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  • September 11, 2019 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court Assigns Retired Judge Wharton to Fill Vacancy in Fifth District Appellate Court
    The Illinois Supreme Court has announced that retired Circuit Judge Milton S. Wharton has been assigned as an appellate court justice in the Fifth District.  Judge Wharton was assigned to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Fifth District Appellate Court Justice Melissa Chapman, who will retire effective Oct. 2. Judge Wharton’s assignment will take effect on Nov. 1 and conclude Dec. 7, 2020, following the November 2020 general election. Judge Wharton will not be a candidate in the race to fill the vacancy permanently. 
    1 comment (Most recent September 11, 2019)
  • September 11, 2019 | Practice News
    Justice Anne M. Burke Elected as the Next Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
    Justice Anne M. Burke has been elected as the next Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. She was sworn-in on Sept. 10, with an effective date of Oct. 26, 2019 through Oct. 25, 2022. Justice Burke is the state’s 121st Chief Justice and will be the third woman to serve as chief following the late Justice Mary Ann McMorrow and Justice Rita B. Garman.
    2 comments (Most recent September 12, 2019)
  • September 10, 2019 | ISBA News
    ISBA Website Downtime on September 14
    The ISBA website (including On-Demand CLE) will be offline on Saturday, Sept. 14, starting at 9 a.m. until about noon to launch a redesign of our website.  During this time, you will also not be able to login to Fastcase and ISBA Central from our site. Here is what you need to know and steps you can take to ensure continued service.
  • September 9, 2019 | CLE
    CLE: Illinois Trust Code—What You Need to Know
    Join us from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 in Chicago or via live webcast for a full-day program on the new Illinois Trust Code, which will affect all Illinois estate planners. This program examines everything you need to know about the new law, including: when the law goes into effect; the modified fiduciary duties of trustees; the new requirements for appropriate notice and accountings to beneficiaries; The role of a beneficiary representative under the new law; the new avenues for judicial modifications of trusts; changes to the Illinois decanting statute; creditor issues and the codification of creditor’s rights; the role of environmental, social, and governmental considerations under the prudent investor rule; and the drafting and administrative issues that may arise in light of the new Illinois Trust Code.
  • September 9, 2019 | Practice News
    A Path to Leadership
    The Illinois Bar Journal’s September 2019 cover story, “A Path to Leadership,” details the ISBA’s proactive efforts to develop the Association’s next generation of leaders by launching a Leadership Academy. “We’re looking forward to this program,” says ISBA president David Sosin, who practices at Sosin, Arnold & Schoenbeck in Orland Park. “It will be one of the more exciting programs on a continuing year-after-year basis for our young members. It will not only pay great dividends to the Illinois State Bar Association, but to bar associations across the state for many years to come.”
  • September 9, 2019 | Member Services
    Practice HQ Resource: Building a Technology Budget
    Every firm needs a technology budget to function effectively. But when you’re budgeting for equipment that is critical to the day-to-day operation of your firm, it’s important to consider where you need to spend a little bit more money and where you can cut back. The ISBA’s “Building a Technology Budget” document provides best practice tips on technology purchases, from how much you should spend on computers to whether you should use open source software or purchase it.   
  • September 5, 2019 | Member Services
    Lawyer Referral Service Makes More than 900 Referrals in August
    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 August 2019 there were more than 900 referrals given. Here are the results for August 2019:
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    September 5, 2019
    Illinois Bar Foundation Hosts Myles Jacobs Memorial Reception
    The Illinois Bar Foundation hosted the Myles Jacobs Memorial Reception on Sept. 4 at Barolo Ristorante in Joliet.
  • September 4, 2019 | CLE
    CLE: Civility and Professionalism 2019—Properly Handling Emerging Issues with Competence
    Join us from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign for a full-day seminar on how to properly handle the ethical issues that may arise in your practice. Topics include: why civility and professionalism are important to the law; how the U.S. Supreme Court perceives civility and professionalism in Illinois federal courts; challenges facing law schools, faculty, and students; knowing when a colleague needs intervention; understanding your professional obligations in the electronic world; the role of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission in the legal profession; and what to expect regarding civility and professionalism for the remainder of 2019 and beyond.
  • September 3, 2019 | Member Services
    Practice HQ Resource: Avoid These Three Common Security Blind Spots
    Most law firms could do more to protect their data. Whether the firm lacks the awareness of security policies or merely does not have enough security restrictions, the firm is unknowingly putting business information at risk.