As a lawyer, maintaining the knowledge and skills required to practice law in today’s environment while meeting daily practice demands is no small task. Throw in maintaining competency in emerging technologies and understanding how to use them effectively, and the practice of law can be overwhelming.
Over the past several decades, lawyers have slowly—but surely—embraced computers, the internet, email, and
Continue Reading 3 Things Lawyers Should Be Doing Now with Generative AI
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) recently issued a report documenting the cost and time savings of remote court appearances in southern Illinois’ First Judicial Circuit.
The report, which was written by Sarah Song of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, stems from a pilot project aimed at reducing the “geographic constraints” of providing
Continue Reading Land of Lincoln Legal Aid Attorneys Saved More Than 633 Hours from Remote Court Appearances, Access to Justice Commission Found
Our Executive Director Erika Harold has assembled a Black History Month playlist, including songs that capture the strength, perseverance, hope, and beauty of the Black experience in America.
Along with the book recommendations we shared from Black leaders in the legal community, this Black History Month playlist recognizes the contributions, sacrifices, and legacy of Black Americans and their essential role
Continue Reading Erika Harold’s Black History Month Playlist
To achieve lasting success, law firms must recruit and retain attorneys who have a vested interest in the success of the firm. Attorneys may be more likely to support and shepherd the enduring success of a law firm with a culture that aligns with their values.
The 2023 Law Firm Culture Survey by Major, Lindsey & Africa and Law360 Pulse
Continue Reading Survey Reveals the Characteristics Attorneys Want in Law Firm Culture
The ABA Center for Professional Responsibility Working Group on ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5 (MRPC 5.5) is requesting public comment on an Issues Paper it developed regarding possible regulatory implications associated with exploring possible amendments to MRPC 5.5 to increase permissible cross-border practice.
The Working Group is currently in the early stages of its work in “determining whether
Continue Reading ABA Requests Public Comment on Possible Regulatory Implications of Exploring Possible Amendments to Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5 to Increase Permissible Cross-Border Practice
Each year, Black History Month recognizes the contributions, sacrifices, and legacy of African Americans who helped shape—and continue to shape—the culture of our nation.
During February and throughout the year, the Commission celebrates the achievements and heritage of Black lawyers and judges, and highlights the important work of bar associations and other legal organizations that focus on issues concerning the
Continue Reading Q&A With Three Black Lawyers Who Are Leading Illinois Bar Associations
The Illinois Supreme Court entered an Order on January 31 adding “sexual harassment prevention” to the topic areas that can be applied toward professional responsibility CLE (PR CLE) hours per Rule 794(d).
The amended Rule reads:
Each attorney subject to these Rules shall complete a minimum of six of the total CLE hours for each two-year reporting period in
Continue Reading Illinois Supreme Court Amends Rule 794(d) to Include Sexual Harassment Prevention as Part of PR CLE Requirement
The ABA’s Standing Committee on Professionalism is seeking nominations for the annual E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Awards, which recognize legal professionalism programs that “ensure the maintenance of the highest principles of integrity and dedication to the legal profession and the public.”
Awards of $3,500 each will be given to “exemplary, innovative, and ongoing professionalism programs” established by law schools,
Continue Reading Nominate a Legal Professionalism Program for the ABA’s Gambrell Professionalism Awards
This Black History Month, I have been reflecting on my grandmother—Mrs. Mary Louise Tanner—who passed away about a year ago at the age of 101. She was an intelligent, industrious, and beautiful Black woman born in segregated Kentucky in 1921.
Although her opportunities for educational and professional mobility were circumscribed by discriminatory laws and practices, she embodied one of Dr.
Continue Reading Honoring the Unsung Heroes of Black History Month: A Tribute to My Grandmother
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Executive Director Erika Harold is a 2024 recipient of the Earl B. Dickerson Award from the Chicago Bar Association. Harold will be presented with the award at the 2024 Dickerson Award Luncheon on February 15, 2024, at the Union League Club in Chicago.
The award honors the late
Continue Reading Executive Director Erika Harold to be Honored By CBA With An Earl B. Dickerson Award
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that early bird registration is open for its eighth annual Future Is Now: Legal Services conference. The conference will be held virtually from 12 – 4:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Early bird pricing of $30 per ticket will be available through Friday, March 15, 2024, when
Continue Reading Early Bird Registration is Open for 2024 Future Is Now: Legal Services Conference
Today, online reviews have emerged as the modern equivalent of traditional word-of-mouth recommendations, rendering the impact of receiving a negative review particularly significant.
When faced with challenges to our personal and professional competence, the instinct to react impulsively and emotionally is understandable. The innate inclination to safeguard both ourselves and our professional endeavors, even against seemingly trivial remarks, is a
Continue Reading Ethically Dealing with Negative Online Attorney Reviews
In January and February, the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession is encouraging lawyers to spend one hour talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion with another professional whose diversity is different from theirs.
Through this initiative, called #TalkIntoAction, IILP hopes to expose lawyers to different points of view and encourage them to critically examine their perspectives while learning from
Continue Reading Strategies for Navigating Difficult Conversations About Diversity in the Legal Profession
A recent survey of the public by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) “provides some cautious optimism” about improving public confidence in state courts across the U.S.
For the first time since 2019, public confidence in state courts increased slightly, according to the State of the State Courts study, which was conducted for the NCSC by GBAO Strategies.
Continue Reading Is Public Opinion of State Courts Improving? The NCSC Cites ‘Cautious Optimism’
Last night, presidents and delegates from Illinois bar associations gathered in Chicago to recognize their shared commitment to embracing diversity and encouraging unity and cooperation across their membership.
During the Oath of Diversity and Swearing-In of Bar Presidents, which is conducted annually at the Unity Awards Gala, these legal leaders pledged to “uphold the ideals of my bar association as dictated
Continue Reading Should I Join a Bar Association for a Minority Group I’m Not Part Of?
The Leading Change: Illinois Innovation Series will share presentations on “Illinois-based” approaches and strategies for mental health accommodations in the legal and justice systems.
Developed by Scott Block, the Illinois Supreme Court Statewide Behavioral Health Administrator, and the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning’s Education Subcommittee, the series highlights initiatives that support strategic initiatives within the
Continue Reading ‘Leading Change: Illinois Innovations Series’ Highlights Mental Health Initiatives in Illinois Courts