Chicago Paralegal Association CPA Chronicles

By: Farrah Anderson and Diana Leane, Invisible Institute

Two of America’s largest poultry producers have agreed to pay a combined $75 million to settle yet another part of a a massive action claiming they joined in a conspiracy to artificially boost chicken prices.

Click here to review the article.

ILLINOIS POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER FIRE FOR ‘CULTURE’ OF NEGLECTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORTING LAWS

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

An internal review by the Champaign Police Department found a “systematic” pattern of noncompliance with state law.

Click here to review the article.

Appeals panel: Employers don't owe OT for 'incidental' work if workers don't record the hours

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Chuck Goudie and Tom Jones, Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel

A federal appeals court has withdrawn a jury verdict in favor of a field technician in his fight with his employer, ATM maker NCR, over allegedly unpaid overtime, saying the tech’s claims are thwarted by his failure to properly record his time worked off the clock.

Click here to review the article.

Water discharge from Trump Tower into Chicago River continues to break rules, Illinois attorney general alleges

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Kade Heather

Chicago’s Trump International Hotel and Tower has continued to skirt laws and regulations related to its intake and discharge of water in the Chicago River, the Illinois attorney general’s office alleges.

Click here to review the article.

Yorkville school board investigated by Illinois attorney general over closed meeting complaint

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 20:58:00 GMT

By: Mark Foster

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is investigating a complaint alleging that the Yorkville School District 115 board violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act when discussing the book “Just Mercy” in closed session.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week: A reminder of the urgent need for reform

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Bob Goray

One alarming aspect of the lawsuit abuse problem in Illinois is the burden of the so-called "tort tax" placed on businesses and consumers. This hidden tax, in the form of higher insurance premiums and legal fees, is an enormous financial strain on small businesses like mine. The entire state suffers when we are forced to divert resources away from job creation and innovation to defend against frivolous lawsuits.

Click here to review the article.

New law requires Illinois residents to register semi-automatic firearms

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: FOX 32 News

Illinois residents who own semi-automatic firearms are now required by law to register them with the state police. This registration is part of the state's ban on assault weapons.

Click here to review the article.

7 years after passage, Illinois’ first in string of recent abortion protections gets day in court

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Hannah Meisel

Crisis pregnancy centers contend they shouldn’t be forced to convey ‘benefits’ of procedure.

Click here to review the article.

Chicago man becomes first in Illinois to get reduced sentence under new law

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Maya Dukmasova

A law passed in 2021 empowered prosecutors to revisit excessive sentences, but so far, only two people have been released. Said one: ‘Two years into it, it’s helped two people?’

Click here to review the article.

Illinois law requires haunted houses to be inspected before opening

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Kelsey Anderson

Before Halloween, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) will be visiting and inspected haunted houses to make sure they're safe before operation.

Click here to review the article.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch introduces bill to allow legislative staff to unionize

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Peter Hancock

House Speaker has filed legislation that would, for the first time in Illinois, authorize legislative staff to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois Attorney General to prosecute three Peoria gas station owners for tax evasion

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 23:18:00 GMT

By: Andy Kravetz

Three men face decades in prison and possibly tens of thousands of dollars in fines or restitution for failing to pay the state of Illinois millions of dollars in sales tax.

Click here to review the article.

A Look Inside Cook County Courtrooms on the Day Cash Bail Ends in Illinois

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

By: Matt Masterson

While courts across Illinois underwent a seismic change Monday with the elimination of cash bail, it was mostly smooth sailing during the first wave of criminal proceedings in Cook County’s main courthouse.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois Appeals Court Hears Arguments on Jussie Smollett Request to Toss Convictions

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:08:00 GMT

By: Associated Press

Jussie Smollett's lawyers told an Illinois appellate court Tuesday it should toss the former “Empire” actor’s convictions for staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and then lying about it to Chicago police, arguing that anger over the case led to properly dismissed charges being improperly restored.

Click here to review the article.

Judge won't dismiss Chicago's complaint vs Monarch law firm, contractor over debt resolution work

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Scott Holland

A Cook County judge won’t end a lawsuit from Chicago City Hall accusing a law firm and its contractor of operating a debt resolution scam, as the judge says the city's consumer fraud action doesn't amount to illegal attempts to regulate the practice of law.

Click here to review the article.

Ambulance company violated Illinois genetic privacy law by asking for worker medical history, lawsuit claims

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: David Beasley

A new class action lawsuit has accused a private ambulance company of violating a state genetic privacy law by allegedly forcing workers to share their family medical history when applying for a job.

Click here to review the article.

No movement in Rod Blagojevich's lawsuit that would allow him to run for office again

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:43:00 GMT

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been waiting for a decision in his lawsuit that could open the door on another run for office. But the wait is a long one. It's been more than a year and a half since he filed a federal civil rights case against the state that challenged a law he said prevents him alone from running for office.

Click here to review the article.

Appeals panel says $5.2M fine in FTC credit monitoring scam litigation can stand

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Scott Holland

A federal appeals panel has upheld a $5.2 million fine federal regulators levied against a firm accused of operating a credit monitoring scam.

Click here to review the article.

Judge: CTA may have violated worker's rights by firing him after denying religious exemption from Covid vax

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Click here to read the article (members only).

A pro-life Catholic former CTA worker fired for refusing to take a Covid vaccine will be allowed to continue suing the transit agency for violating his religious freedom rights under federal law, because the CTA rejected his request for a religious exemption to the CTA’s vaccine mandate.

Click here to review the article.

Class action accuses Edward-Elmhurst of allowing Facebook to track patient web activity

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: David Beasley

A class action lawsuit accuses suburban Chicago health and hospital company Edward-Elmhurst Health of violating patients' privacy rights by allegedly allowing patient healthcare information to be traced and shared by Facebook's Tracking Pixel software.

Click here to review the article.

Drugmakers, trade groups push back against Medicare drug price negotiations

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:47:00 GMT

By: Lauren Gardner

Drugmakers and trade associations have filed eight lawsuits challenging the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug price negotiation program.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois judge refuses to dismiss case against father of parade shooting suspect

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:34:00 GMT

By: Michael Tarm

A judge on Monday refused to dismiss the case against a father who helped his son obtain a gun license three years before authorities say the younger man fatally shot seven people at a 2022 Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago.

Click here to review the article.

Abuse Guardians, A National Alliance Of Lawyers Who Only Represent Survivors Of Sexual Abuse, Has Appointed Ervin Nevitt, Esquire As Their Attorney For Illinois

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Chadds Ford

Abuse Guardians, a national alliance of lawyers who only represent survivors of sexual abuse, is proud to announce they have appointed sexual abuse lawyer Ervin Nevitt, as their attorney for Illinois.

Click here to review the article.

A planned Illinois bill would require lawyers for kids in police interrogations

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 11:01:00 GMT

By: Chip Mitchell

In light of video footage that shows a suburban Chicago police officer steering a 15-year-old to confess to a shooting he did not commit, some Illinois lawmakers are pledging to back planned legislation requiring a lawyer for any child being interrogated by police.

Click here to review the article.

Sometimes We All Have Needs

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 14:33:30 GMT

As we gain more experience and move along in our careers, there are going to be times when we all have needs that we want to ask from our firms. What are the important things we should consider before heading into any conversations about our futures? Nathan Ciulla gives some thoughts, but of course, it's all about you and your firm.

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Illinois Law Subjecting ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’ to Civil Liability

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 01:02:00 GMT

By: Hannah Meisel - Capitol News Illinois

A new law allowing Illinoisans to sue so-called crisis pregnancy centers under the state’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act is on hold after a federal judge late Thursday granted a preliminary injunction against it.

Click here to review the article.

The Illinois Attorney General sues the owner of a southern Illinois coal mine

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 21:46:00 GMT

By: Brad Palmer

The suit alleges Williamson Energy has violated permit limits dozens of times, failed to report bypasses, caused numerous violations of water quality standards, and failed to comply with good mining practices at the Pond Creek Mine near Johnston City.

Click here to review the article.

US Attorney’s Office in Chicago Aims to be ‘Force Multiplier’ in Anti-Gang Effort

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 01:02:00 GMT

By: Paul Caine

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois has scored some significant recent successes as part of its anti-gang efforts and is a “force multiplier” to help state and local law enforcement curb gang activity, according to Chicago’s top federal prosecutor.

Click here to review the article.

Federal Judge Dismisses GOP Lawsuit Challenging Illinois’ Mail-in Ballot Receipt Deadline

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Rachel Selzer

On Wednesday, July 26, a federal judge in Illinois tossed out a lawsuit brought by three Republicans — including the current representative for the state’s 12th Congressional District, Michael Bost (R) — alleging that the state’s mail-in ballot receipt deadline violates federal law and burdens the right to vote under the First and 14th Amendments.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois Instagram users can receive settlement money from new lawsuit

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: FOX 32 Digital Staff

Illinois Instagram users may be eligible to collect a portion of a proposed $68.5 million settlement from a class-action lawsuit that accuses the social media platform's parent company of violating state law.

Click here to review the article.

Flirty Old Lawyer Banned From Will Co. Courthouse Cafeteria: Report

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 04:13:00 GMT

By: John Ferak

The American Bar Association Journal reported that Skokie lawyer Robert Lewin is prohibited from visiting the Will County Courthouse cafeteria and the courthouse library in connection with allegations raised in an ethics complaint accusing him of inappropriate behavior toward women at the courthouse.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois law requires landlords to rent or sell to noncitizen immigrants

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:07:00 GMT

By: John Clark

Starting January 1st, 2024, Illinois landlords will be required to rent or sell property to undocumented migrants.

Click here to review the article.

New Illinois law shields child victims from testifying in front of abuser

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 03:57:00 GMT

By: Mackenzie LaPorte

In recent weeks, Governor Pritzker signed 150 bills to include House Bill 2607 into law, which aims to protect child victims of violent crimes from being forced to testify in front of their abusers.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois lawmakers pushing to ease ban on most fireworks

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 23:57:24 GMT

By: Charlie De Mar

Illinois has some of the strictest laws in the nation when it comes to fireworks. Now there's a push to lift the ban on most fireworks.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois law will require water bottle filling stations in new public buildings

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Mike Miletich

Illinois will soon require water bottle filling stations inside most public buildings. The change will only apply to any new public buildings with an occupancy of over 100 people and properties that are 5,000 square feet or larger.

Click here to review the article.

Samantha Harer Lawyer Presents 'Making A Murderer' DNA Expert

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 21:20:00 GMT

By: John Ferak

More than an hour after ex-Crest Hill Police Officer Phil Flores walked out on Will County Circuit Judge John Anderson and ran down the ninth story hallway to escape the Will County Courthouse, a world-renowned DNA expert testified in Friday's wrongful death prove-up hearing involving Flores' late girlfriend, Samantha Harer.

Click here to review the article.

Laws taking effect in Illinois as new fiscal year begins on July 1

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:05:00 GMT

By: Mikaela Schlueter

Gov. Pritzker has signed numerous bills into law after the legislative session ended. Here's some that will be taking effect this weekend.

Click here to review the article.

Are fireworks legal in Illinois?

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 21:51:00 GMT

By: John Dodge

Based on all of the amateur shows exploding over the holiday every year, one might mistakenly think the answer is "yes."

Click here to review the article.

April Perry Nominated to Become Chicago’s First Female U.S. Attorney, Biden Announces

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:06:00 GMT

By: Matt Masterson

A former ethics officer with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has been nominated to become Chicago’s first female top federal prosecutor, President Joe Biden announced during his visit to the city Wednesday.

Click here to review the article.

New Illinois law to try to curb bullying at schools through quicker parental notice

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:23:00 GMT

By: Danny Connolly

A new law signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker earlier this month is trying to curb bullying at Illinois schools. One part of the law requires schools to report bullying incidents to parents within 24 hours of the school learning about it.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois Secretary of State Adopts Administrative Rules Making Amendments to the Illinois Notary Public Act Effective

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 22:39:20 GMT

By: Ray Prather, J.D., CPA, CFF

On July 23, 2021, Gov. Pritzker signed Public Act 102-0160 amending the Illinois Notary Public Act. The amendments permanently allow notary publics to perform remote notarial acts, bring electronic notary publics to Illinois, and add education and journal requirements for notary publics. On June 5, 2023, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office (IL SOS) adopted administrative rules (Rules) that make Public Act 102-0160 effective and provide guidance for Illinois notaries moving forward.

Click here to view the full article.

Kirkwood lawyer sentenced for faking court orders, judges' signatures in 'betrayal' of clients

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Erin Heffernan

ST. LOUIS — Victims of a former Kirkwood family law attorney who falsified dozens of court documents confronted the lawyer on Monday and recounted the “nightmare” he imposed on clients.

Click here to review the article.

Pritzker Signs Illinois Law to Ban Book Bans

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 23:19:00 GMT

By: Charlie Wojciechowski

Under the bill, Illinois would not authorize state grants to libraries that do not endorse the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or otherwise promise not to take from the shelves books already in their collections.

Click here to review the article

Illinois governor signs two bills safeguarding LGBTQ+ rights

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:06:43 GMT

By: Sean Beeghly

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed two bills on Friday safeguarding LGBTQ+ rights in the state.

Click here to review the article.

Lawyer who cited cases concocted by AI asks judge to spare sanctions

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 21:59:00 GMT

By: Sara Merken

A New York lawyer on Thursday asked a Manhattan federal judge not to sanction him after he included made-up case citations generated by an artificial intelligence chatbot in a legal brief.

Click here to review the article.

Complaint: Former Cook County judge misappropriated nearly $250,000, buying cryptocurrency with elderly man’s funds

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 21:58:00 GMT

By: Madeline Buckley

A former Cook County judge has been accused in an attorney discipline complaint of taking nearly $250,000 from the bank accounts of a 95-year-old man she was tasked with assisting financially and using the funds for her own purposes, including buying cryptocurrency.

Click here to review the article.

Lawyer for former Chicago sergeant accused of tackling Park Ridge teen calls case ‘Kim Foxx special.’ Prosecutors say cop went ‘rogue.’

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Caroline Kubzansky

An off-duty Chicago police sergeant went “rogue” in allegedly tackling a Park Ridge young teen and pinning him to a sidewalk, Cook County prosecutors argued in court Monday.

But an attorney for former Sergeant Michael Vitellaro characterized the case as a “Kim Foxx special,” referencing the Cook County state’s attorney, who some police officers have seen as overzealous in holding law enforcement to account. The attorney insisted the case did not belong in criminal court and argued the sergeant had acted according to his law enforcement training when he believed he saw a crime taking place.

Click here to review the article.

Sheriff Dart Warns Public of Phone Scam

Wed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Press Release

COOK COUNTY, IL – Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart is warning the public of a telephone scam where a caller identifying as a Sheriff’s Office employee tells victims they must pay for missing court or risk going to jail.

The scammer tells victims that they missed a court date and have two options to remedy the situation: go through criminal proceedings, where they will be held in jail, or attend a civil hearing through zoom and pay a $1,500 “collateral bond” for each charge or citation using a mobile banking app.

In order to make the scam seem legitimate, the callers have been using the name of actual Sheriff’s Office employees, and the phone number on caller ID appears to be that connected to the Sheriff’s Office. The caller may also use legal or police jargon during the call to appear legitimate and further intimidate the victims.

The Sheriff’s Office does not request payments in this manner, nor does the Office accept payment via money transfer apps. The public should be aware that these types of calls are scams, and they should not send money or provide personal information to the caller.

Individuals who believe they have been a victim of this scam are asked to call the Sheriff’s Police Investigation Section at 708-865-4896 or the Sheriff’s Police non-emergency number at 847-635-1188.

Appealing your Cook County property tax, with or without a lawyer

Wed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Monica Erg

Appeals filed by individuals actually do as well or better than those filed by lawyers, according to the latest data from the Cook County Assessor's Office and the Cook County Board of Review.

Click here to review the article.

Sheriff Dart’s Anti-Carjacking Initiative Clears General Assembly

Thu, 18 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Press Release

COOK COUNTY, IL – Illinois lawmakers today overwhelmingly approved legislation to help police more quickly track vehicles after a carjacking, increasing the chances of catching the offenders and stopping the vehicles from being used in additional crimes, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today...

Click here to continue reviewing the press release.

