From the chair

For my last column, I would like to provide you with advance notice of an upcoming continuing legal education (CLE) event, as well as to thank some hard-working members of the Committee on Government Lawyers.

Please mark your calendars for the afternoon of Friday, September 12, 2003, as the Committee on Government Lawyers will again present the CLE program, "Ethical Considerations in Public Sector Law." The program will be presented in Springfield to provide our downstate colleagues with the opportunity to attend. James Grogan, Chief Counsel of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, will again lend his expertise to the program as moderator, and the several members of the Committee will again contribute their acting abilities to the project. More details on the event will follow in the coming months.

I would also like to thank those Committee members who have served as chairs of our various subcommittees during the past year. Kate Kelly and Lynn Patton did an excellent job in compiling and editing our newsletter, which has had a consistently high level of quality in its content issue after issue. Cindy Ervin was instrumental as chair of the legislation subcommittee in ensuring the ISBA heard the position of government practitioners on pending legislation. Pat Hughes prompted the Committee to consider new ways of building interest in the ISBA on the part of government practitioners as chair of the Membership subcommittee. Roz Kaplan and Marc Loro were a large part of the success of the Committee's first CLE program and its Mid-Year Meeting reception as co-chairs of the Programs and Services subcommittee. Marc Loro was also responsible for the development of efforts by the Committee to recognize long-term government practitioners as chair of a newly-formed recognition subcommittee.

Although there is much work left to be done, I am confident that with Marc Loro as the Committee's next chair and the continued hard work of the Committee, the Committee on Government Lawyers will continue to expand its efforts to serve the needs of government practitioners in Illinois.