At the writing of this column, I note that the groundhog saw his shadow earlier this week—six more weeks of winter. But, by the time you are reading this newsletter, parts of southern Illinois may already be seeing the early signs of spring. There is something about spring that makes the year seem new. I know the new year started on January 1st, but we are still in the midst of winter and it doesn’t feel “new.” That is one reason I love spring, with the budding of all that is green and flowery things seem so fresh and new.
Speaking of “new,” I have been promising news of a project the Committee has undertaken. I am excited to tell you that we are in the process developing new ethics scenarios with the hope of presenting another ethics CLE program before 2010 is over. (I may get nixed on that from other Committee members, but hey, spring is a time for hope, right?) For those of you who have been to one of our ethics seminars, these scenarios will be along the same lines. But, these new scenarios cover issues related to communicating with represented persons, prosecutors, impairment, and ethics. I want to specifically recognize Lynn Patton and Kate Kelly for taking the lead on this project. In addition, I extend my sincerest appreciation to Pat Driscoll, Sharon Eiseman, Melissa Olivero, and Ed Schoenbaum for their contributions to this effort. Sometimes you never fully appreciate how much work some things take until you actually try to do it yourself. Keep your eyes open for the new ethics program. We hope you can make it!
Finally, don’t forget the CLE for Local Government Attorneys (cosponsored with the Local Government Law Section Council) is coming up in April. “Key Issues in Local Government Law: A Look at FOIA, OMA, Election Communications and Attorney Conflicts” will be presented in both Springfield (April 8, 2010) and Chicago (April 29, 2010). We look forward to seeing you at one of the seminars.
As the weather turns warmer and the days get longer, and hopefully the sun shines a little more, take advantage of each opportunity to enjoy each day. ■