IL lawmakers poised to expand ability of personal injury plaintiffs to demand bigger paydays in wrongful death suits

Thu, 18 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Stephen Joyce and Skye Witley

Illinois, a state already renowned as one of the leading lawsuit capitols of the world, may become even more friendly to plaintiffs and their lawyers seeking to win so-called “nuclear verdicts,” and a more dangerous place to do business, under new legislation sliding quickly toward approval in Springfield, say groups representing the state’s business community.

Click here to review the article.

Videos of Cook County judge with massage parlor owner raise ethics questions

Tue, 09 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Maya Dukmasova

Associate Judge Gregory P. Vazquez, who filed papers to retire amid Injustice Watch’s investigation, appears on a police raid body camera with the owner of a Brookfield massage parlor known for unlawful sex work. Vazquez said he was merely giving a friend a ride.

Click here to review the full article.

Is it legal for businesses to require face masks in Illinois?

Mon, 08 May 2023 15:15:00 GMT

By: David Greenberg

With the World Health Organization officially declaring that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, is it legal for someone to require customers or patrons to wear a face mask while inside a business in Illinois?

Click here to review the article.

Illinois moves toward gender inclusivity as others move away

Mon, 08 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Claire Savage

Illinois bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages are ready for action by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he will sign them.

Click here to review the full article.

7th Circuit lifts injunction on Illinois assault weapons ban

Thu, 04 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Dave Byrnes

The ruling, which reversed a decision made less than a week ago by a lower court, is just the latest development in a multipronged legal fight over the new rules.

Click here to review the full article.

Illinois consumers to receive checks from TurboTax settlement

Thu, 04 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: WAND TV

Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that qualified Illinois consumers who were deceived into paying for tax services that were available for free will soon receive settlement checks from a multistate settlement with TurboTax's owner, Intuit.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois lawmakers push back on library book bans

Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Claire Savage

Illinois lawmakers greenlighted a bill Wednesday that says libraries in the state must adopt an anti-book banning policy to receive state funding, in a vote that fissured along party lines.

Click here to review the full article.

Illinois Biometric Privacy Cases Jump 65% After Seminal Ruling

Tue, 02 May 2023 09:15:00 GMT

The number of lawsuits in Illinois circuit courts alleging violations of the 2008 Biometric Information Protection Act jumped 65%, to 122 cases, during the two months following the Feb. 17 Cothron v. White Castle System Inc. decision, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of dockets through April 17.

Click here to review the full article.

Cook County judges, court employees set to return to office

Mon, 01 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Glenn Minnis

All Cook County judges and court employees will be required to at their "regularly assigned workspace" for the vast majority of their time on the job beginning in mid-May.

Click here for the full article.

Amazon Flex app violates Illinois privacy law, class action alleges

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Abraham Jewett

Amazon fails to obtain the required informed consent before collecting, storing and disseminating biometric identifiers obtained from its Amazon Flex users, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

Click here to review the full article.

How Illinois Facebook Users Can Claim Cash In $725M Settlement

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:19:00 GMT

By: Jeff Arnold

Facebook users across the state could be in line for another payout later this year after a $725 million class-action suit against the social media platform was brought against the company for providing personal information to third parties without permission.

Click here to review the full article.

Lawmakers consider banning vehicle searches based on cannabis odor, changes to probation

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:02:00 GMT

By: Nika Schoonver

Measures would further decriminalize use of substance after its 2020 legalization

Click here to review the article.

Illinois to Receive $67.6 Million From Multistate Juul Labs Settlement

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:42:00 GMT

By: Associated Press

Embattled electronic cigarette-maker Juul Labs Inc. will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia, marking the largest settlement the company has reached so far for its role in the youth vaping surge, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday.

Click here to review the article.

Carvana wants change in Illinois law after problems in the state

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 19:29:00 GMT

By: Jack Baudoin

The company had to shut down for two weeks last year after consumer complaints, according to WBBM. It was allowed to continue operations after settling with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office.

Click here to review the article.

Union Workers in ‘Uncharted Territory’ on Illinois Privacy Law

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 21:25:00 GMT

By: Robert Iafolla

The Illinois Supreme Court has virtually shut the door on unionized workers’ lawsuits for alleged violations of a plaintiff-friendly state biometric privacy law, even as it set up messy proceedings when those workers try to bring claims in arbitration.

Click here to review the article.

Federal judge says Chicago liable to upgrade thousands of street crossings to make them 'accessible' for blind people

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Scott Holland

A federal judge has ruled in favor of advocates seeking to force the city of Chicago to install potentially costly new equipment to upgrade street crossings to increase safety for pedestrians with limited vision.

Click here to review the article.

Illinois law would restrict pro-life clinics from reaching abortion seekers

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:38:00 GMT

By: John Clark

The Illinois Senate passed a bill Friday that would limit the ability of pro-life advocates to convince women to seek alternatives to abortion.

Senate Bill 1909 prohibits pregnancy crisis centers from using “deceptive practices” to discourage women from getting an abortion.

Click here to review the article.

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL ANNOUNCES PASSING OF UTILITIES BILL

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:19:00 GMT

By: Robert Times

"Legislation to protect residents from gas or electric utility service disconnection for nonpayment of bills has been passed by the Illinois House of Representatives.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul initiated House Bill 1541 to amend the Public Utilities Act (PUA).

The legislation is for when temperatures are 90 F or above, or when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, heat advisory, or excessive heat warning."

Click here to review the article.

Illinois lawmakers approve kindergarten reform, plan to address childhood literacy

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: Andrew Adams

Lawmakers are looking at several ways to improve learning outcomes and access for young students in Illinois.

On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives approved a proposal that would require school boards in Illinois to provide full-day kindergarten starting with the 2027-28 school year.

Click here to review the article.

High profile departures from Cook County State's Attorney's Office headline list of 22 new Cook County judges

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 05:00:00 GMT

By: NBC 5 Staff and The Associated Press

A raft of current and former prosecutors from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, including two whose departures from the office grabbed local headlines and raised eyebrows, account for nearly a third of the 22 new judges recently appointed to the bench in Cook County.

Others on the list include those appointed to a state hate crimes commission by Gov. JB Pritzker and a longtime Illinois assistant attorney general, serving under Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

Click here to review the article.

Brown County Circuit Clerk gets major technology upgrade

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 22:26:00 GMT

By: Clare Edlund

"Officials at the Brown County Circuit Clerk’s Office just got a $43,000 technology upgrade which they said was much-needed."

Click here to review the article.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s lawyer asks about missing GoPro video

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 12:20:00 GMT

By: Sam Metz

"Gwyneth Paltrow‘s attorneys asked the daughter of a man suing the actor-turned-lifestyle influencer over a 2016 ski collision about missing GoPro camera footage that they called “the most important piece of evidence” at trial Thursday."

Click here to review the article.

Oregon State Bar Wants Paralegals to Represent Clients in Eviction and Divorce Cases

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:44:00 GMT

By: Nigel Jaquiss

"Although Oregon’s public defender crisis has brought attention to a shortage of criminal defense lawyers in the state’s courts, the percentage of litigants without a lawyer in landlord-tenant and family law cases is far higher than in criminal cases. (Criminal defendants have a constitutional right to an attorney while civil litigants do not.) An Oregon Senate bill seeks to rectify that problem by expanding who can assist litigants in those cases."

Click here to review the article.

You have the right to a lawyer, but public defenders note a lack of resources, respect

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

By: Carrie Johnson

"Sixty years ago today the Supreme Court ruled that people accused of crimes but without means to pay for a lawyer would be provided with one at public expense.

The promise of that landmark ruling in Gideon v. Wainwright has been frustrated by heavy caseloads for public defenders and tight budgets that prioritize police, prosecutors and prisons over the right to counsel."

Click here to review the article.

[Former DOJ Paralegal] exposes son’s ‘snitches’ after he’s accused of robbery, feds say

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 15:03:00 GMT

By: Julia Marnin

"A former Department of Justice paralegal is going to prison after exposing two people who “snitched” on her son while knowing it could lead to “violent consequences” for them, federal prosecutors announced."

Click here to review the article.

What Illinois' Mandatory Paid Leave Act Says, And How It Differs From Laws in Other States

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:31:00 GMT

"Illinois is poised to become the next state to mandate paid leave for nearly all workers.

Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to sign into law the “Paid Leave for All Workers Act,” which states that employees will accrue at least one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to 40 hours total."

Click here to review the article.

Bill proposes changes to online car buying in Illinois

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Alyssa Patrick

"Illinoisans can buy pretty much anything online with a few clicks. But there is some gray area when it comes to purchasing a car electronically.

A new bill being proposed in the legislature would bring Illinois into the 21st century by modernizing its virtual car dealer laws."

Click here to review the article.

Illinois parents could be required to set up trust fund if they profit off child on social media

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:32:00 GMT

By: John Clark

"A new proposed Illinois law would require parents to set up a trust fund if they profit off of a child’s image on social media.

A blogger on YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, or another platform would be required to set aside an amount of the gross earnings from the video content into a trust, which would be held in the child’s name until they reach 18 years old."

Click here to review the article.

USPTO’s Council for Inclusive Innovation launches new initiative to expedite patent applications of first-time filers

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT

To incentivize more innovation from communities all across America, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI2) First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program. The new initiative benefits individuals or small businesses qualifying as a “micro entity“ who are first-time filers for patent rights, including those from groups that are underrepresented in the innovation space, by providing expedited initial feedback from the agency on their application, also known as “first office action.”

Read the full Federal Register Notice announcing the pilot program.

Lawsuit: Chicago illegally towing, seizing, selling off vehicles over other people's unpaid ticket debt

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Mary Haydock

"Attorneys from the firm of Myron M. Cherry & Associates filed suit in Chicago federal court on Feb. 27 on behalf of named plaintiffs Ryan O'Donnell and Michael Goree, against the City of Chicago and United Road Towing. The lawsuit accuses the city of Chicago over the alleged booting, impounding, seizure, salvage and sale of vehicles, from owners who allegedly are on record for unpaid fines, parking tickets and other non-moving violations. "

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Chicago Police Supt. David Brown resigning, taking job at Texas law firm

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Staff reports

"Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown will resign his position on March 16 and return to Texas to work at a personal injury law firm."

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Illinois Sheriff's Association seeks to file opposition to gun ban in federal court suits

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Steve Korris

"Gun owners and dealers suing in U. S. district court for an injunction against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s gun law found a friend in the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association."

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Appeals court: Rockford nurse can only get $2,500 from her lawsuit win, even though county health department violated her abortion conscience rights

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Dan Churney

"An Illinois appeals panel has ruled a nurse, who won a lawsuit accusing Winnebago County of violating her religions conscience rights when her supervisors forced from her government health care job because she would not help women get abortions, did not deserve a larger payout from the county, because she could have taken a similar county post that did not involve abortion referrals."

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IL courts, reform advocates agree: Time is now for IL Supreme Court to rein in lawmakers' constitutional 'lapses'

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Stephanie N. Grimoldby

"It’s time the Illinois Supreme Court steps up and revisits the issue of “repeated ethical lapses associated with gut-and-replace legislation,” which was used to create two controversial state laws that have since drawn national attention: bans on so-called “assault weapons” and cash bail."

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Class action accuses Barilla of falsely promoting its products as Italy's top pasta

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Mary Haydock

"Paula Slouras, on behalf of herself and others, filed a new class action against Barilla America Inc. on Feb. 14 in Cook County Circuit Court. The lawsuit asserts Barilla's packaging is intentionally mislabeled, misleading consumers. The suit alleges violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (ICFA), for intentionally mislabeling products to depict the appearance of a pasta produced in Italy using only Italian ingredients, misleading her unfairly as a consumer she claims."

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Prosecutors ask IL Supreme Court to declare SAFE-T Act unconstitutional 'overreach,' weakens judges' power to safeguard the public

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Dan Churney

"Sheriffs and prosecutors from 64 of the state's 102 counties, want the Illinois Supreme Court to rule the criminal justice reform SAFE-T Act should have gone before voters in a referendum, and unconstitutionally reduces the power of judges to protect the public from crime."

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Illinois Abolishes Life Without Parole Sentences for Children

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Equal Justice Initiative

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new law on Friday that extends parole eligibility for people convicted of offenses when they were under 21, making Illinois the 26th state to abolish life-without-parole sentences for children.

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Illinois Supreme Court Holds That Five Year Statute of Limitations Applies to All BIPA Claims - training

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Epstein Becker & Green

The Supreme Court partially reversed the Appellate Court and found that the five-year catch-all applies to all subsections. Even though the Supreme Court acknowledged that subsections 15(c) and 15(d) involve “publication,” such that the one-year statute of limitations could be applied, it refused to do so in favor of a unified approach.

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Super Bowl 2023: Black national anthem performed by Sheryl Lee Ralph explained

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 17:36:00 GMT

By: Ryan King

For the first time, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also known as the black national anthem, was performed live on-field during the Super Bowl on Sunday by Sheryl Lee Ralph.

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Illinois Supreme Court Opens Door for More Actions Under BIPA

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Franczel, P.C.

On February 2, 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court laid to rest the longstanding question of whether the statute of limitations for BIPA claims is one year or five years, holding that the five-year “catchall” limit set in Section 13-205 for all civil actions that do not contain a specific statute of limitations applies to all BIPA claims.

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School Bus Driver Who Struck and Killed 2nd-Grade Student in Park Forest Didn't Possess a Legal License: Police

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 22:29:00 GMT

By: Matt Stefanski

As part of its investigation, Park Forest police reviewed the driver's Illinois Secretary of State records and discovered the individual's Commercial Driver's License and School Bus Driver endorsement had been canceled on Jan. 8, because the driver failed to provide medical exam documents, according to authorities.

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Lawsuit seeks white woman’s arrest in Emmett Till kidnapping

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Emily Wagster Pettus

A relative of Emmett Till is suing to try to make a Mississippi sheriff serve a 1955 arrest warrant on a white woman in the kidnapping that led to the Black teenager’s brutal lynching.

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Paralegal was unaware she was conducting unlawful litigation

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Capt. Nancy Drapeza

“Training firsthand in a situation where you can see your errors is very valuable,” said Sgt. David Lange. “I feel very much like the backbone of the legal professional here. The lawyers and judges can argue and deliberate all day long, but nothing happens without the paralegal. It’s an important role, especially when you see your projects come together.”

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US has ‘absolute legal right’ to shoot down Chinese spy balloon, say national security experts

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 20:09:00 GMT

By: Peter Kasperowicz

"We have the absolute legal right to take it down," said Cully Stimson, a 30-year veteran of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and a senior legal fellow and manager of the National Security Law Program at the Heritage Foundation.

"From a rules-of-engagement standpoint, we have the absolute legal authority under domestic and international law to take this down," he added. "We’re legally on very, very solid ground."

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Federal appeals court strikes down domestic violence gun law

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 04:07:00 GMT

By: Associated Press

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the government can’t stop people who have domestic violence restraining orders against them from owning guns — the latest domino to fall after the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority set new standards for reviewing the nation’s gun laws.

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Criminal defense attorney discusses strategy before Aiden Fucci’s murder trial

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 21:25:00 GMT

By: Marilyn Parker

For now, jury selection is still scheduled to begin Monday in the murder trial of Aiden Fucci, the teen accused of killing 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey.

Circuit Judge Lee Smith on Wednesday denied a motion filed earlier in the day by Fucci’s defense attorney, asking for a delay of his trial and saying she is appealing the judge’s order for a six-member jury to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

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Lawyer’s green card mistake leads to Jackson nonprofit leader, family being deported

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 19:09:00 GMT

By: Martin Slagter

The couple and their family face deportation after an “11th-hour” green card denial by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fernandes attributes their pending exit from the U.S. back to Canada to a mistake of his attorney, who later wrote a letter on Fernandes’ behalf admitting fault for the lack of communication that led to the denial of his application permanent residency.

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Music Mega-Lawyer Peter Paterno on Metallica Suing Napster, Working With Dr. Dre and a Young Britney Spears, and His E.L.I. Honor

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 18:58:00 GMT

By: Jen Aswad

Veteran music business attorney Peter Paterno’s client list is dazzling enough — Dr. Dre, the Tupac Shakur estate, Metallica, Van Morrison, Blink-182, Twenty One Pilots, Skrillex, Tyler the Creator, Q Tip, Rage Against the Machine, Alice in Chains, Linda Ronstadt, Roddy Ricch, Sia, the Henry Mancini Estate, Shirley Manson, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos and many others over the course of a 40-something year career.

