ISBA Development Site
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This website is for ISBA staff use only. All visitors should return to the main ISBA website.
A State’s Attorney may represent his county in union negotiations while simultaneously calling law enforcement personnel as witnesses in criminal cases provided the attorney has completed an analysis of any conflicts of interest pursuant to Rule 1.7 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
In any criminal proceeding, a prosecutor may convey a plea offer to a pro se defendant prior to a court proceeding, regardless who initiates the contact. The communication must simply convey the plea offer and not make any recommendations as to the value of the offer. The communication must also identify that the prosecutor is not disinterested, clarify any misconception the person may have about the prosecutor's role and advise the person about the right to secure counsel.
A lawyer may not serve concurrently as a municipal prosecutor and as an administrative hearing officer for that same municipality.
Law firm can properly pay former partner share of contingent fee earned after partner left firm to become State’s Attorney as long as payment is part of separation agreement under Rule 1.5(j) and payment does not violate public policy concerns; former partner’s disqualification from private practice as State’s Attorney does not bar payment to former partner of share of fee earned by firm after partner withdrew when paid as part of separation agreement; former partner sharing fee under Rule 1.5(j) need not retain responsibility for matter, share fee proportionally to service performed, get client consent or make disclosures required for fee sharing, all as required by Rules 1.5(f) or (g) .
A lawyer who represents criminal and traffic defendants may accept individual juvenile cases on behalf of the State's Attorney's Office as Special Prosecutor, but only with full disclosure and consent of any affected clients.
It is improper for a state's attorney to communicate ex parte with a judge to obtain an emergency stay of a bail reduction order, except as provided for by statute.
State's Attorney may retain interest in land trust which leases office space to former law partners who may be adversaries in criminal cases, provided each attorney properly discloses the nature of his interest and the potential conflict and obtains client consent.
It is improper for a part-time Assistant State's Attorney assigned to prosecute criminal matters to simultaneously or subsequently represent individual(s) in civil litigation arising out of a criminal matter he or she prosecuted.
An attorney whose firm represents prosecutors in civil matters is not disqualified per se from opposing those prosecutors in criminal cases.
It is not professionally improper for a part-time public defender and criminal defense lawyer in County A to accept individual cases from the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Office to write briefs on behalf of the state involving criminal or civil matters, but only with full disclosure and consent of affected clients.
A state's attorney's duty to represent the county clerk in the latter's official capacity does not prevent an assistant state's attorney who is president of a non-profit organization from urging the legislature adopt an amendment to statute even though the county clerk is opposed to the amendment.
Lawyer who is a part time Assistant State's Attorney engaged in criminal work, may not represent defendants in criminal matters in a contiguous county absent appropriate consent if a conflict of interest exists.
Lawyer who is a part time Assistant State's Attorney, engaged in felony work, should not represent prisoners in civil rights actions against law enforcement officials of an adjacent county.
It is professionally improper for newly elected State's Attorney to continue and expand his predecessor's direct communication with accused person represented by counsel without consent of lawyer for the accused.
A State's Attorney may not accept a referral fee in a wrongful death case where a violation of a city or county ordinance is in question.
It is improper for a State's Attorney to communicate with a person he knows to be represented by counsel, who has admitted allegations of charges and has been placed under court supervision, where the communication is regarding other parties to the same incident without the prior consent of the lawyer representing A.