The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) recently announced that the Motion to Seal Court File in an Eviction Case form suite is available for comment for 45 days, through March 3, 2023.
This new form set is meant to help self-represented litigants request to seal their eviction court files.
The forms and a link to
Continue Reading ATJ Commission Approves a New Suite of Eviction Forms for Public Comment
Last week, Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism Executive Director Erika Harold returned to her alma mater, Harvard Law School, as part of the teaching faculty of the Winter Trial Advocacy Workshop. This is the sixth year that Harold has taught as part of the Trial Advocacy Workshop.
The Trial Advocacy Workshop is an intensive course in trial analysis, skills,
Continue Reading Executive Director Erika Harold Part of Teaching Faculty for Harvard Law School’s Winter Trial Advocacy Workshop
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that it recently partnered with the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice to lead its 12th Courthouse Professionalism Training. The in-person training was held on January 11, 2023, at the Cook County Sixth Municipal District courthouse in Markham, Illinois.
Presiding Judge Tommy Brewer provides remarks to the
Continue Reading Commission on Professionalism and Commission on Access to Justice Partner to Lead Courthouse Professionalism Training in Markham, Ill.
U.S. News & World Report said it will amend the methodology used in its ranking of best U.S. law schools after several law schools cited concerns with its ranking criteria.
More than 20 law schools including Northwestern, Harvard, and Yale, have said that they will stop providing data to U.S. News for the annual rankings, saying that the rankings
Continue Reading U.S. News & World Report Amends Law School Rankings Amid Boycott
Our Lawyer Spotlight series highlights Illinois lawyers who are demonstrating the ideals of professionalism in their daily lives.
Wade Thomson is a litigator and partner at Jenner & Block in Chicago. Wade has specialized in litigating business-to-business disputes in aerospace and aviation. He has also had experience with media law and investigations and compliance.
How has your practice evolved during
Continue Reading Lawyer Spotlight: Wade Thomson
New year, new you? Who is ready?
Was anyone else crawling to the end of the invisible finish line of 2022 and 2023’s starting line? Maybe it was just me, but I doubt it. We are all part of the legal profession; no one gets a prize at the end of the year for working the fewest number of hours.
Continue Reading 4 Development Goals for Lawyers This Year
Welcome to a new year! And if you are an attorney in New York, you are welcoming a new category of CLE.
Beginning on July 1, 2023, licensed attorneys in New York will be required to complete one CLE credit hour of cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection training as part of their biennial learning requirement.
While 40 states (as of
Continue Reading Shields Up! What Lawyers Need to Know to Avoid Phishing Attacks
January is National Mentoring Month. At the Commission on Professionalism, we would like to congratulate the attorneys and legal organizations that have already made mentoring a priority by participating in our lawyer-to-lawyer mentoring program or programs elsewhere.
2022 was an exciting year for mentoring at the Commission. As of December 2022, 111 organizations across Illinois are implementing the Commission’s mentoring
Continue Reading 3 Priorities for Lawyer Mentoring in 2023
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Julia Roundtree Livingston has joined the organization as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Manager.
In this role, Livingston will lead the Commission’s education and advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting DEI in Illinois’ legal and justice systems.
Prior to joining the Commission, Livingston was Executive Director of Macon County
Continue Reading Julia Roundtree Livingston Joins Commission on Professionalism as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager
Our Commissioners and staff at our September 2022 meeting
2022 was a year of profound change for both the Commission on Professionalism and me.
In April 2022, I assumed the role of Executive Director from Jayne Reardon, who was retiring after leading the Commission with vision and passion since 2009.
I transitioned from a fulfilling litigation practice at Meyer Capel
Continue Reading Letters from Erika: 4 Reasons I Was Proud of the Commission in 2022
Our Lawyer Spotlight series highlights Illinois lawyers who are demonstrating the ideals of professionalism in their daily lives.
Sandra A. Frantzen is an intellectual property and technology attorney at McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd. in Chicago. Her primary practice area is patent litigation and worldwide IP portfolio management in the medical device, pharmaceutical, chemical, and consumer products fields.
Sandra represents
Continue Reading Lawyer Spotlight: Sandra A. Frantzen
Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis administers the Oath of Unity to Illinois bar associations
If diversity and unity in Illinois’ legal profession could be reflected in a tableau, the image of bar association presidents from different backgrounds collectively pledging to promote diversity and collaboration in the legal profession would encompass those ideals.
That was the scene at the Diversity Scholarship
Continue Reading Illinois Bar Associations Pledge to Promote Diversity and Unity in the Legal Profession
Have you ever wondered what your fellow attorneys are learning during their required CLE hours?
To stay competitive in the legal profession, it is important to educate yourself on a variety of topics, including changing social norms and the associated legal needs.
One way to do this is through professional responsibility CLE, which provides lawyers with an opportunity to go
Continue Reading What CLEs Illinois Lawyers Took in 2022
Small law firms are more optimistic about positive growth in the upcoming year than they were in 2021, according to the 2022 Report on the State of U.S. Small Law Firms from Thomson Reuters.
Nearly 60% of lawyers expect growth over the next 12 months in revenues per lawyer, billable hours, and profits per lawyer compared to 51% in
Continue Reading Small Law Firms are Optimistic About Growth in 2023, According to a Survey
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that former Commission Chair Justice Debra B. Walker received the Illinois Bar Foundation’s (IBF) 2022 Distinguished Service to Law & Society Award. The award was presented at the IBF Champions Breakfast on Friday, Dec. 9.
The Distinguished Service to Law & Society Award recognized Walker’s significant contributions to law
Continue Reading Former Commission Chair Justice Debra Walker Receives Illinois Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Service to Law & Society Award