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Former High-Profile Lawyer Is Charged With Embezzling More Than $18 Million

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 18:42:00 GMT

By: Jenny Gross

Tom Girardi, a former high-profile trial lawyer known for winning a record settlement for the environmental activist Erin Brockovich, has been indicted by federal grand juries in Los Angeles and Chicago on charges that he embezzled more than $18 million from clients, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

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Ex-Facebook Legal Chief Stretch Jumps to Etsy as New Top Lawyer

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 17:10:00 GMT

By: Brian Baxter

Etsy Inc. has hired former Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch to be its new chief legal officer as of Feb. 14, the company announced Thursday.

Stretch, who stepped down in 2019 as the top lawyer at Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms Inc., will take over a top legal role at Etsy.

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Hunter Biden’s lawyers deny admitting laptop's existence in demand for criminal probe into leakers

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:40:00 GMT

By: Anders Hagstrom

Hunter Biden's lawyers called on federal and state prosecutors across the country to open criminal investigations into his critics on Wednesday, but denied that doing so suggested reports about the laptop's contents are accurate.

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ANALYSIS: Court-Ordered Lawyer Sanctions Take a Nosedive

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

By: Melissa Heelan

The number of mentions of inherent power to sanction in federal district and appellate court orders has fallen by a shocking 96% over the past decade, from 760 mentions in 2013 to 28 in 2022.

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Alex Murdaugh’s Lawyers Inadvertently “Opened The Door” To Evidence About His Other Alleged Crimes, A Judge Ruled

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: David Mack

Prosecutors want to convince the jury that Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son to distract from his alleged financial crimes.

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Attorneys for 'Rust' armorer say she was pressured to work in unsafe environment

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 05:56:00 GMT

By: Mark Guarino and Doug Lantz

Attorneys for the "Rust" film armorer charged with involuntary manslaughter Tuesday said she felt "extreme pressure" to work within an irresponsible culture that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and actor Alec Baldwin were both charged Tuesday with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in New Mexico. First assistant director David Halls has already agreed to plead no contest for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

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No-show lawyer planning to forfeit law license with 29 disciplinary charges pending

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:38:00 GMT

By: Anne Schindler

An attorney whose failure to show up for court disrupted the lives and legal equilibrium of clients is poised to give up his law license for at least five years.

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R. Kelly's Lawyer & Accuser Speak Out After Sex Abuse Charges Dropped

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:48:00 GMT

By: Andy Bustard

R. Kelly’s lawyer and one of his accusers have spoken out after a series of sex abuse charges against the singer in Cook County, Illinois were dropped.

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Andrew Tate’s New Lawyer Represented Chris Brown, Jussie Smollett, and Kesha

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Joe Blistein

According to the BBC, Glandian appeared alongside Tate in a Romanian court Wednesday, Feb. 1. The controversial men’s rights personality again tried to appeal his preventative custody detention, which was extended until the end of February last month. The appeal was, again, rejected.

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Feds drop lobbying probe of retired general, lawyer says

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Alan Suderman and Jim Mustian

The Justice Department has dropped its probe of retired four-star Gen. John Allen for his role in an alleged illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, his lawyer told The Associated Press.

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Manhattan Prosecutors Begin Presenting Trump Case to Grand Jury

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: William K. Rashbaum, Ben Protess, Jonah E. Bromwich, and Hurubie Meko

The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday began presenting evidence to a grand jury about Donald J. Trump’s role in paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign, laying the groundwork for potential criminal charges against the former president in the coming months, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

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Mom Of Idaho Murder Victim Feels ‘Betrayed’ After Attorney Drops Her Case To Represent Her Daughter’s Alleged Killer

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 22:24:00 GMT

By: Jill Sederstrom

The mom of an Idaho murder victim says she feels “betrayed” by defense attorney Anne Taylor, who dropped her legal case to represent her daughter’s alleged killer.

Cara Northington, the mother of Xana Kernodle, told NewsNation that Taylor, the chief of the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office, was representing her on an unrelated drug charge when she suddenly withdrew from the case on Jan. 5.

That same day, Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of fatally stabbing Kernodle and three others in a Moscow, Idaho residence on Nov. 13, had his first court appearance with Taylor by his side.

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NSA's former top lawyer on understanding electronic surveillance — "Intelligence Matters"

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:16:00 GMT

By: CBS News with Michael Morell, Former Acting Director of the CIA

In this episode of "Intelligence Matters," host Michael Morell speaks with Glenn Gerstell, former general counsel at the National Security Agency, about how and when the NSA is authorized to use electronic surveillance to collect intelligence on foreign targets. Gerstell offers a detailed explanation of the origins and evolution of the Foreign Intellingence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the statute, most commonly referred to as Section 702, that allows electronic surveillance using U.S. electronic communications service providers. He and Morell walk through the legal limitations put forth in the statute and the debate currently surrounding its reauthorization by Congress.

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Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges Against 25 Defendants

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Southern District of Florida's U.S. Attorney's Office's Public Affairs Unit

The bogus diplomas and transcripts qualified purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam and, after passing it, to obtain licenses and jobs in various states as RNs and LPN/VNs. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued by three South Florida-based nursing schools: Siena College in Broward County, Fla., Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, Fla., and Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County. These schools are now closed.

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SEC Threatening To Bankrupt Crypto Business, XRP Lawyer Claims

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Ashish Kumar

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is on the radar of digital asset industry leaders over its alleged regulatory overreach. An Amicus Curiae in the XRP lawsuit has claimed that the SEC lawyers are threatening to bankrupt an American entrepreneur before filing a lawsuit against them.

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Lawyer: Road rage shooter acted in anger, not premeditation

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: The Associated Press

The trial in the case of a Nashville nurse killed as she was driving to work will center on whether Devaunte Hill acted in a premeditated way when he shot Pennsylvania native Caitlyn Kaufman, or whether he reacted automatically and without thinking after being cut off.

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Classified documents at Pence’s home, too, his lawyer says

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Jill Colvin

Documents with classified markings were discovered in former Vice President Mike Pence ’s Indiana residence last week, his lawyer says, the latest in a string of recoveries of papers meant to be treated with utmost sensitivity from the homes of current and former top U.S. officials.

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Lawyer asks judge to remove himself from Young Dolph case

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Adrian Sainz

The defense attorney for a man charged with fatally shooting rapper Young Dolph said Friday he has asked a judge to remove himself from the case based on claims that the judge is not being impartial.

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Lawyer: 6-year-old who shot teacher has ‘acute disability’

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Ben Finley

The family of a 6-year-old boy who shot and wounded his teacher in Virginia said Thursday that the child suffered from “an acute disability” and that one of his parents usually accompanied him in class but did not the week the shooting occurred.

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How the Arizona Attorney General Created a Secretive, Illegal Surveillance Program to Sweep up Millions of Our Financial Records

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Fikayo Walter-Johnson and Nathan Freed Wessler

New records obtained by the ACLU shed light on the scope of a mass surveillance program keeping tabs on Americans’ financial data.

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Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland facing domestic assault charges

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Max Matza

Justin Roiland, co-creator of TV programme Rick and Morty, is facing domestic violence charges stemming from an incident with a girlfriend in 2020.

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This company wants to pay $1 million to have their robot lawyer argue before the Supreme Court

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 00:35:00 GMT

By: Robert Puente

While artificial intelligence and robotics are appearing in almost every aspect of our lives, one company now willing to pay $1 million to put their AI in front of the nation’s highest court.

Founded by Joshua Browder, DoNotPay launched a simple chatbot in 2015 designed to assist users with legal and administrative issues. Since then, the company claims it has helped tens of thousands of people get parking tickets dismissed and win other simple legal matters.

Now, DoNotPay is willing to pay any lawyer $1 million to use its AI in an argument before the United States Supreme Court.

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Divorce lawyer was among missing woman’s final calls. Murder prelim against husband begins

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 04:34:00 GMT

By: Teri Figueroa

May “Maya” Millete’s phone call unnerved the family law firm staffer to whom she spoke. Millete wanted an appointment to talk with a divorce attorney, but over the phone, not in person. She told the staffer she feared her husband might find out.

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Cleveland law firm drops attorney after text surfaces, insulting employee who quit after maternity leave

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:29:08 GMT

By: Jenna Jordan

A Cleveland attorney has been dropped by his law firm following allegations he harassed a former employee when she quit her job shortly after returning from maternity leave.

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Lawyers for Dr. Dre tell Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to stop using his music

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 05:08:00 GMT

By: Diana Dasrath

Lawyers for rap legend Dr. Dre are demanding that Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stop using his music, after the controversial politician used the hit “Still D.R.E.”

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DoNotPay's 'first robot lawyer' to take on speeding tickets in court via AI. How it works.

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 22:25:00 GMT

By: Bailey Schulz

Startup DoNotPay, which bills itself as "the world's first robot lawyer," plans to take on two speeding ticket cases in court next month, with its AI instructing the defendants how to respond to their assigned judges.

"The law is almost like code and language combined, so it's the perfect use case for AI," CEO and founder Joshua Browder told USA TODAY. "I think that this is the biggest potential for GPT and large language model technology."

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Camille Vasquez, Attorney for Johnny Depp in Defamation Trial, Lands TV Gig With NBC News

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:10:00 GMT

By: Alex Weprin

The attorney, who represented actor Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against Amber Heard, has inked a deal as a legal analyst for the news division. Vasquez made her first appearance for NBC on Monday morning, discussing the Idaho college student murders.

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Pilot’s lawyer says US extradition attempt is ‘political’

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: AP News

The U.S has accused a former military pilot of illegally training Chinese military pilots, and is trying to extradite him from Australia.

But the pilot’s lawyer says his client has been unfairly singled out because of the current geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and China.

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CFPB and New York Attorney General Sue Credit Acceptance for Hiding Auto Loan Costs, Setting Borrowers Up to Fail

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

By: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the New York State Office of the Attorney General sued a predatory auto lender, Credit Acceptance Corporation, for misrepresenting the cost of credit and tricking its customers into high-cost loans on used cars. The car-buying experience turns into a nightmare for many of Credit Acceptance’s borrowers, who face unaffordable monthly payments, vehicle repossessions, and debt collection lawsuits. The joint complaint alleges that, among other things, Credit Acceptance hides costs in loan agreements and sets consumers up to fail. The complaint also alleges that Credit Acceptance violated New York usury limits and other consumer and investor protection laws. The lawsuit seeks to force Credit Acceptance to stop its illegal practices, reimburse harmed consumers, pay back wrongfully earned gains, and pay a penalty.

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ACLU lawyer dismisses Title 42 as 'crutch,' claims people 'overstating' border crisis

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 02:00:00 GMT

By: Lindsay Kornick

The Supreme Court ruled the Trump-era policy will be kept in place until an official ruling in February.

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Amazon Faces Nearly $30,000 in Fines for Allegedly Failing to Record Work-Related Injuries

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:53:00 GMT

By: Stephen Garner

Amazon faces fines after six of its warehouse facilities in five states failed to properly record work-related injuries and illnesses.

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Apple class action claims new iPhones don’t come with chargers

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Abraham Jewett

Apple misleads consumers by not including a charger with the purchase of a new iPhone, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

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More Than 180 New Illinois Laws Will Go Into Effect in 2023. Here's The Full List

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 17:53:00 GMT

By: NBC 5 Chicago

From guidelines for those who are carjacked or have their vehicle stolen, to a student helpline, to establishing a state snake, nearly 200 new laws will go into effect in Illinois at the start of 2023.

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Climate Change Cases Set for Another ‘Exciting Year’ in Court

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 10:30:00 GMT

By: Jennifer Hijazi

With Supreme Court petitions and a youth climate trial on the horizon, 2023 could be a blockbuster year for climate issues in the courtroom.

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Mickey’s Copyright Adventure: Early Disney Creation Will Soon Be Public Property

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Brooks Barnes

The version of the iconic character from “Steamboat Willie” will enter the public domain in 2024. But those trying to take advantage could end up in a legal mousetrap.

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6 months after Roe's end: Illinois abortion providers treat a ‘historic high’ number of out-of-state patients

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Angie Leventis Lourgos

Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 decision to rescind federal abortion protections, Planned Parenthood of Illinois saw dozens of patients from other states every month. Now hundreds of patients are crossing state lines each month to have an abortion at one of Planned Parenthood’s 17 health centers across the state.

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6 of the Biggest Legal Dramas in Fashion & Retail in 2022

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 03:00:00 GMT

By: Shoshy Ciment

While trademark complaints and disputes made up the bulk of the legal dramas through the year, other legal disputes between major brands and designers made headlines as well, such as the dissolution of brand deals, SEC charges and accusations of misleading shareholders.

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Lawyer fees mount in crypto bankruptcies

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Sujeet Indap

Law firms involved including Kirkland & Ellis and White & Case which are usual powerhouses in corporate and private equity bankruptcies are involved in Celsius and have top lawyers billing more than $1,800 per hour. (This may remain a bargain as top lawyers in the FTX bankruptcy at Sullivan & Cromwell are charging in excess of $2,000 per hour).

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How personal injury lawyers took over your TV

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 13:40:00 GMT

By: Nathaniel Meyersohn

There’s a stigma around attorney advertising and it was restricted for most of the 20th century until the Supreme Court in 1977 ruled that it violated First Amendment protections. The court said the restriction had disadvantaged legal service access “particularly for the not-quite-poor and the unknowledgeable.”

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International Consequences of Internet Restrictions in Iran

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 18:11:59 GMT

By: Sharareh Abdolhoseinzadeh

Sharareh Abdolhoseinzadeh, a PhD in Political Sociology and political researcher in Tehran, discusses internet censorship in Iran…

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North Carolina lawyer dies trying to disarm client who opened fire inside law firm, colleague says

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:51:00 GMT

By: Will McDuffie

A North Carolina lawyer died after sacrificing himself trying to disarm a client who pulled out a revolver in the middle of a mediation session and began firing wildly, before turning the gun on himself, according to someone within the firm with knowledge of what happened.

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Smucker's Goes After Small Business Making Crustless Sandwiches for Trademark Infringement

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Matt Novak

Smucker insists that it doesn’t have any issue with other people selling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but the Fortune 500 company is claiming it holds a trademark on a “round crustless design” and the packaging photo choice that shows a bite taken out of the sandwich.

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Nike Files Trademark Suit Against Several ‘Bad Actors’ for Allegedly ‘Knocking Off’ Its Air Jordan 1 and Dunk Sneakers

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:27:00 GMT

By: Stephen Garner

According to a complaint filed on Nov. 30 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Nike alleged that defendants Nickwon Arvinger and David Weeks of By Kiy LLC (known as “Kiy”), as well as Bill Omar Carrasquillo (known as “Omi”) of Reloaded Merch LLC were “promoting and selling Nike knockoffs in several colorways.”

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Guns N' Roses files trademark lawsuit against gun store of similar name

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:45:00 GMT

By: Lauryn Overhultz

Guns N' Roses has filed a lawsuit against a Texas gun store using the same name. The band accused Texas Guns And Roses of trademark infringement in legal documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

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New York Could Become the First State to Provide the Right to Legal Representation in Immigration Court

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: Nicholas Turner and Erica Bryant

This advancement in New York and the growing initiatives across the country can serve as the building blocks for a federal system of universal representation to ensure no one appears in immigration court without an attorney to help them understand their options, make informed choices, and affirm their rights.

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ABA votes to end law schools' LSAT requirement, but not until 2025

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 21:28:00 GMT

By: Karen Sloan

The arm of the American Bar Association that accredits U.S. law schools on Friday voted to eliminate the longstanding requirement that schools use the Law School Admission Test or other standardized test when admitting students.

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Paralegals: On the Frontline of Data Privacy

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:00:00 GMT

By: TransPerfect Legal Solutions

Paralegals from across the Greater Philadelphia region gathered for the first time since 2019 at the ACC Paralegal Conference in Center City, Philadelphia, on Friday, November 4, 2022. TransPerfect Legal Solutions has been a long-standing sponsor of the event, and it was a pleasure to visit with everyone again and learn from this year’s expert speakers. The conference’s theme was data privacy and data security, with additional discussion on the importance of our mental health as practitioners.

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Colorado considering plan to allow paralegals to represent clients in court

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 22:52:00 GMT

By: Alexandra Lewis

Colorado is looking to be the next state in the nation to allow non-lawyers to practice law by creating a new legal license.

