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  • July 15, 2015
    Peoria County Bar Association Installation 2015
    The Peoria County Bar Association installed Timothy J. Howard as its new president during its Annual Meeting and Pillars of the Bar event on July 13 at the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette. ISBA President Umberto S. Davi and 3rd Vice President James F. McCluskey were on hand for the event.
  • July 10, 2015 | ISBA News
    Illinois Bar Foundation elects new officers
    The Illinois Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), has elected its officers for the organization’s 2015-16 fiscal year. They are: Shawn S. Kasserman, founding member, Tomasik Kotin & Kasserman, LLC, president; Elizabeth A. Kaveny, partner, Burke, Wise, Morrissey & Kaveny, first vice president; Perry J. Browder, shareholder, Simmons Hanly Conroy, second vice president; Timothy W. Kelly, principal, Kelly Law Offices, third vice president; Lisa M. Nyuli, partner, Ariano Hardy Ritt Nyuli Richmond Lytle & Goettel P.C., treasurer; and Donald Tracy, partner, Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLC, secretary.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 9, 2015 | Practice News
    ISBA Statehouse Review for the week of July 9, 2015
    ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers Personal Information Protection Act (Senate Bill 1833), Decriminalization of cannabis (House Bill 218), New criminal law procedures (House Bill 1121), Body cameras (Senate Bill 1304) and Open Meetings Act (House Bill 175). More information on each bill is available below the video.
  • July 9, 2015 | Member Services
    New ISBA Member Benefit: Lenovo savings program
    We get it. Everyone needs authentic and reliable technology to turn to at the office, home and on the go. Whatever the task, Lenovo has a product that's got you covered.Which is why we're excited to announce the ISBA Lenovo savings program. ISBA members can now save up to 30% off the everyday public web price of Lenovo's entire product line.Take advantage of great deals on everything you need for your office and home, including laptops, tablets, desktops, all-in-ones, workstations, servers, and accessories.This includes savings on a wide range of top products offered by Lenovo, including the award-winning ThinkPad notebooks.ISBA members also receive:
  • July 9, 2015 | Practice News
    Justice Kilbride announces vacancy in 9th Circuit
    Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride has announced an application process for appointment to an upcoming Circuit Court vacancy in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.The vacancy will be created by Circuit Judge Steven R. Bordner's retirement, which takes effect August 20, 2015. Judge Bordner has been a judge since 1995 and has served in each of the six counties of the Ninth Circuit. He is currently assigned to the Fulton County Courthouse in Lewistown.
  • July 9, 2015 | Practice News
    Ethics Question of the Week: Does family member affect attorney-client privilege?
    Q. I have a client who, because of a mental impairment, wishes to have a family member sit in on our discussions. Does this affect the attorney-client privilege?
  • July 8, 2015 | Practice News
    New legislation brings Parentage Act up to date
    In addition to the comprehensive family-law overhaul embodied in SB 57, the General Assembly also passed and sent to the governor HB 1531, a rewrite of the Parentage Act of 1984. The new Parentage Act of 2015 brings Illinois law in line with cultural and family-dynamic changes over the last 30 year. In particular, the language of the current Act is not gender-neutral and may be unconstitutional now that Illinois recognizes same-sex marriage. As with SB 57, the governor has not yet acted on the bill.According to Oak Brook family law attorney Margaret Bennett, the Parentage Act of 2015 is a "two parent" statute that extends equal rights and responsibilities to both parents, regardless of gender. It also guarantees the right of every child to the physical, mental, emotional, and financial support of his or her parents. Making the statute gender-neutral fulfils the requirements of the Equal Protection Clause of the Illinois Constitution, Bennett says.
  • July 8, 2015
    Illinois Supreme Court to hold public hearing on proposed rule changes
    The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments July 22 at a public hearing in Chicago on several proposals, including one calling for changes to the rules that govern the legal profession and another seeking to use a word count instead of a page limit to regulate the length of appellate briefs.
    2 comments (Most recent July 9, 2015)
  • July 8, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Reader question on law firm valuation
    Asked and AnsweredBy John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMCQ. I have a quick question on a recent column of yours that appeared on last week's blog and in an ISBA email.You refer to the following:“One to one and a half times the owner's average earnings for the past five years is typical." Does this mean the total firm revenues or the amount the owner attorney received as income? I thought I have seen that multiplier to be on total firm revenue.
  • July 7, 2015 | Practice News
    Cowlin appointed Resident Circuit Judge of McHenry County
    The Hon. James S. Cowlin, Associate Judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, has been appointed Resident Circuit Judge of McHenry County effective Sept. 8, 2015. This position is presently held by the Hon. Gordon E. Graham, who is retiring Sept. 7, 2015.