The Bar News

Bar News Sections

ISBA members, sign up to receive The Bar News' biweekly e-newsletter by emailing emailpreferences@isba.org

  • April 25, 2016 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court to hear oral arguments at Benedictine University on May 19
    The Illinois Supreme Court will take its work on the road in May, when it will hear oral arguments at Benedictine University in Lisle. The one-day change of venue is part of the Court's and Chief Justice Rita B. Garman's initiative to bring the Court to the people it serves and its continuing goal for greater transparency in the judicial process. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases starting at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 19, 2016, in Benedictine University's Daniel L. Goodwin Hall of Business, located at 5700 College Road in Lisle.
    1 comment (Most recent April 28, 2016)
  • April 25, 2016 | Practice News
    Quick Takes for Your Practice: Unidentified funds in IOLTA accounts
    Attorney David Holtermann of the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois discusses recent rules changes to handling unidentified funds in IOLTA accounts.
  • April 25, 2016 | People
    Rock Island Attorney appointed to IBF Board of Directors
    Michael J. Warner, a partner in the personal injury law firm of Warner & Zimmerle, in Rock Island, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), and will serve a two-year term. The Foundation raises funds for distribution to Illinois nonprofit organizations whose mission is to provide free legal services to those with limited means. It also provides assistance to lawyers who can no longer support themselves due to incapacity. The Foundation also oversees the Illinois JusticeCorps program, which provides trained part-time student volunteers to serve as guides in courthouses. This year, the Foundation will distribute more than $850,000 in funds. Warner has been a lawyer in private practice since 1972 after serving for a year in the Rock Island State’s Attorneys Office. He has been a member of the Rock Island Bar Association since 1971. He was a board member of the Mississippi Valley Alzheimer’s Association and is a past president of the Rock Island County Mental Health Board.
  • April 24, 2016 | ISBA News
    Friday is final day to vote in ISBA election
    Voting in the ISBA election ends at 4:30 PM CT Friday, April 29. Ballots were distributed to all eligible voters* on March 28, 2016. ISBA's election provider VR Election Services (VRES) emailed e-ballots to members with valid email addresses and mailed paper ballots to members without valid email addresses on Monday, March 28, 2016. If you have not received your e-ballot, please ask your Information Technology (IT) person to check the email spam folder under the suffix "vres.us" to see if your e-ballot is there. IT can adjust the spam filter settings to allow the e-ballot to reach you. If your e-ballot is not in your spam folder, please contact VRES at 800-218-4026 or custserv@vres.us. Your e-ballot will contain instructions on how to cast your vote electronically. If you prefer to vote by paper ballot, you may request one by contacting VRES at 800-218-4026 or custserv@vres.us. The last day to request a paper ballot was Friday, April 15. All eligible voters* may vote for Third Vice President. Those with ISBA addresses that fall in one of the following districts/circuits are also eligible to vote in their respective Board of Governors race. Candidate bios can be viewed in the March Illinois Bar Journal. Cook County: First Judicial District Board of Governors Judicial Circuits 1-23: Under Age 37 outside Cook County Board of Governors.
  • April 21, 2016 | Practice News
    Quick Takes for Your Practice: How to give an effective closing argument
    Attorney Kim Davis discusses how to give an effective closing argument.
  • April 21, 2016 | ISBA News
    ISBA receives award at INADR Gala
    The International Academy of Dispute Resolution honored ISBA Past President Fred Lane and CBA Past President Joseph Stone with Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Alliance of Bar Associations, administered by ISBA and Chicago Office Administrator Joyce Williams, with a Special Recognition at its Gala on April 13 at the Standard Club in Chicago. View more images from this event in the photo gallery at  iln.isba.org/gallery/1028/inadr-gala-2016
  • April 21, 2016 | Practice News
    Cook County Circuit Court expands Wi-Fi access for prospective jurors
    People reporting for jury service at the Rolling Meadows courthouse in the Circuit Court of Cook County will now have Wi-Fi access while they wait to find out if they will be considered to serve as jurors for a trial, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today. Prospective jurors already have Wi-Fi access in the Richard J. Daley Center, the Leighton Criminal Court Building and the courthouse in Markham. The Circuit Court is working with the Cook County Bureau of Technology to bring Wi-Fi to the jury assembly rooms at the Skokie, Maywood and Bridgeview courthouses.
    1 comment (Most recent April 25, 2016)
  • April 21, 2016
    The perils of witness prep
    Last year, Chicago criminal defense lawyer Beau Brindley was tried in federal court for improperly coaching witnesses, having been charged with 21 criminal counts tied to that practice. He was acquitted by a judge who among other things remembered his own "exhaustive preparation" of witnesses when he was a practicing lawyer. (See The Beau Brindley case: Witness preparation v. coaching, LawPulse, November 2015 Journal.) The case underscores the dilemma lawyers face in preparing witnesses. On the one hand, they owe it to their clients to thoroughly prep witnesses for what can be make-or-break testimony. On the other, they owe an ethical - indeed, a legal - duty to be truthful and not to present false evidence. Ethical preparation starts with counseling the witness to tell the truth, but it doesn't end there. Properly preparing witnesses for a deposition or trial also means not putting words in their mouths, discouraging them from guessing or speculating, returning to the scene of the crime or accident if necessary to refresh their memories, and more, all while ensuring that enough time is left to cover all those bases beforehand.
  • April 20, 2016 | Member Services
    Join fellow ISBA members on your next vacation
    Illinois State Bar Association and Go Next are pleased to present wonderful travel opportunities available to you, your family and friends. Take advantage of the great savings and conveniences when traveling with Go Next. On many of our programs, you can select from daily optional excursions or experience these destinations on your own. Because of the exceptional price and limited space, we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible. If have any questions or need additional information, please call 800-842-9023, email us or visit the Go Next website. Download the current schedule of vacations at http://www.isba.org/sites/default/files/membership/441_ISBA_2016_2017_TPF_ALL.pdf
  • April 19, 2016 | Practice News
    13 new associate judges appointed in Cook County
    The names of 13 new associate judges, selected in a vote of Cook County Circuit Court judges, were announced Tuesday by Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Ballots listing the names of 26 finalists, chosen from 283 candidates, were distributed to 249 circuit judges. Ballots were due April 15, 2016. The Alliance of Bar Associations and the Chicago Bar Association evaluated the candidates. Each candidate was interviewed by a nine member nominating committee, comprised of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans of the Cook County Circuit Court and eight presiding judges.
    2 comments (Most recent April 25, 2016)