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Ex-Saul Ewing paralegal accused of embezzling $600,000 asks for plea deal

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 21:19:00 GMT

By: David Thomas

A paralegal accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from law firm Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr's bankruptcy estate accounts has asked for a plea agreement from the Chicago U.S. attorney's office.

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Judge rejects Walmart’s request for new trial after firing of employee with Down syndrome

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 22:40:00 GMT

By: Melissa Repko

Marlo Spaeth was fired from Walmart in July 2015, after working there for nearly 16 years. Her sister, Amy Jo Stevenson, has been in a legal battle with the retail giant since then. She filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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Lawyer is disbarred and suspended after he is accused of billing over 24 hours per day

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 21:13:00 GMT

By: Debra Cassens Weiss

A West Virginia lawyer has been sanctioned after he was accused of billing more than 24 hours in a day, multiple times, for his representation of indigent clients.

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How to Blow Your Chances of Getting a Raise

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:29:32 GMT

Author: Chere B. Estrin

It’s here again. Oh, yes, that stressful, anxiety ridden, white knuckling 30 minutes guaranteed to make your palms sweat, heart race and chest tighten not to mention a sense of impending doom surrounding your otherwise well-being. Yes, I am talking about the performance review.

We’ve all been through it. Some were good, some were bad. Some met your expectations and others, quite frankly, threw you for a loop. While we can talk about how to get through the sometimes helpful but mostly ineffective performance chat with your boss, let’s talk about the bottom line: how much did I get?

Raises are touchy subjects and if you have to ask for one, things can go horribly wrong. And I mean horribly. It’s not so much about the outright question: “Can I have a raise” but rather the way that you go about it.

I’ll never forget my first formal review in a law firm where I had worked extremely hard becoming head of the department in less than a year. It was annual review time. Not having ever gone through this process before, I really didn’t know what to expect. I remember sitting in from of the HR Manager’s desk while she enthusiastically explained how much the firm
appreciated me, what a stellar job I had done - you get the picture. Then, she took a deep breath and said, “Chere, we are giving you an 8% increase.” I could have fallen out of my chair. “What?” I said incredulously. I thought: “That’s it? I’m only getting 8%?” I actually burst into tears right there in front of God and everyone. (I was very young and hadn’t a clue how to play
the game). Why? I had fully expected at least 10%. Where I got that figure, I have never figured out. The HR Manager was shocked. “The average raise today is 2-3%”, she said. “Oh.” Gulp. I didn’t know that. In addition, they were giving me a $20,000 bonus. Oh, gosh. I had just made a complete idiot out of myself. I backed tracked. “Well,” I said. “You do understand that these are
tears of joy, don’t you?”

Raises are hard to ask for and when you do get one, you had better know whether it is good, bad or under market. However, most people blow it because of the rationale and the way that they pose the question. But why is it that most reviews leave people feeling worse about themselves? Check out how these stats from Globoforce (now Workhuman) pair up:

91% of organizations do performance reviews.
51% of employees see their reviews are inaccurate.

Surprisingly, only 37% of workers have ever asked for a raise from their current employer, according to data from PayScale. It’s never good to take an uncalculated risk. Let’s explore what not to do when asking for a raise.

Here are 9 ways not to ask for a raise:

1. Asking for a raise without justification and market research.
There has to be a substantial reason why a firm will give you a raise. Suiting up and showing up is not one of them. You are expected to do that. Meeting your minimum billable hourly requirement is not one. Start with market research. What is your market value? What are other firms paying for people in your position? How does your current salary compare to what others are making with similar backgrounds and experience levels? You could look at how much your other coworkers take home. Payscale.com and Glassdoor.com and the ALM salary survey (only for major firms) are great options for researching market averages. However, national surveys are not always the best because some take into account all regions, some of which pay less than others. Those figures are mixed into the average, bringing the number down for first and second tier cities. I find that the best people who know your market are recruiters. They have the handle on everything.

2. Basing your argument on financial difficulties or commute.
While 62% of employers feel highly responsible for their staff’s financial wellness (according to a Bank of America report), asking for reasons such as commute or financial hardship will hardly ever get you a raise. The HR Manager will take the attitude that it is not their problem whether you are having financial problems. That only puts your boss in an awkward position, ethically and legally. Consider that they hired you to help them achieve their business goals — your financial troubles and personal reasons have nothing to do with that.

Is your commute too long and you want to be compensated for it? Forget it. That’s not the firm’s problem. I recall once when a candidate asked a Director of Administration for $5,000 a year more than what was being offered. Why? Her commute was from Pasadena to Orange County and would take an hour and a half each way. The DOA just looked at her and said, “My commute is 2 hours each way. I don’t get paid extra for that.” As you can guess, she didn’t get the job.

3. It’s just not all about you.
Are you bringing added value to the table? For example, were you hired to be part of the staff but are now supervising a team? Have you taken a higher level of responsibility? Has your title changed? If so, you need to walk in with numbers and proof of how you benefited the firm:

Saved the firm $xxxx when initiating a new software; designed a continuing education program. Remember that you are dealing with attorneys and that mind set calls for persuasion. You goal is to demonstrate how more efficiently the firm now operates because of your efforts.

4. Don’t ask via email or phone.
Asking for a raise calls for a one-on-one meeting or at least a Zoom session. Email and phone does not give you a chance to persuade and frankly, it’s cold. Your supervisor does not get to see you and judge your facial expressions nor emotions.

5. Asking for a raise on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon.
Hitting a supervisor the first thing on a Monday morning while their mind is clearly on the week ahead or on a Friday afternoon when they are winding up everything, psychologically, does not work. Instead, schedule the meeting for a Tuesday or Wednesday. During these days, your supervisor is most focused on work and hopefully, relatively free from distractions, and not under as much pressure to get things done before the work week ends. If you have to broach the subject on Friday, do it in the mid-morning. Your supervisor is likely in good spirits but not mentally checked out for the upcoming
weekend. They are much more likely to make compensation decisions to determine salaries during this time. And above all, set up a scheduled time. Just barging in unannounced is blindsiding them and not likely to get a great response.

6. Requesting an outrageous pay raise.
No one thinks what they are asking for is outrageous. You just don’t. Recently, I was coaching a senior legal assistant who was about to receive her paralegal certificate. She wanted to know how to ask for an increase. She had 12 years of legal assistant experience at the firm and during that time, had performed a small number of paralegal assignments. She was currently earning $85,000 per year. She intended on asking for $120,000 per year and be promoted into the paralegal program. While $120,000 is not unreasonable for a very senior paralegal, the truth is that she had very little experience as a paralegal and $120,000 was not justified. She had prepared, but never drafted, pleadings, had organized some exhibits but never been to trial, and never prepared an exhibit book nor conducted a document production, did not know Relativity nor handled any other heavier duties a senior paralegal might have done. She was very disappointed that while I couldn’t say, “Don’t ask for that”, I did tell her that chances of justification for that amount might not persuade the firm. Do your research and stay within market ranges.

Before you decide how much of a raise to ask for, do some homework. If your
company grants employees an annual raise, you’ll probably be aware of the
approximate budget, so you should stay in line with that. Firms usually budget 5% or less for yearly increases. Hypothetically, let’s say legal staff at your firm received an average of 2% more last year. Requesting a 10% increase will seem over-the-top and inappropriate but if you’ve really excelled over the year, then a 3% - 4% raise might be reasonable. No annual increase program in place? Then you need to do some more research. Often people just go with their gut when requesting a certain figure (as I did way back when) and don’t have anything to back it up. You need to consider what the market is at a firm of your size—for your skill level, specialty and geographic area.

7. Getting the timing wrong.
There are good times and there are bad times to ask for a raise. Probably in the midst of a summer program is not good, holidays are not good and if the firm is cutting back, laying off, merging or otherwise in any different circumstances than normal, will not get you the attention you need.

8. Comparing yourself to others.
This is absolutely the worst rationale. While transparency is becoming more popular, you need to be evaluated based upon your own merits and contributions. Because Suzie is getting $5,000 more than you is not justification. She may be bringing more to the firm’s added value than you know about. However, if you are a woman and it appears as though men are getting paid more, you definitely have a good argument.

9. Issuing ultimatums.
If you go down the path of issuing an ultimatum: “If I don’t get this raise, I am going to quit”, be prepared to follow through. Don’t be surprised if the firm confidentially starts looking for someone in the event you make preparations to leave. It is entirely possible that the firm will call your bluff and say, “I understand how you feel. However, it’s probably best that you start seeking another position.” Recently, I worked with a client whose trusts & estates planning paralegal threatened to quit if she didn’t get help. While we can certainly understand her angst at working overtime week after week, there were less threatening ways to overcome the problem. What the firm did was have us do a search for not one paralegal to assist this employee, but conduct a confidential search in the event this paralegal left.

In conclusion, it may be time to change jobs. If you feel strongly that you are underpaid or not recognized for work above and beyond what you were hired to do, there is nothing wrong with exploring new options. Be sure, however, you are not hoping around. Try and stay at least a year or more before leaving. If your resume shows that you are leaving once a year, chances that your resume will be welcomed at other firms loses power. On the other hand, you just have to get up in the morning and love it.

You really do.

About the Author

Chere Estrin is the CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing, a top nationwide staffing organization. Chere has been in the field for over 20 years. She was recently interviewed by Fortune Magazine (www.estrinreport.com) and The Wall Street Journal. Recently, she was named “One of the Top Women Leaders in Los Angeles.” She has written 10 books on legal careers, hundreds of articles
and has been written up in publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur and others. Chere is a recipient of LAPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Los Angeles/Century City Women of Achievement Award and a finalist for the Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year award. She is a former administrator in an AmLaw 100 firm and Sr. Vice President in a $5 billion company. She is happy to hear from you regarding
anything at all.

Reach out at: chere@estrinlegalstaffing.com.

What 'She-Hulk' Gets Right About Paralegals

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 05:00:00 GMT

By: Tiare-Leiana Solis

She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law and her legal sidekick, Nikki!

The legal profession is not doing enough to fix its DEI problem

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 05:00:00 GMT

By: Paul Fischer

It’s a tough reality check for firms that have been working hard to position themselves as great places to build a career. But the numbers don’t lie.

Click here to review the article.

Hacks to Help You Stand Out as a Budding Paralegal

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:44:34 GMT

Author: Lawyer Monthly
Editor: Oliver Sullivan

This article from Lawyer Monthly Magazine highlights what's important when considering a career and how you can make the most out of starting as a paralegal. While there is no one way to set yourself up for success, it's always important to consider what is important to you and what you hope to gain out of your experience early in your career.

Click here to read the article at Lawyer Monthly.

Illinois Supreme Court Adopts New Rule for Trial Exhibits

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:40:22 GMT

Posted on ISBA website 10/13/22 by Celeste Antoinette Niemann

Supreme Court Adopts New Rule For Trial Exhibits-1.pdfThe Illinois Supreme Court announced today the approval of new Rule 455, which will create uniform statewide procedures for ensuring that criminal hearing and trial exhibits become part of the record on appeal. The new rule is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2023.

Note this applies only to criminal appeals. Additional information is attached here.

New Rule 455 attached here.

PACER users to receive refunds in $125 million settlement with U.S. judiciary

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 14:14:01 GMT

By Nate Raymond

The U.S. government has agreed to pay $125 million to refund users of the electronic records system known as PACER to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging the judiciary overcharged members of the public who downloaded court documents.

Congrats and Thanks Judge Dickler!

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 20:09:34 GMT

The presiding Judge of the Cook County Domestic Relations division, Judge Grace Dickler has announced her retirement. Judge Dickler has many great accomplishments in her career and was instrumental in shaping the Domestic Relations Division. Congratulations Judge Dickler!

Read the Bar Foundation article here.

From the Chicago Bar Foundation article: This month brought the bittersweet news that Judge Grace Dickler, Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division in the Circuit Court of Cook County, is retiring.

Lawyer Gets 3 Years After Billing Clients For Non-Existent Work And Sending Forged Court Documents To Keep Up The Ruse

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:17:00 GMT

Lawyer Gets 3 Years After Billing Clients for Non-Existent Work... (Click here to read the article)
By: Joe Patrice

Attorney will serve 37 months for taking 4 years off, so he's still 11 months ahead, right?

The LSO denies a paralegal license to an ex-police officer who masterminded a $3.1 million robbery

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:00:00 GMT

By: Julius Melnitzer

Ontario’s Law Society Tribunal has refused a paralegal license to an ex-police officer who masterminded a $3.1 million armoured vehicle heist in 1998.

Paralegal's Suit Accuses Lawyer of Battery and Retaliation During Relationship

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 22:17:00 GMT

Paralegal's Suit Accuses Lawyer of Battery and Retaliation During Relationship (Click here to read the article)

By: Charles Toutant

A suit in U.S. district court said attorney Joseph DiNicola Jr. physically and emotionally abused law firm paralegal Kristen Rose. The complaint includes photos of the plaintiff with bruises, cuts and a swollen lip that were allegedly inflicted by DiNicola. DiNicola says he did not harass or abuse Rose.

The Connection Between Mental Health and DEI

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:56:08 GMT

The National Association of Legal Assistants recently published an article on the connection between mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion issues. As legal representatives, it is important for us that we keep our mental health in mind and that we are not willing to risk working while in an unhealthy place.

If you are in need of help, please reach out to a friend, colleague, or board member for mental health resources. You are never alone.

Click here to read the article: https://nala.org/the-connection-between-mental-health-and-dei/2022/.

A Paralegal’s Guide to Legal Calendar Management

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 05:00:00 GMT

By: Kamron Sanders

Law firms of all sizes are increasingly relying on legal technology to address their day-to-day responsibilities. From family law to criminal law to personal injury law, law practice management software can help law firms run smoothly and efficiently.

The benefits of this legal technology aren’t limited to lawyers — it extends to the paralegals they work closely with.

The demand for paralegals is growing at an average of 12% each year, and paralegal technology can be used to support their efficiency and workflows. Many of the manual tasks that paralegals do, such as creating, organizing, and filing court documents, can be automated to free time to focus on more critical tasks.

Click here to read the full article.

Resume Tips: A Quick Glance From the Other Side

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 18:43:47 GMT

Director of Marketing Nathan M. Ciulla wrote this article for the Paralegals Connect magazine on his experience trying to hire a Trust and Estates Paralegal recently. In his first experience from this side of the fence, Nathan learned a lot about the do's and don'ts of crafting a resume and what was really important to him in qualifying candidates.

The Paralegals Connect magazine is a quarterly magazine for legal professionals and is carefully crafted to be a resource that will benefit paralegals in all areas. You can sign up to receive the magazine in your inbox at www.paralegalsconnect.com/magazine.html.

Read Nathan's column in Issue 17: September 2022 here: http://www.paralegalsconnect.com/magazines.html.

Women in Law Firm Leadership are Changing the Profession

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:43:44 GMT

This article from the Law Practice Today shares how women are "increasingly involved in managing law firms and are changing the way they operate."

Their round table discussion highlights the change in the field and is a must read for everyone in the legal field. You can also watch our diversity, equity and inclusion round table discussion in the resource center.

Here is the link to their article: https://www.lawpracticetoday.org/article/women-in-law-firm-leadership-are-changing-the-profession/

As the cost to hire a lawyer climbs, some states let non-lawyers provide legal advice

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 23:40:00 GMT

By Deon J. Hampton

Programs that train and license "legal technicians" to handle family law matters are seen as a way to close the "justice gap" and make services more affordable.

Advances in legal tech and regulatory innovation explored in new ABA report

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 22:33:53 GMT

The ABA has released its inaugural Innovation Trends Report which includes helpful information for all legal professionals. The report includes information on the Legal Education Practices Consortium and the Model Diversity Study.

You can read the ABA's announcement and the report here:

https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/aba-center-for-innovation-releases-report-on-innovation-in-legal-industry

Non-attorneys practicing law? Colorado eyes new legal license for divorce, child custody cases

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 13:06:23 GMT

By Shelly Bradbury

Colorado might soon see a new legal profession.

The Colorado Supreme Court is considering whether to create a new legal license that would allow non-attorneys to practice some limited areas of family law.

Alex Jones’ Lawyers Can’t Blame Paralegal for Sharing His Texts

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 15:41:00 GMT

By Lydia Wheeler

If there’s any lesson attorneys can learn from the defamation case against Alex Jones, it’s that you can’t blame the paralegal.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Turns 32

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 05:00:00 GMT

By Kristine Custodio Suero, ACP

Did you know that the ADA was signed into law 32 years ago on July 26, 1990?

