparkle to your home or home-office PC with great accessories and warranty service! Through the ISBA Member Savings Program, you get ongoing discounts, FREE shipping on all web orders, access to energy-efficient green technologies and award-winning service. Shop now, save and enjoy! 21% off Lenovo Laptops 15% off Various ThinkPad 15% off Lenovo Desktops & ThinkCentres 9% off Lenovo Tablets Visit: www.lenovo.com/statebar Call: 1-800-426-7235, ext. 3577 (M-F: 9am-9pm EST, Sat: 9am-6pm EST) Be sure to check the website often – special offers change frequently.  
  • July 11, 2016 | Member Services
    July ticket and travel discounts for ISBA members
    Smash Into Summer This summer something beastly is coming to Universal Orlando. The legendary animal King Kong will spread his wrath when he smashes his way into the Orlando theme park in the new attraction Skull Island: Reign of Kong. When the ride opens you'll want to experience it again and again and this July you can do so with special deals on Universal Orlando tickets. Right now when you buy 2 days you'll get 2 days free! Plus, if you need a ride to Universal Orlando this July grab a rental car at Avis and save 25% nationwide! For more ways to smash into summer visit TicketsatWork.com.
  • July 11, 2016 | ISBA News
    Illinois Bar Foundation elects new officers for 2016-17
    The Illinois Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), has elected its officers for the organization’s 2016-17 fiscal year. They are: Elizabeth A. Kaveny, partner, Burke, Wise, Morrissey & Kaveny, president; Perry J. Browder, shareholder, Simmons Hanly Conroy, first vice president; and Timothy W. Kelly, principal, Kelly Law Offices, second vice president. Deane Beth Brown, partner, Hughes Socol Piers Resnik Dym, was elected third vice president. The Illinois Bar Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association, strives to ensure meaningful access to the justice system, especially for those with limited means, and to assist lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity. This year, the foundation will distribute more than $850,000. The Illinois Bar Foundation is located at 20 S. Clark St., Suite 910, Chicago, IL  60603. Call (312) 726-6072 or visit www.illinoisbarfoundation.org.
  • July 8, 2016 | ISBA News | Practice News
    President Cornelius testifies before Supreme Court Rules Committee
    ISBA President Vincent F. Cornelius testified Friday before the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee in support of Proposal 15-05. This proposal amends Supreme Court Rule 941 and creates Supreme Court Rule 943. Rule 943 would create guidelines for when restraints can be used on a minor in delinquency proceedings arising under the Juvenile Court Act. The ISBA supports Proposal 15-05. The proposal is available at www.illinoiscourts.gov/SupremeCourt/Public_Hearings/Rules/2016/070816_Proposal_15-05.pdf "The shackling of these minors that is automatic, routine, presumptive," President Cornelius said, "is unnecessary, inappropriate and I dare say something less than Third World."
  • July 8, 2016 | Practice News
    Quick Takes on Friday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions
    Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Friday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the Civil case Hampton v. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and the criminal case People v. Geiler. CIVIL Hampton v. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District By Karen Kies DeGrand, Donohue Brown Mathewson & Smyth LLC
    1 comment (Most recent July 11, 2016)
  • July 8, 2016 | Practice News
    Quick Takes for Your Practice: An introduction to electronic medical records
    Illinois Attorney Kenneth Lumb provides an introduction to electronic medical records.
    1 comment (Most recent October 20, 2016)
  • July 7, 2016
    Representing a creditor in a foreclosure? Do these 10 things first
    Representing a creditor in foreclosure involves "so many steps, inquiries and decisions…that a casual discussion doesn't do the process justice," Edwardsville lawyer Lawrence O. Taliana writes in the May Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy Law newsletter. Nonetheless, he has crafted a step-by-step procedure for foreclosing on real estate to "minimize the chance that something gets overlooked." Here are the crucial first 10 steps on his list. For helpful context and more detail, see the summary of his article in the July Illinois Bar Journal. 1. Acknowledge receipt of the file 2. Find whether the real estate taxes have been paid 3. Make sure your client has offered loss mitigation programs to the borrower 4. If 12 CFR 1024.41 applies to your client (i.e., if it's a bank), don't start foreclosing until the account is four months delinquent 5. Make sure you have all required documents (the note, the mortgage, etc.) 6. Find out whether the borrower has filed for bankruptcy 7. Find out whether the property is residential 8. Find out whether the property is abandoned 9. If the property is residential, send the homeowner protection notice ASAP 10. Send the validation-of-debt notice to the borrower as required
  • July 7, 2016 | ISBA News | Member Services
    Illinois Lawyer Finder makes over 850 referrals in June
    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 June 2016, there were 868 referrals. ISBA helped people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas: