View from the Chair

[Welcome to the first issue of Senior Lawyers for the 2011-12 bar year. You are receiving this newsletter because you have practiced for more than 25 years or are at least 55 years old. There is no charge for membership to this Section. This newsletter, as well as all previous and future newsletter editions, can be viewed anytime on the Senior Lawyers Section Web site, <http://www.isba.org/sections/seniorlawyers>. —John Maville, Editor]

As a much-younger attorney many years ago, if I had read something titled “A View from the Chair” written by a much senior attorney, I would have imagined it being written from a rocking chair while the writer was enjoying and writing about his/her golden years with nothing more to do.

My, how times can quickly change, and, as Chair of the Senior Lawyers’ Section Council, I can assure you that the members of this Council are far from just sitting it out for the remainder of their professional careers, or as the commercials say, “their golden years.”

Since being formed a few years ago, this Section and Council have sponsored several successful CLEs dealing with issues affecting the ever-growing number of attorneys 55 years of age and older, including the transition into retirement, malpractice insurance issues upon retirement, and assistance for a disabled attorney.

It has published two newsletters, which we hope to increase during the 2011-2012 bar year.

We will continue to explore this year how we can best generate interest among senior attorneys in becoming members of the Senior Lawyers’ Section of the ISBA, and even serving on its Council.

One of the two new areas we will start this year is technology for senior attorneys, explained in very simple non-technical terms, particularly how to obtain CLE credits other than through live seminars.

And, networking various legal or other issues affecting senior attorneys, either online or directly with members of the Council, whose addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses are listed in the Senior Lawyers’ Section of the ISBA Web site under member services and the member groups sections by clicking on the Senior Lawyers’ link. Any such inquiries will be brought up and discussed during our Section Council meetings, with discussions and suggestions published in our newsletters following these meetings.

It is, therefore, my goal as Chair to have a most productive year for the Senior Lawyers’ Section, and to increase our membership substantially, and hopefully, provide some suggestions to the questions facing senior attorneys. ■

Gary T. Rafool

411 Hamilton Blvd. #1600

Peoria, IL 61602

(309) 673-5535

gtrafool@mtco.com