Licensed paralegals program in Oregon gets final approval

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 19:36:04 GMT

By Debra Cassens Weiss

The Oregon Supreme Court has given final approval to a program that allows licensed paralegals to provide limited legal services in family law and landlord-tenant cases.

The True Value of Bringing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Into Your Workplace

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 15:42:55 GMT

By: Sydney Ly

In today’s business world, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are often treated as buzzwords that often amount to little more than a mandatory annual training. But the reality is, when you make DEI a priority, every facet of your organization benefits, including the bottom line.

Four enduring myths about Juneteenth are not based on facts

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:20:32 GMT

By John Burnett

African Americans throughout the nation celebrate Juneteenth, but who knows what actually happened on June 19, 1865? As the nation observes the second federal legal holiday marking the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas, there are a number of misconceptions about the historical event that keep getting repeated.

City of Detroit joins Asian Americans across the country to mark 40th Anniversary of Vincent Chin murder with events focused on racial justice

Mon, 16 May 2022 11:08:19 GMT

LegalNews.com

Murder that Sparked Asian American Civil Rights Movement Coincides with National Focus on Anti-Asian Hate Crimes; Virtual Dialogue on Asian Americans and Democracy

Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows

Sun, 08 May 2022 16:46:31 GMT

By JOSH GERSTEIN and ALEXANDER WARD

The Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, according to an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito circulated inside the court and obtained by POLITICO.

Former paralegal embezzled $600K from Chicago firm, feds say

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:22:22 GMT

By: Rosemary Sobol, Chicago Tribune

A former paralegal who worked in bankruptcy at a Chicago law firm is accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from accounts, officials said Thursday.

Labor Law: Employer lessons from the Will Smith slap heard around the country

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 17:49:39 GMT

From: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Most of us have now seen the infamous slap that actor Will Smith gave host Chris Rock during the Oscars. Smith went on stage and slapped Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s hair.

Rock claims not to have known that Smith’s wife was bald due to a medical condition, alopecia.

Smith followed the slap by a foul-mouthed declaration to Rock.

Here are six employer lessons from the Oscars incident.

Orrick hopes to battle burnout with 'unplug time' policy

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 17:08:21 GMT

From: ABA Journal

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe wants its staff members and lawyers to take a week off work “to truly unplug.”

The Right Side of Our Ethical Obligations

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:31:39 GMT

Do you stay on the right side of the law? The line between practicing law and doing your job as a paralegal one can be extremely tricky. No paralegal wants to put their attorneys legal license on the line, even though we often know the answers our clients need, and may be more available. For me, once a client becomes comfortable working with me, and know that I have faster access to the attorney, they often will call or email asking all kinds of legal questions. Even when I know the answer, my answer to them is always the same: I will let them know you called with that question and will have them get back to you as soon as they can. For me, staying safely on the right side of that line is a must.

As frustrating as it is, our ethical obligation to ensure we are not acting as attorneys is not only a legal issue, but it's one that helps us build trust with our attorneys. When your attorneys know that they can trust you to make the right choices, they feel like they've struck gold. There will be plenty of times to show off what you've learned and to let your experience shine through!

If you want to learn more about how to stay on the right side of ethics, read more here: Tips for Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law.

Nathan Ciulla

Making sense of why executives are eager to get employees back in the office

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 14:47:40 GMT

From: CNBC

After two years, giddy executives appear on the brink of welcoming their workforces back to the office, whether their employees are ready or not.

Bridging the Justice Gap: How Legal Professionals Can Become a Resource

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 22:06:29 GMT

Authors: Nathan M. Ciulla and Gabriel Evelyn

As a new year begins, a popular tradition for many people is making resolutions, goals that we hope to attain to better our lives in the new year. Although these can be hard to keep (as can be seen by the dwindling number of people in gyms from January to the following months), they are much easier to make happen if those goals are something you are truly passionate about. As we make new year career goals for ourselves, there are also collective goals that we can accomplish as a legal community. One worthy goal is to keep in mind the under-resourced communities that do not have equal access to justice and to find ways to help make equal access more of a reality.

As legal professionals, we see the gaps in justice that keep certain communities of people from accessing the resources they need. Although we ourselves often feel helpless, there are many organizations throughout Chicago that are already doing work to provide resources to these communities. While change doesn’t happen overnight, even small successes are worth the effort and worth celebrating. By making the effort to work towards resolving even one issue, we can start to close those gaps. Your effort, passion and resources are important to doing this work and can be the difference that people need. Although working towards equal access to justice may seem daunting at first, there are key ideas that we can remember to ensure that we continue to strive for this ideal.

First, know what your passionate about. Even in equal justice, there are many groups of people that need to have access to resources that we can help. Groups such as immigrants, minorities, senior citizens, and the LGBTQIA+ communities often have experienced gaps in justice. To attempt to help all these groups would seem like a task too tall to tackle. Thinking about one group that you are passionate about serving, however, can help narrow your focus and encourage you to start the fight. For example: as people of color, we’re passionate about helping minority groups, who have been traditionally under-resourced. If you’re particularly close to a grandparent, perhaps seeking ways to help senior citizens would suit you well.

Second, never stop learning, regardless of how far along you are in your career. The more you learn, the better resource you can be to people and the more you will see where these gaps lie. Look around you and find resources you already have access to that you may not have known about previously. Are there people in your office who are already working with social justice organizations? Will your supervising attorney cover the costs of taking a webinar or CLE on pro bono work? You may be surprised by how many attorneys are willing to support non-attorney legal professionals who desire to help others.

Third, partner with people to find ways to help. Trying to do this on your own will leave you much more likely to feel overwhelmed and give up. Partnering with people or groups that are working in these communities will not only encourage you to start action, but it will also help to ensure that what you are doing is making the kind of difference that people need. At the Chicago Paralegal Association, our Pro Bono director seeks partnerships with organizations around the Chicagoland area that serve many different types of community groups. Our members can contribute to those organizations’ causes by volunteering for them through the CPA. In the days of “Googling,” a simple search can help you find many organizations that are working to help under-resourced communities and why that change is needed.

Fourth, listen to those in need. Set up meetings with people in marginalized communities and listen to the struggles they’ve had when it comes to equal access to justice. First-hand accounts of where these gaps exist are essential to create effective, lasting change. You can also talk to leaders of nonprofit organizations and hear about what they’ve learned and experienced, as well as where the difficulties are in creating change. Listening is one of the best resources you have when it comes to doing pro bono work.

Last, but definitely not least, remember that we all are human. We all go through ups and downs trying to build up communities and their resources. At times, this work can feel draining and discouraging, and we can start to feel a sense of hopelessness when faced with seemingly insurmountable issues. While we are passionate about the causes we choose to champion, we also must give ourselves the grace to work through our emotions; acknowledge them as valid; accept them as a part of the struggles of change; and ultimately continue persevering with our labor. We must remember to be intentional about not only our work, but also our hope and belief that said work will lead to change. Change, especially within the legal world, can be slow, but with a positive, hopeful intention and the perseverance to match, change will not only come, it will eventually flourish.

We hope that you are inspired to consider your passion when it comes to social justice work and serving people who are being marginalized. Listening, learning, discovering your passion, and partnering with those in the field are invaluable in getting started and following through. You are a change maker, and your effort can make a difference in one person’s life. Your expertise, drive and effort are needed. Equal justice depends on it.

Embracing and Sharing Your Story

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:00:00 GMT

By: Nathan M. Ciulla, CPA Director of Marketing

As paralegals, we understand why it’s so important for attorneys to market themselves and network with colleagues. In my role at my firm, I’m responsible for helping our attorneys keep their bios up to date, promote speaking events and create engaging presentations. It’s vital to the future of our firms that our attorneys continue to connect and learn from each other. Many of the legal staffers that I talk to do much the same for their firms, but have not considered how they market themselves, and this means that the legal field is losing out on a wealth of knowledge from an important resource: paralegals.

There may be several reasons you haven’t considered the importance of self-branding. Perhaps you feel like you don’t have time, you don’t believe that what you have to say is important or you don’t even know where to begin. These are just a few of the reasons I’ve heard people give for not networking, and in the past, I would have felt the same way. I hope to help show you that all the reasons are misconceptions, and that you can successfully grow your network and share your brand.

As paralegals, we must start to see ourselves as a vital resource and that networking is important. Networking provides a way for us to share and learn from each other. While our days often seem full and tend to fly by, carving out some time for networking makes a big difference. Prior to joining the Chicago Paralegal Association, I did not belong to any professional organizations aimed at helping paralegals. Joining the CPA has made a huge difference for me and my career. The opportunity to share knowledge, to interact with others who know what it’s like to be in the same field and to just have fun together has made my work even better. Since joining the association, I’ve been able to have many candid conversations with our members and find volunteer opportunities to use my skill in a way that helps to resource neighborhoods that are traditionally under-resourced. I now feel like I have a more fulfilling career.

Before you can consider putting yourself out there, you must believe that your story matters. Knowing that what you’ve learned in life and in your career is worthy of being shared with others. As the producer of a podcast aimed at sharing stories of leaders in the Chicago region, I’ve learned that everyone’s story really does have value. The successes, challenges and lessons you’ve learned along your path are important and need to be shared. There is a high chance that if you’ve been through it, someone out there is currently going through a similar situation. Sharing our story can motivate, inspire and give hope to people who are in the middle of a tough time.

Sharing my story was something that I wasn’t very comfortable with for a good portion of my life. As someone who often felt very different than the others I saw around me, I didn’t think that my voice would matter as much as theirs. Many times I didn’t feel educated enough, old enough or skilled enough to contribute. It was actually the attorneys at the law firm I work at that encouraged me to use my voice to share my life lessons with others as a way to encourage and inspire others who may also feel different. Since then, I’ve had countless people reach out and share how hearing my story has helped them in some small way.

I know that it can seem daunting to think about how to start marketing yourself. Writing articles, attending events or joining a committee may not seem like something you can do. Like many other things we do, starting small is often best. Joining an organization like the Chicago Paralegal Association is a great place to start, because it gives you an opportunity to be as involved as you are comfortable, while sharing your brand with others. It’s like dipping your toes in the water: it feels safe but is also a step in the right direction. You will have the chance to attend several events, share your knowledge on a discussion board, attend webinars to learn more about the legal field, and plug into a larger legal community. As you grow, your involvement with the organization can grow, too. You can join a committee, write an article, or even join the Board of Directors! At the CPA, we value all our members and want to hear from you, we believe the more voices we hear, the better we all are.

I truly hope that you are inspired to share your voice and to join us in making our association an even better resource. If you feel like your voice doesn’t matter anywhere else, we can promise you it will matter here. We know paralegals are multitasking, wealth of knowledge royals and we value the time you give us. I would love to hear your stories, please share your story loud and proud with me at marketing@chicagoparalegals.org!

The future of service of process: How social media will change personal service

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:00:00 GMT

From: InfoTrack

There is no doubt that social media is permeating every facet of our society. Now it is increasingly making its mark on our legal system too. There is a growing trend of service of process being accomplished through social media and other electronic communications.

What does this mean for the legal profession and the future of process service? While personal service is still the overwhelming norm, there are still circumstances where service by social media is the best option. Legal professionals who understand this trend can better advise their clients and achieve their legal objectives.

Illinois Supreme Court Releases Cannabis Expungement Court Forms

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:00:00 GMT

From: 2Civility

With the legalization of certain amounts of cannabis in Illinois beginning on 1/1/20 and new ways to clear criminal records, the Illinois Supreme Court has published a suite of court forms tailored to cannabis expungement.

New Standard HIPAA Qualified Protective Order Available for Cook County

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:04:43 GMT

As we reported back in September, a recent decision by the Illinois Supreme Court found that the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s standard HIPAA Qualified Protective Order is contrary to the Privacy Rule of HIPAA (section 165.512(e)(1)(v)) because it a.) does not prohibit insurer from using and disclosing PHI outside of litigation; and b.) does not require the insurer to return or destroy PHI at the end of the litigation.

On November 5, 2021, Judge Flannery, Presiding Judge of the Law Division, entered GAO 21-3, providing an updated approved format.

We have not seen the court websites updated yet, but Chicago Paralegal Association members can access GAO 21-3 and the new form/template in our Resource Center.

E-Filing changes coming to Circuit Court of Cook County

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 20:36:07 GMT

From: Cook County Circuit Court

Cook County Circuit Court Only

eFileIL will be unavailable for the Civil, Law, Divisions 1 – 6 and Chancery Divisions TENTATIVELY on Monday, October 25, 2021, 8 p.m. through 8:00 a.m. [CDT] on Monday, November 1, 2021

Conventional filing will be available for these divisions during normal business hours of the clerk from 8:30am CDT to 4:30pm CDT on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 through Friday, October 29, 2021.

eFileIL Changes For Cook County

For All Civil Locations - If you are scheduling a motion on any Civil case you will now be required to select a Motion Type in the Filings Section of your eFiling envelope if you would like to schedule a court date for the motion you are filing. Failure to pick the correct Motion Type will result in the inability to schedule a court date. Please select the one that fits the case type or motion type you are filing. Select Motion Hearing-Type Not Listed if none of the other options fits your filing.

PLEASE NOTE: that this also applies to scheduling a date for all post judgment matters.

For Law Division District 1 [Calendars 1, 3, and 5] and Law Districts 2 thru 6 [Calendars G, K, L, O, and P]will also allow motion scheduling for eFiling.

For Chancery Division, the motion type will no longer be selected in the Case Cross Reference section. It will now be selected in the Filings section. Select your motion related filing code and then select your motion type in the dropdown box below the filing code. There will be more motion codes than before, please select the one that fits the case type or motion type you are filing. Select Motion Hearing-Type Not Listed if none of the other options fits your filing

November Trial Date Set in Jussie Smollett Case

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:03:31 GMT

From: Matt Masterson, WTTW

Former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett will stand trial on felony disorderly conduct charges this November, nearly three years after he allegedly orchestrated a hoax attack against himself outside his Streeterville apartment.

Cook County Judge James Linn on Tuesday said jury selection in the high-profile case will begin Nov. 29.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | mmasterson@wttw.com | (773) 509-543

Residential eviction moratorium vacated

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 22:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County

As a result of Governor Pritzker's September 17, 2021 Executive Order, Judge Evans entered an Order today rescinding the statewide moratorium on residential eviction proceedings, effective October 3, 2021,

Cook County G.A.O. 2021-02 regarding residential eviction proceedings is no longer in effect and "[t]he time period in which eviction orders (orders of possession) expiring on or before October 3, 2021, must be enforced pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/9-117 is extended 120 days from said expiration date, but not later than February 1, 2022."

Cook County’s Standard HIPAA Qualified Protective Order is contrary to the Privacy Rule of HIPAA

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 13:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chief Judge

A recent decision by the Illinois Supreme Court found that the Cook County Circuit Clerk’s standard HIPAA Qualified Protective Order is contrary to the Privacy Rule of HIPAA (section 165.512(e)(1)(v)) because it a.) does not prohibit insurer from using and disclosing PHI outside of litigation; and b.) does not require the insurer to return or destroy PHI at the end of the litigation. The Cook County HIPAA Qualified Protective Order “acts as an obstacle to accomplishing and executing HIPAA’s full purposes and objectives.” The Court held that the Cook County HIPAA Qualified Protective Order is preempted by the Privacy Rule and is not shielded by the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

The standard HIPAA Protective Order was revised January 2, 2018. The Cook County Law Division distributed an updated format to include “the December 15, 2017 memorandum order and opinion issued by Circuit Court Judge John H. Ehrlich in Shull v. Ellis, 15 L 9759, and the transcripts of proceedings in that matter dated August 8, October 11, November 13, and November 28, 2017.”

Be aware of HIPAA requirements. Not all court-approved standard templates necessarily comply.

The opinion in Haage v. Zavala was filed September 23, 2021 and a copy is available in our member Resource Center.

Cook County Circuit Court GAO 2020-07 amended

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Cook County Circuit Court's GAO 2020-07 (eff. 9/24/2021), was recently amended to update section 9(d) stating, "[e]ffective October 5, 2021, outside of the court's regular business hours on weekdays, weekends, and holidays, petitions for emergency protective orders shall be heard by the on-call judges assigned to hear said petitions; to schedule a hearing on a petition for an emergency protective order, a petitioner, advocate, or attorney shall call (toll free) 1-877-863-6338 (Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline).

Take note of the specific documents and forms. If they are not included with a petition for an emergency protective order, it will not be considered complete. A copy of GAO 2020-07 can be found in our member Resource Center.

Cook County Circuit Court Website Back Online

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 13:13:27 GMT

From: CBSChicago

A computer breach on the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s website, first exposed by CBS 2 a month and a half ago, is finally fixed.

CBS 2’s Jackie Kostek is always investigating, and asking why it took so long and what’s being done to make sure it never happens again.

Kostek spoke to the executive clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s office, and he admitted that the past six weeks were as troubling and frustrating for their team as it was for lawyers and the public who couldn’t access their case information online. He said the landing page is working again, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.

Attorney Robert Kezelis said seeing the court clerk’s website back up and running wasn’t so much a surprise, “more like a huge relief.”

That’s because, for nearly six weeks, lawyers and the public were unable to access critical information about their cases online.

“I immediately started checking out my cases to make sure I’m not missing any dates, or having a case dismissed on me, or having another problem,” he said.

CBS 2 was the first to expose what the clerk’s office said was website maintenance on Aug. 13 was actually a breach. So why did it take nearly six weeks to get the site up and running again?

“We had to actually acquire updated software, acquire updated platforms, run and update security so that the website is a more secure website than before we came into office,” said executive clerk Patrick Hanlon.

Hanlon said the clerk’s administration had been in talks about redesigning the website before the breach, but prioritized updating its case management system, something ordered by the Illinois Supreme Court.

“Illinois Supreme Court wants us to have it done by year end,” he said.

Hanlon said that deadline has meant the clerk’s office is now working on two parallel projects at once – restoring functionality to the existing website, and integrating the case management system so that all case documents can be accessed remotely by the public and lawyers.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to rip off the Band-Aid,” Hanlon said.

So is Hanlon confident what they’re building now will be able to withstand 21st century cyber threats?

“Breachers are breachers, but I do believe that we have the security in place to be … to rely on that confidence,” he said.

Highly offensive documents circulating, falsely claiming to be from Cook County Judges

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 20:26:57 GMT

Highly offensive documents, falsely claiming to be orders from various current or retired Circuit Court of Cook County judges, are being circulated by some person or group, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said on Wednesday. The documents are forgeries, and the Office of the Chief Judge finds the content appalling. The documents appear to be intended as a means of intimidating the recipients and others.

The documents use the names of several sitting and retired judges out of the Skokie Courthouse.

“I’m indignant over this blatant attack on the judiciary,” Judge Evans said. “By falsely attributing abusive and racist comments to Circuit Court of Cook County judges, it impugns their hard work and integrity and may create a dangerous situation.”

The Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie, and Evanston police departments, as well as the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, are investigating. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office also have been notified. The Office of the Chief Judge is fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities to discover who is circulating these fraudulent and disturbing documents.

The Office of the Chief Judge asks that anybody who receives a copy of one of these fraudulent documents contact the police.

Mental Health for Paralegals

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 01:00:00 GMT

From: American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals

Although there is no specific data on paralegals, if the attorneys with whom we work are experiencing mental health issues at a greater rate, it would stand to reason that paralegals and legal support staff are subject to the same concerns.

Mental health is always a relevant topic, but the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of self-care, support and awareness needed to maintain good mental health. The ABA’s Commission on Lawyer’s Assistance Programs has provided a number of mental health resources for legal professionals that may be helpful during these challenging and unpredictable times.

ABA Chair announces vision for the Standing Committee on Paralegals

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:09:12 GMT

Professor Tom McClure, the Chair of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals, recently published a blog on the ABA website presenting his vision for the Standing Committee. He offered six goals for 2021–2022.

First, the Committee should encourage more states to adopt the Model Guidelines for the Utilization of Paralegal Services. So far, 12 states and seven state bar associations have adopted versions of the guidelines.

Second, the Committee should update the process for conducting post-pandemic site visits of paralegal education programs by building on the experience of virtual site visits conducted during the pandemic.

Third, the Standing Committee should advocate for Lawyers’ Assistance Programs (LAPs) to provide services to paralegals. LAPs are not-for-profit organizations that provide a variety of mental well-being services to lawyers, judges, law students, and their families concerning substance abuse or stress-related issues. Paralegals often experience similar challenges and would benefit from receiving LAP services.

Fourth, the Standing Committee should recognize outstanding pro bono efforts provided by paralegals and paralegal education programs.

Fifth, the committee should increase its efforts to educate states, contemplating licensing Limited Legal Professionals, about ABA-approved paralegal education programs.

Sixth, the Standing Committee should collaborate with entities within the ABA as well as national paralegal organizations to achieve common objectives.

Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) starts 9/15

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 23:59:55 GMT

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the impending launch of a Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) available to tenants and landlords across the state (outside of Cook County) starting on September 15.

Cook County will be operating its own court-based rental assistance program slated to launch in early October with direct funding from the federal government.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has allocated approximately $60 million to the CBRAP, which is only available to litigants in eviction court. Litigants may qualify for up to 12 months of past due rent and 3 months of future rent to prevent eviction and homelessness. Unlike other rental assistance programs, the CBRAP will allow for expedited processing and will have a designated phone number for individual court employees to call and ask questions about the court-based program. It is intended that this program will act as a safety net for litigants who are on the brink of eviction. As a condition of receiving rental assistance (from the CBRAP as well as the other rental assistance programs), landlords agree not to evict the tenant for nonpayment of the rent that is repaid. Additionally, new Order M.R. 30370 requires all summons issued in residential eviction cases to include an attached notice regarding the CBRAP.

Cook County Law Division scheduled to go live with the new Odyssey case management system

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 12:00:00 GMT

From: Chief Deputy Clerk, Law Division

The clerk's office is reporting that the Law Division will be going live with the new Odyssey case management system in mid-October 2021. Once the system is live, parties will be able to remotely access Law Division case dockets and images via the CCC Portal. Once the entire office is live on Odyssey CMS, parties will be able to remotely access case dockets and images from every Illinois Clerk of Court throughout the State via research IL, the PACER-type system selected by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Be sure your eviction Summons includes the proper notice!

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Effective September 13, 2021, all residential eviction summons must include a notice about Court-Based Rental Assistance. A sample notice is available in our Member Resource Center. Be sure to also check with your local court because they may have additional required information (for example, Cook and Winnebago counties).

Are You Using the Right Court Forms?

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 12:00:00 GMT

From: 2Civility

It’s time to check and see if you’re using the correct court forms. Over the past several weeks, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) has announced updates to several court forms, as part of its annual review or in response to law or rule changes.

And, due to the Court’s recent website update, the web addresses for all court forms have changed. Make sure to check any form links on your website to ensure they’re directing users to the correct place.

Please implement these updated forms immediately and discontinue the use of the previous versions.

IL Supreme Court announces amendment to Order M.R. 30370 (residential evictions)

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 17:14:28 GMT

COVID-19 Vaccination to be Required for Employees of U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Northern District of Illinois

The Illinois Supreme Court announced an amendment to Order M.R. 30370 which extends the temporary stay on certain residential eviction trials and dispositive motions to September 18. The previous order was set to end on September 1.

The amended Order also includes provisions that exempt cases where rental assistance is clearly not viable and there is no reason to delay trial. Courts are to generally defer to the rental assistance programs for eligibility determinations, only substituting their own assessments when the matter is clear and free from doubt. The order also permits landlords to challenge the veracity of a tenant’s declaration.

Currently, the Governor’s moratorium on residential evictions continues to bar the enforcement of certain eviction judgments through September 18, 2021.

Amended Order M.R. 30370 is available in our member Resource Center.

Press Release from Clerk of Circuit Court-Cook County About Website

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:21:45 GMT

From: Alex Nitkin, Editor and City Hall reporter, The Daily Line (via Twitter)

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez says the office's website is down for maintenance, and she manages a dig at Dorothy Brown: "These upgrades are necessary to ensure that the lack of attention by the prior administration to...the website are addressed appropriately."

Website For Clerk Of The Circuit Court Of Cook County Was Reported As Being Down For ‘Maintenance;’ It Turned Out Servers Were Breached

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:16:38 GMT

From: CBS News Chicago

For 13 days, the website of the Circuit Court of Cook County clerk has been down for “maintenance.” But that wasn’t the whole story.

According to Clerk of the Circuit Court Iris Y. Martinez, “unusual” activity was found “on its server that supports its website www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.” In a news release issued Thursday afternoon, the clerk of court site was redirected users to a “NFL-related site.” The site was not identified.

“To be clear, we had a breach that was very limited in scope and duration,” said Patrick Hanlon with the Circuit Court Clerk’s office.

Hanlon said on Friday, Aug 13, the website was breached. It was “caught quick,” he said, and the site was brought down.

“There is no ransomware, no data, applications – anything impacted in regards to people’s data,” Hanlon said.

That’s the good news.

But CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said the site being down is causing people across Cook County major issues.

“The public should be able to get easy access to their own records,” Miller said.

Miller said the website is the main access point for anyone who have an open case across any of the Circuit Court’s many divisions. Without access to the website and in turn information on their case, people could find themselves in a bind.

“You could be missing a court date,” Miller said. “In a criminal case, if you don’t show up for a court date, there could be a warrant for your arrest.”

Kostek: “Is there anything being done to prevent people from potentially having a default judgment happen in their case because they can’t access any information, they don’t know when their next court appearance is?”

Hanlon: “If you have an attorney, the licensed attorney can actually go through the digital access portal for their own cases and see everything.”

If you don’t have an attorney and want to monitor your case yourself, Hanlon said to email or call the numbers listed on the home page.

“You give them your name or your case, they can tell you where we’re at,” he said. “Also, Zoom information is provided as well.”

Meanwhile, an official with the clerk’s office says they have beefed up staffing on phone lines. However, many have complained about not being able to get through.

Kostek: “Tell me one thing. Have you ramped up resources of people who are manning those phones because we have heard from several people that they’re calling, they’re waiting on the line for minutes, they’re not getting through to anyone?”

Hanlon: “Minutes is unfortunately expected. But more than minutes is – I’d want to know that.”

As for when the site will be back up, Hanlon said the updates could take two to three weeks to complete – but certain divisions may come online sooner than others.

“I’d prefer security and protection, and make sure it’s done right,” he said.

Cook County is working with the Bureau of Technology and the County’s Information Security Office, the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office with the ongoing investigation.

Tyler Technologies Expands Partnership with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Through 2026

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 18:57:53 GMT

From: Tyler Tech

PLANO, Texas - Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: TYL) announced today a five-year agreement with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) to extend and expand the partnership between the AOIC and Tyler that began in 2016 to provide the eFileIL electronic filing solution to the Illinois Courts. Over 21 million civil and criminal filings have been made online since 2016 - saving court users time and money by reducing trips to the courthouse and making paper copies. The total contract is valued at approximately $63 million over five years, a portion of which is covered by the e-Business filing fee paid by Illinois Court users in civil cases.

Tyler will continue to provide the statewide eFileIL e-filing system through its Odyssey File & Serve™ platform, which serves the Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Appellate Court, and Circuit Courts throughout the state. eFileIL supports electronic filing of court documents for attorneys, self-represented litigants, and state and government agencies, streamlining the case filing process and providing benefits to filers and courts. The AOIC will also continue to use the re:SearchIL™ portal, which provides a more efficient way for attorneys, judges, and other constituents to access important case records and documents at any time on any device.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically reinforced the need for courts to continue to adopt technology to increase remote access. The partnership between Tyler and the AOIC gave court users the ability to file remotely and reduce traffic in courthouses. It also gave attorneys, judges and other constituents the ability to remotely view court documents through the re:SearchIL portal.

"The Illinois Courts continue to improve access and efficiencies for the public and legal community," AOIC director Marcia M. Meis said. "We look forward to working with Tyler to enhance our current offerings and expand our statewide data reporting and analysis capabilities."

This new agreement extends the current services provided to the AOIC through June 2026 and will expand the services Tyler provides through Tyler's Socrata® data platform. With Socrata applications including Court Insights, eFile Insights, and Probation Insights, Tyler will provide an online reporting solution that will automate the aggregation of standardized data from hundreds of local partners in order to modernize the analysis and sharing of judicial data and significantly improve access to statewide dynamic metrics on operational and mission outcomes.

Throughout Tyler and AOIC's partnership, the legal community has seen numerous benefits including:

Simplified access across multiple counties
Significantly streamlining the case filing process
Reducing the need for physical handling, storage and security required by traditional filing and the amount of paper used, generating long-term savings
Providing a more efficient way for attorneys, judges and other constituents to access important case records and documents at any time and on any device

"With the expansion of AOIC's services, Tyler's eFile platform continues to establish the standard for electronic filing, which now serves more than 36 million people every month," said Rusty Smith, president of Tyler's Courts & Justice Division. "We look forward to serving AOIC and the state for many years to come, helping achieve their goal of simplifying processes, and allowing courts to operate more efficiently throughout the state."

Website down - Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 14:47:17 GMT

The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s website has been down after “unauthorized” activity on the site occurred Friday. They are redirecting users to 312-603-5032 for assistance.

Circuit Court of Cook County seeks to implement 24-hour access for “Emergency Petitions” in domestic violence cases

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:43:20 GMT

From: Cook County Circuit Court

Released On 08/02/2021

Responding to the need to protect the health and safety of victims of domestic violence, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans on Monday announced efforts by the Circuit Court of Cook County to enable 24-hour, 7-day-a-week access for “emergency petitions.”

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the Domestic Violence Court has remained open to hear all matters, including petitions for civil “emergency orders of protection,” “no contact” orders, and “no stalking” orders. Judges have conducted proceedings both remotely (utilizing virtual platforms such as Zoom) and in-person. Court documents filed remotely or in person before 3 p.m. are currently assigned to a judge for a hearing the same day. Even in instances when cases are filed after 3 p.m., the court has been able to offer in-person petitioners the chance to appear in court via Zoom through 5 p.m. “Zoom Rooms” or Zoom stations staffed by court personnel are available in all courthouses to allow those without computer or telephone access to participate in court proceedings.

However, the court recognizes that weekday, business hours may not be sufficient for some domestic violence victims who are trying to keep themselves and their families safe, and that some petitioners may need extended hours.

“Based on conversations with domestic violence advocates, we know that some victims arriving after hours have encountered difficulty filing an emergency petition, thus depriving them of an opportunity to have their cases heard, and potentially putting themselves and their families at risk,” Judge Evans said. “Therefore, this court will find a way for petitioners to have their cases heard at any time, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. In the interests of justice, the court must ensure that this is done in a way that is both accessible and fair to all sides in a dispute.”

Working with our judicial stakeholders, representatives of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Cook County Public Defender, victim advocates, and members of the private bar, the court will work to quickly and carefully develop best practices to allow for 24-hour access to emergency domestic violence proceedings. Certain court proceedings, such as hearings to determine probable cause in criminal cases, already are conducted on a 24-hour basis, and the court may be able to adapt practices used in these hearings to the Domestic Violence Court.

Other jurisdictions around the country already have some form of 24-hour access for emergency domestic violence proceedings, including Maricopa County, Arizona; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Los Angeles County, California; and Harris and Dallas Counties, Texas. Procedures vary – for example, Miami-Dade County has a slate of emergency judges available for after-hours matters, and emergency injunctions are valid for 15 days until a court hearing is scheduled. In Texas, orders of protection are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, if the perpetrator is arrested. The Cook County Circuit Court is studying procedures in other jurisdictions to determine what will be most effective here, in compliance with Illinois statute.

The Circuit Court of Cook County will issue an update on its efforts to enable 24-hour emergency access to domestic violence proceedings in the coming months.

COVID-19 Vaccination to be Required for federal employees at courthouse

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 22:29:10 GMT

Consistent with President Biden's recent directive, Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer has announced that all employees and contractors of the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois will be required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_news/EmployeeVaccinationAttestationFINAL.pdf

Effective September 7, 2021, Lake County modifying court call appearances

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:18:00 GMT

From: 19th Judicial Circuit

Beginning on September 7, 2021, Lake County will be relaxing social distancing requirements, and court appearances will take place in-person or by Zoom.

Paralegals should take note of the required language on Notices of Motion:

“Parties wishing to attend the presentment of this motion may appear in-person in the courtroom or may attend remotely on Zoom video and telephone conferencing. A Zoom Meeting ID, Password and Link for this court call will be listed by courtroom, date and time at: https://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/2163/Remote-Court-Hearings.”

Illinois Appellate Court, First District, adopted new rules of procedure which became effective July 1, 2021

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

The Illinois Appellate Court, First District, has adopted new rules of procedure which will become effective on July 1, 2021.

Most of the current rules were adopted in 2004 and have been only slightly amended since then. After the Illinois court system converted to electronic filing in 2017, questions arose regarding conflicts in the existing rules in the new largely electronic filing environment. The rules also contained many archaic and outdated references.

In late 2019, the then-chair of the First District Executive Committee, Justice Maureen Connors, requested that Justice Mathias W. Delort form a working group to draft new rules. Justice David Ellis, a former parliamentarian of the Illinois House of Representatives, and Justice Carl Walker served as judicial members of the working group. The court clerk, Thomas Palella, deputy clerk Tina Schillaci, and appellate attorney Julia Maness, also contributed their substantial expertise to the group’s work.

The working group sent letters to the various agencies and groups involved in most of the court’s caseload: The Appellate Lawyers Association, which includes hundreds of private attorneys; and the appellate divisions of the offices of the Cook County State’s Attorney, the Cook County Public Defender, the Illinois Attorney General, the Chicago Corporation Counsel, the Cook County Public Guardian, and others requesting comments regarding the existing rules. All responded with helpful suggestions.

A first draft of the amended rules was prepared. The working group met numerous times, painstakingly reviewing the draft for compliance with supreme court rules, conformity with existing practices, understandability, and other requirements. Due to the impact of the pandemic, the working group’s progress was delayed while the court retooled itself to function in the new post-COVID environment. The working group picked up its work again in late 2020.

In early 2021, the First District Executive Committee reviewed the draft and made additional suggestions. Over the last few weeks, all 24 members have reviewed the draft rules and several justices requested additional changes.

Besides the changes noted above, the new rules are markedly different from the old rules in that they group like material together and are written in simpler language. In a notable change from most redrafts of laws and court rules, the new rules are actually less verbose than the old rules. The old 40 rules have been replaced by 24 new rules, and the new rules are shorter than the old ones by about 2,200 words.

The old rules included a rule regarding the court’s mediation program, which was numbered as Rule 37. Because Illinois Supreme Court Rule 310.1 requires that any appellate court rule regarding a mediation program be approved by the supreme court, it was decided to leave the existing text of Rule 37 in place. The mediation rule has been renumbered as Rule 21 to maintain proper sequence.

The Court’s Reporter of Decisions reviewed the final draft and offered stylistic and grammatical edits to conform to the court’s official style manual.

The new rules were circulated to the full court in late April, and they were approved by a unanimous vote of all 24 justices on May 5, 2021. The new rules are effective July 1, 2021. The current rules and the new rules are both available on the court’s website at https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/appellate-court/districts-first-district/.

The justices and court staff who worked on this project believe that the new rules will not only enable it to carry out its work more efficiently, but also answer procedural questions often asked by attorneys and litigants in a clear and concise manner.

Illinois Supreme Court Amends Rules on Serving Documents and Confidential Records (Rule 11 & Rule 371)

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today amendments to Rule 11 and Rule 371 which alter the manner of serving certain legal documents and how a rule on confidential records is applied.

The amendment to Rule 371 is effective immediately. The amendment to Rule 11 is effective July 1, 2021.

Rule 11 is the “Manner of Serving Documents Other Than Process and Complaint on Parties Not in Default in the Trial and Reviewing Courts.” The amendment to Rule 11 now allows email to be used as a primary option for serving the eligible documents and removes a previous reference which directed service via the Electronic Filing Manager.

Rule 371 directs procedures for “Confidential Records When On Review” which states sealed or otherwise confidential circuit court records closed when filed in the reviewing courts maintain the same confidentiality as applied in the circuit courts. It also provides the parties of record will “have the same level of access, if any.” The amendment to Rule 371 clarifies the confidentiality requirements to the court record “does not apply to an opinion or Rule 23 order disposing of an appeal, or to a supervisory order affecting the validity of an opinion or Rule 23 order.”

These amendments were proposed by the Supreme Court’s e-Business Policy Advisory Board (Board). The Hon. David A. Hylla, a former judge on the Third Circuit of Illinois from 2006 to 2019, serves as the Board Chair.

ATJ Commission Releases Updated Financial Affidavit Forms for Family & Divorce Cases

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 23:57:40 GMT

From: IL Supreme Court -ATJ Commission

Earlier this week, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) announced the completion of its annual review of the Financial Affidavit suite of forms for use in Family & Divorce Cases.

Patrons should immediately discontinue the use of the forms published in 2016 and begin using the newly published documents.

https://www.2civility.org/atj-commission-releases-updated-financial-affidavit-forms-for-family-divorce-cases/

IL Supreme Court announces amendment to Order M.R. 30370 concerning residential evictions

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 10:00:00 GMT

From: Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today an amendment to Order M.R. 30370 concerning residential evictions. Timed to coincide with the resumption of eviction filings effective August 1, 2021, the amended Order provides for a one-month period in which the judiciary will focus on referring newly filed cases to State programs providing financial assistance to landlords and tenants.

Because of a concern that the expiration of the eviction moratorium could potentially flood Illinois Courts with a large volume of cases seeking to be heard and decided in a short time frame, the Illinois Supreme Court will institute a triage period in which certain newly filed residential eviction cases cannot be acted on until the final expiration of the moratorium. Courts will use this time to guide landlords and tenants to programs designed to help them avoid eviction.

The triage period will begin on August 1, 2021, with the implementation of this amended order, and will conclude on September 1, 2021, when the order is vacated.

eFileIL will be unavailable for Probate, Domestic Relations, and Domestic Violence Divisions

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 21:00:00 GMT

Please note that eFileIL will be unavailable for Probate, Domestic Relations, and Domestic Violence Divisions beginning Wednesday, July 7th at 8:00 p.m. CST. The system will be unavailable for e-filing until Monday, July 12th at 8:00 a.m.

During this time you will be able to file your court documents in person at the courthouse (Daley Center) for these divisions during regular business hours. Conventional filing will be available on Thursday, July 8 and Friday, July 9th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The motion type will no longer be selected in the Case Cross Reference section. It will now be selected in the Filings section.

You will select your motion related filing code and then select your motion type in the dropdown box below the filing code.

There will be more motion codes than before, and you will need to select the one that fits the case type or motion type you are filing. Select "Motion Hearing-Type Not Listed" if none of the other options fits your filing.

In addition, specific to the Probate division, you will no longer have to file a subsequent filing to schedule your Opening Case Management Hearing Date. The system will now generate your Opening Case Management date when your new case is accepted. The court date and time will print on the face of your e-filed documents.

Changes to the eFileIL system are effective July 12, 2021

Application for a Standing Order Seeking Appointment of Special Process Servers extended!

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 23:04:55 GMT

From: Cook County - Domestic Relations Division

Effective immediately, each law firm or practitioner handling cases in the Domestic Relations Division may by Motion seek a Standing Order for the appointment of designated special process servers. Each Standing Order will have a six-month duration, with the first such Standing Order to expire on December 31 , 2021.

Obtain details on presenting these motions and a form Standing Order Appointing Special Process Server in our discussion board!

Illinois courthouses will be allowed to lift masking requirements

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:05:14 GMT

From: Cook County Record

Illinois courthouses will be allowed to lift masking requirements for courthouse visitors, attorneys and personnel who are fully vaccinated.

On May 27, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an order amending its previous COVID-related mask rules.

Under the previous guidance, issued in August 2020 in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, everyone working in or visiting courthouses in Illinois were required to wear a face covering.

In the new order, the high court, following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, now said courts may opt not to require face coverings only for people who have not been fully vaccinated. However, the order still allows lower courts throughout the state to require everyone in courthouses to wear face coverings, regardless of their vaccination status.

https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/600984465-il-supreme-court-courthouses-statewide-can-lift-masking-rules-for-vaccinated-visitors-workers-temp-checks-gone-too

Illinois Supreme Court Approves Amendments to Order on Residential Evictions

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 19:39:58 GMT

From: DuPage Bar Association

The Illinois Supreme Court announced amendments to Order M.R. 30370 regarding residential evictions. One of these amendments states that a landlord’s challenge to a tenant’s reliance on the Governor’s eviction moratorium must be raised in a motion that identifies with specificity the legal or factual basis for any such challenge and where facts pled in the motion are sworn under penalty of perjury. This change is intended to make clear that landlords maintain the burden of proving why the eviction moratorium does not apply to a tenant at all times. The amendments also state that the motion may be set for by hearing only if, on its face, it reflects a viable basis for relief. If the reviewing judge denies the motion, the case shall be dismissed, without prejudice, and the court record sealed.

A copy of the Amended Order on Residential Evictions Proceedings can be found in our members' only Resource Center.

Attorney General System Down

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:10:01 GMT

From: Workers’ Comp Commission Chairman

Please be advised that the Illinois Attorney General's computer system has become disabled. This has rendered it impossible for the members of the Attorney General's Office to access their e-mail, calendars, and file notes. Because of the difficulties now being experienced, the Attorney General's Office may be unable to proceed with matters that are set in the coming days.

Further, they may be unable to respond to e-mail correspondence. If for some reason an Assistant Attorney General does not appear for a matter that is set for hearing (pre-trial or trial) in the coming days, we have asked that the Commissioners and Arbitrators continue these cases.

The Attorney General's Office will notify us when their system is back in operation. We will likewise notify the Bar of any additional developments.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Brennan
Chairman

Illinois Courts Prepare for the Pretrial Fairness Act

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 12:26:52 GMT

From: Illinois Supreme Court

Illinois justice stakeholders continue to analyze and discuss the massive criminal justice reform bill passed by the General Assembly in January and signed by Governor Pritzker on February 22, 2021. For the courts, the primary focus is on the Pretrial Fairness Act contained within this legislation which abolishes the use of cash bail in pretrial release decisions (effective January 1, 2023) and establishes new processes for pretrial release and detention decisions.

While this legislation has elicited a wide range of responses, there are some things on which everyone can agree: (1) the Pretrial Fairness Act is historic – we are the first state to explicitly prohibit the use of money in pretrial detention decisions and (2) all eyes nationally are on Illinois. http://illinoiscourts.gov/Media/enews/2021/033021_director_column.asp

Arizona's Legal Paraprofessional

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:01:59 GMT

From: Arizona Courts

Arizona has created a limited legal practitioner program called Legal Paraprofessional.

An LP is a professional with specific education and experience who is licensed to provide legal services in limited practice areas. This professional is often compared to a nurse practitioner in the medical field.

If you are interested in the program, check this short video to learn how the program works. https://youtu.be/TmPix6VBstU

Cook County Circuit Court to resume jury trials this spring

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 01:39:25 GMT

Cook County Circuit Court to resume jury trials this spring, with multiple precautions against coronavirus spread.

http://www.cookcountycourt.org/MEDIA/View-Press-Release/ArticleId/2831/Cook-County-Circuit-Court-to-resume-jury-trials-this-spring-with-multiple-precautions-against-coronavirus-spread

Updated Current Orders and Courthouse Procedures for DuPage County

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 00:58:54 GMT

Jury Trials to proceed March 1, 2021; Bench trials to proceed In-Person effective immediately; All Law Division courtrooms will be closed to attorneys and litigants, except for trials.

Matters set for status, case management, prove up, hearing and conferences will proceed remotely. Participation in these proceedings may be accomplished in one of two ways: a). By submitting an agreed order electronically (instructions below). or b). By videoconference using Zoom. The Zoom links will change daily, and you will be able to link to your court proceeding directly from the Clerk’s Office website at www.18thjudicial.org. Watch the February 8, 2021 Q and A Session with Hon. Robert Kleeman regarding the March 1, 2021 resumption of jury trials.

Northern District of Illinois to administer COVID-19 tests

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:19:57 GMT

From: U.S.District Court-Northern District of Illinois

Due to the significant health risks generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court has been required to restrict certain aspects of its operations, such as jury trials. To conduct in- person operations safely, the Court will adopt a testing protocol to help ensure that those who work in the Courthouse do not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other Courthouse workers or visitors to the Courthouse.

https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_documents/_forms/_clerksoffice/rules/admin/pdf-orders/General%20Order%2021-0006%20Plan%20for%20the%20Safe%20Resumption%20of%20Jury%20Trials%20in%20the%20Northern%20District%20of%20Illinois%20-FINAL.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3I4si-fwQOkEahtXtXnQ58tMtgniLxwMih3uNA9ggGLKPO-AZzIDWRHEc

Are Paralegals Meant to Survive This Decade?

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 01:30:00 GMT

From: The Estrin Report

Is there a bright future for Paralegals?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is out with their 2020 Occupational Outlook for Paralegals and Legal Assistants.

Bottom line – it’s not a bad time to be in, or to be getting into, a paralegal or legal assistant position*.

Consider these findings:

o Median annual pay is $51,750, compared with $39,800 for all occupations in the US.

o 80% of paralegals and legal assistants earn between $32-82,000.

o The federal government, finance, and insurance sectors pay the most, with a median income above $84,000 per year.

o Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is expected to grow by 10% over the next 10 years, much faster than the 4% for all occupations in the US economy.

States with the most paralegals are CA, FL, NY, TX, and IL. The highest pay for paralegals and legal assistants is in DC, CO, CA, MA, and WA.

Bottom line – it’s not a bad time to be in, or to be getting into, a paralegal or legal assistant position.

If you’d like to “just get away,” consider these top-paying non-metropolitan areas for paralegals and legal assistants:

o Alaska

o Northwest Colorado

o Central New Hampshire

o North Coast of California

o Hawaii/Kauai

Or, the non-metropolitan places where there are the most jobs:

● Kansas

● North Carolina Piedmont area

● Central Kentucky

● Southwest Montana

● Southeast coastal North Carolina

The life of the paralegal is not all rosy, of course; here are a few cautions:

o Stress – The American Bar Association has recently discussed stress as a significant issue for paralegals. Unfortunately, stress among paralegal staff is not as well addressed as attorney stress. Good tools, such as a cloud-based matter management system, can significantly reduce stress among paralegals, especially those expected to bill by the hour.

o Limited ceiling – you very likely never will be the boss of a law firm if you do not have a law degree.

o Respect - routine tasks like repetitive data entry, invoice preparation, entering client and billing information, filing, and document management often fall upon paralegals. A cloud-based document management system can virtually eliminate these repetitive tasks and increase the time you have for higher profile matters.

If you are considering an exit strategy, the US Department of Labor has identified related positions that do not require a JD degree that offer greater compensation, including claims adjusting, mediating and conciliation services.

In the meantime, you can build both your expertise and job satisfaction by becoming proficient in a cutting edge technology, and/or gaining a new certification. Whichever direction you’re headed, the future looks bright for the paralegal profession.

By Aline Martin O’Brien!

Aline Martin-O’Brien has a Masters in Theory and Practice of Procedural Law from the University of Paris: Panthéon–Sorbonne. After practicing as an attorney for many years, she now lives and writes in Florida for Smokeball.

E-filing and case management for Illinois workers' compensation

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:04:46 GMT

From: Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

The start of 2021 will bring the third release of CompFile, which means completely digital e-filing and case management for Illinois workers' compensation. Be on the lookout for the instructional materials for Release 3 of CompFile and start visiting the CompFile Implementation webpage regularly to check for the latest announcements and updated resources.

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the appointment of Judge Sanjay T. Tailor as an At- Large Cook County Circuit Judge

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 18:47:30 GMT

From: Circuit Court of Cook County

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the appointment of Judge Sanjay T. Tailor as an At-Large Cook County Circuit Judge. Judge Tailor was appointed to fill the At-Large vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Diane Gordon Cannon, who passed away on October 31, 2020. The appointment is effective January 4, 2021, and will conclude December 5, 2022, following the November 2022 general election.

Cook County's Residential Eviction and Consumer Debt Early Resolution Program

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 17:30:00 GMT

When eviction cases and consumer debt cases are allowed to commence as directed by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, any plaintiff initiating a new eviction or consumer debt action in any of the districts of the Municipal Department of the Circuit Court of Cook County shall include a notice of the ERP with the summons in English, Spanish, & Polish. The notice shall be attached to a copy of the summons filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The notice of the ERP is included with this General Administrative Order.

“Zoom Rooms” available at most courthouses to help litigants without phone, computer access

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 17:00:00 GMT

From: Circuit Court of Cook County

Most courthouses in Cook County are now equipped with “Zoom Rooms,” with computers that allow litigants to safely monitor court proceedings, Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans said on Friday.

The rooms serve litigants who do not have access to phones or computers, and thus have difficulty tuning into court sessions on Zoom. In response to the surge in coronavirus cases, the Circuit Court has ordered that all hearings be held via teleconference whenever possible. The rooms contain multiple computers, and are located in rooms previously used as jury rooms or children’s rooms.

“During this public health crisis, we want the public to continue to have access to justice while keeping safe,” said Chief Judge Evans. “These Zoom rooms have been equipped to allow litigants who may not have adequate technology at home to participate in teleconference hearings.”

Litigants should note that hearings can be accessed by phone as well as by computer.

IL Supreme Court announces new Rule 14

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:39:29 GMT

From: Cook County Legal Aid

Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and the Illinois Supreme Court announced today the approval of new Rule 14, which will facilitate the expansion of text messaging in Illinois courts by authorizing any Illinois court or county clerk to implement a text message notification program. New Rule 14 is effective immediately.

“The pandemic has forced courts to innovate more rapidly than ever before to develop new efficiencies while also maintaining the health and safety of court users,” Chief Justice Burke said. “This new rule provides guidance to courts throughout the state for consistent adoption of this program, which has worked successfully in several jurisdictions.”

New Rule 14, first proposed by the Illinois Judicial Conference’s Court Access and Dispute Resolution Task Force (Task Force), is intended to provide statewide consistency regarding electronic communication. Illinois circuit courts using text messaging programs to communicate with litigants include Cook, McHenry, Winnebago, and several other counties.

The jurisdictions in Illinois who have initiated text messaging programs report reductions in failure to appear rates. The new Rule was also proposed with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in mind as a method by which courts can communicate with patrons safely without person-to-person contact. “This new Supreme Court Rule provides an additional method courts will use to communicate with patrons safely without person to person contact using a simple tool: the cellphone,” Task Force Chair and Fourth District Appellate Court Clerk Carla Bender said. “By adoption of this Rule, the Supreme Court is facilitating electronic communication through an inexpensive intervention which will serve to assist people in getting to court and avoiding the serious repercussions of failure to appear.”

Text messaging programs are a supplement and not a substitute for any notification required by Supreme Court Rule and any failure to participate in a text messaging program will not be considered or used as evidence against the person in any court proceeding. Participants will be afforded the ability to opt out of the program at any time.

20 Legal Tech Executives Write Speaker Pelosi In Favor Of Open Courts Act

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: LawSites

Twenty executives of legal technology companies and organizations signed on to a letter delivered this morning to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in favor of legislation that would eliminate the PACER paywall and modernize access to federal court records.

Iris Martinez sworn in as first Latina Cook County Circuit Court clerk

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 02:19:35 GMT

From: Chicago Sun-Times

With a historic win, Iris Martinez was recently sworn in as the first Latina Cook County Circuit Court clerk, promising a “new beginning" and encouraging fellow Latinas to "dream big."

Cook County Launches Legal Aid Initiative for Housing and Debt Issues

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:50:58 GMT

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the livelihoods of many, residents in Cook County may find some relief with the recent launch of Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD). The county-wide initiative focuses on helping residents resolve eviction, foreclosure, debt, and tax deed issues.

Evictions, foreclosures, and unresolved debt issues can have a long-lasting, negative impact on your future. Call the Early Resolution Program (ERP) to speak with a lawyer and get connected to other resources. This program is available to all residents of Cook County free of charge. You do not need to have a case in court to get help.

Call 855-956-5763 or apply online to get help today.

You Can Use the Program If

You are a renter and your landlord is trying to evict you;
You are a landlord who is not represented by a lawyer;
You are a homeowner who has fallen behind on your mortgage payments or property taxes;
You were sued by someone who wants to collect an unpaid debt (for example a credit card company trying to collect unpaid charges); OR
You need to sue someone who owes you money and do not have a lawyer.

The Early Resolution Program (ERP) includes free legal aid, mediation services, and connections to other resources including rental assistance. Mediation is a chance for a landlord and tenant, or debtor and creditor, to resolve issues with the help of a knowledgeable and neutral person.

Northern District of Illinois- extension of COVID-19 general order through Jan. 25, 2021

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:00:00 GMT

From: U.S. District Court - Northern District of Illinois

Chief Judge Pallmeyer entered the Eighth Amended GAO on 11/13, suspending in-person proceedings (including all civil and criminal jury trials) until further order. No motions may be noticed for in-person presentment; the presiding judge will notify parties of the need, if any, for a hearing by electronic means or in-court proceeding. The local rules requiring delivery of paper courtesy copies and that all motions be noticed for presentment, have been suspended.

Election Day in Illinois is a state holiday

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:00:00 GMT

From: TimeOut Chicago

November 3 is a state holiday in Illinois, meaning that all government offices (except election officials, K-12 schools and some post-secondary schools) will get the day off. It's possible that some businesses throughout the state will follow suit, but anyone who has worked on Casimir Pulaski Day or Lincoln's birthday knows that state holidays don't always translate to time off.

92% of the connected population used emoji in personal communication with 61% utilizing emoji at work

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

From: eDiscovery Today

As reported in a 2019 Adobe Survey, by 2019, 92% of the connected population used emoji in personal communication with 61% utilizing emoji at work. From a discovery standpoint, that means that you’re more likely to encounter emoji in business communications than ever. How likely? Well, as Eric Goldman, Professor of Law at Santa Clara University School of Law and recognized expert (yes, there’s a guy who tracks that stuff!) notes in his 2019 Emoji Law Year-in-Review: he “found 101 cases in 2019 that referenced “emoji” or “emoticon.” This nearly doubles the number of 53 from 2018, indicating that the relevance of emoji in the law is growing exponentially.

Court orders Dorothy Brown to halt planned updates to ‘problematic’ new case management system

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 02:00:00 GMT

From: Chicago Sun-Times

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown has been barred from further implementing her office’s new case management system after she apparently rejected concerns from the Office of the Chief Judge over its continued rollout.

Chief Judge Tim Evans on Thursday issued an order telling Brown not to add new civil and traffic division portals to the case management system without prior approval — or face contempt of court.

The order suggests a battle could be brewing between Evans and Brown just a few months before the beleaguered Brown will leave office.

Brown told the chief judge’s office earlier Thursday that she planned to move forward despite the office’s concerns that expanding the system would be “significantly detrimental to the administrative, operational needs of the court” and would cause “irreparable harm to the court’s ability to administer justice,” according to the filing.

Chicago Attys Hope New Clerk Will Modernize Cook County

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 23:20:33 GMT

Cook County's circuit court clerk is stepping down after two decades, opening the door for new leadership that Illinois attorneys are hopeful will turn around an outdated, inefficient court system in one of the country's largest cities.

Read more at: https://www.law360.com/illinois/articles/1321031/chicago-attys-hope-new-clerk-will-modernize-cook-county?copied=1

Updates to Domestic Relations Division (Cook County)

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:33:20 GMT

As you may know, we are now able to schedule cases in the Clerk's Office for motions and prove ups (see amended General Orders 20D 10, 13, and 14) for the following Calendars: Team C - Calendar C, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35; Team D - Calendar D, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45; Team E - Calendar E, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55; Individual Calendars: 11, 21, 61, 62, 64, 98, and X/84.

If your case is assigned to a Preliminary Calendar Team C, D, or E, unfortunately, the Clerk's Office is not able to e-print the assigned prove up Calendar on your documents when scheduling.

We have the schedules in our Resource Center that show the judges by team and their assigned prove up date. For example, if your prove up is scheduled on a date that falls on a Monday and your assigned to Calendar D, then your prove up will be assigned to Judge Rivera or if your assigned to Calendar C and you get a Monday date, your prove up will be assigned to Judge Shapiro, and so on. Also, the schedules contain the email in which you will email your prove up documents.

Foreclosure moratorium extended until further notice

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 14:49:23 GMT

From: Cook County Courts

Presiding Judge Moshe Jacobius issued an order, effective immediately, that will extend the foreclosure moratorium until further order by the court.

Pritzker Extends Ban on Evictions for 7th Month

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:00:00 GMT

From: WTTW News

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Friday that Illinois’ ban on evictions would be extended until Nov. 16, as state officials continue to send grants to Illinois residents struggling to make ends meet.

Illinois Supreme Court Amends Rules 212, 306, 315, 316, 318, 341, 368, and 705

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:00:53 GMT

From: Crain's Chicago Business

The Illinois Supreme Court amended Rules 212, 306, 315, 316, 318, 341, 368, and 705.

The changes go into effect October 1. Amended rules are available online. https://courts.illinois.gov/SupremeCourt/Rules/Amend/2020/093020.pdf

CPA is proud to announce collaboration with DISCO

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:26:31 GMT

Chicago Paralegal Association has teamed up with DISCO to access their e-discovery document review platform. This opportunity is normally only reserved for law schools, but we were able to convince DISCO that paralegals need database training just as much as future lawyers. We will be using DISCO training materials and our own materials to develop a training program to ensure our members are set up for success in the litigation and e-discovery fields. You won’t find this training program anywhere else. With the help of DISCO, CPA will provide members with real-world experience on how to navigate an e-discovery platform, how to perform a document review, gain experience in searching in a real database, and much more.

Three groups recommend changes they'd like to see from the new clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 03:00:00 GMT

Declaring that an agency that still widely uses carbon paper could use a bit of reform, a trio of Chicago civic groups today unveiled changes they’d like to see the new clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court make after 20-year incumbent Dorothy Brown leaves the post in December.

Included is a top-to-bottom audit, expanded use of e-filing, a final end to patronage hiring, electronic recording of all court sessions and, yes, no more carbon paper, which the report says is still extensively used for key documents, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Illinois’ ban on evictions extended until Oct. 22

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: WTTW News

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Wednesday that Illinois’ ban on evictions would be extended until Oct. 22, as state officials work to get grants to Illinois residents struggling to make ends meet.

Tips to get started as a remote online Notary

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:45:47 GMT

Via Perfectly Paralegal Resources

Notaries who have up-to-date commissions and are in good standing can become remote Notaries, but there are some additional requirements (depending on your state) that must be fulfilled, and Notaries should consider whether they’re equipped to handle the software and other technical requirements before they take the plunge.

Scott outlined the basic steps to becoming a successful remote online Notary. They include:

Remote online notarization basics and credentials.
The equipment and technology you’ll need.
The skills you’ll need.
Legal considerations.

To read the entire article, click here.

Remembering 9/11

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:36:47 GMT

Nineteen years ago, under clear blue skies, 102 minutes changed our lives forever. National September 11 Memorial & Museum

https://video.ibm.com/911memorial

Sept 14 Begins Cook County’s Racial Equity Week

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:31:50 GMT

From: Cook County

During September 14 – 18, 2020, Cook County will hold its second Racial Equity Week to delve deeper into the need to advance racial equity, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cook County will hold a series of interactive virtual events with community leaders, artists and the public. This year’s theme is Cook County Past, Present and Future: Acknowledging past harm, reckoning with impact today, and casting a vision for our county’s future.

Illinois Supreme Court issues new rules on summonses

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 10:30:33 GMT

Illinois Supreme Court revises provisions of Supreme Court Rules 101, 283, and 286(a) regarding summonses, to reduce unnecessary in-person court appearances and to promote remote court appearances. https://courts.illinois.gov/SupremeCourt/Announce/2020/082720-2.pdf

New Cook County-Chancery Division Order posted

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 23:02:16 GMT

From: Cook County Judges

The Chancery Division posted a new Order today, 8/25. Pursuant to Chief Judge Evans’ General Administrative Order 2020-02, all mortgage foreclosure matters are stayed until after September 21, 2020, and new case procedures will also start 9/21. If you need a copy of the Order, please check the Resource Center!

Eviction moratorium extended another 30 days to Sept. 19

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 17:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Record

A state appeals court has been asked to step in and decide whether Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has the power to indefinitely continue issuing executive orders, prohibiting landlords, many of whom say they are approaching financial ruin, from forcing apartment and rental house tenants to either pay their rent or face eviction.

Court's impacted from system-wide Zoom outage

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chief Judge Evans

This morning, the Zoom Cloud Videoconferencing Platform experienced a system wide outage that has impacted the Court’s ability to begin its virtual court calls on time. Most virtual courts are now up and running.

If you are having any trouble connecting to a virtual courtroom, it is recommended that you first download the Zoom Desktop Application (or Zoom App for you Smartphone) and try to connect again. As an alternative, you may dial-in by calling 312-626-6799 and then enter the Zoom Meeting ID and Password for the virtual courtroom you are appearing in.

Is Your Job In Danger?

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 19:10:38 GMT

Via Eat Your Career:

As a career coach, I often work with people when they’re dealing with an expected job loss. They’ve either been terminated for cause, laid off, or asked to resign. In any case, it’s never an easy situation.

Most people tell me they were blindsided—they had no idea! Yet, after some time spent reflecting, almost everyone realizes there were signs along the way, and they simply missed them or ignored them.

At the time of this writing, we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is certain. At this point, we should all be prepared for anything—literally anything—to happen.

But really, this is true even in “normal” times. Too often, we get lulled into a feeling of security at work. When that happens, we miss important signs that things might not be as stable as we think they are. We have to keep an ever-watchful eye on our surroundings, and recognize when danger may be on the horizon.

In the spirit of being proactive, I wanted to share a few of the commons signs to take note of. The following is a list of things that suggest your job might be in danger. Don’t let this scare you though! My goal is to simply increase your awareness, so you can take some important steps now to make life easier in the future—no matter what happens.

Regardless of your circumstances, I recommend that everyone should be prepared for an unexpected job loss at any time. You just never know what might happen. That means, have your resume up-to-date and ready to go at all times; make sure your LinkedIn profile is robust; and be an active, generous networker even when you’re not job searching.

If you read the items on this list and having a sneaking suspicion that your job is not as secure as you once thought, it’s time to kick things into high-gear. Don’t wait for circumstances to force you into action.

Business is Slower than Normal for Longer than Normal

Look, this is an unusual time. Many organizations have been profoundly impacted. Some are experiencing unprecedented growth and demand! Others are struggling to make ends meet. Most organizations are used to the normal ebbs and flows of business. They can weather a slow-down for a bit. But at a certain point, something has to give.

If your organization has lost key accounts or clients, experienced multiple months of dramatically reduced revenues or increased costs, or had a major delay in their ability to deliver products or services, trouble may be brewing. Even if YOU are still busy, the company still needs money to pay you. Don’t get so focused on your own work that you forget the bigger picture.

That being said, in slow times when resources are scarce, employees who are contributing greater value are much more likely to be kept. Make sure that the cost of employing you is a no-brainer when compared to the value you’re delivering.

You’re on a Performance Improvement Plan

If your performance is struggling, your job is in danger—even if your organization is thriving. To be clear, I’m not saying you’re destined to lose your job. Just because you’re on some kind of a Performance Improvement Plan (whether formal or informal) doesn’t mean you can’t improve. I’ve seen many people overcome performance issues by taking the right steps.

But you should see it for what it is: a dire warning. You were hired to do a job. If you’re not meeting expectations, that job may not be yours for long. This is especially true in difficult times. Employees who are not already peak performers are almost always the first to be let go.

In some cases, turbulent situations (like, say, a global pandemic) are convenient excuses for organizations to “clean house.” Even if it’s not financially required, they take it as a welcome opportunity to set poor performers free.

Downsizing has Already Started

If other areas of your organization are downsizing, your job may also be on the line. Even if your department is thriving, it can still happen. When cuts need to be made, leaders often want to share the burden, instead of forcing a small handful of groups to suffer disproportionately. Don’t convince yourself that you (or your team) are untouchable.

In fact, many organizations conduct “rolling” layoffs as a way of distributing the disruption. Instead of letting a large chunk of the workforce go all at once, they let smaller groups go incrementally over a longer period of time. It’s horrible for morale—and it really ups the ante on the fear factor for those who remain—but it’s a common practice.

Again, DON’T FREAK OUT.

As you’re reading this, I know your anxiety is rising. Breathe deep.

In. Out. In. Out.

Okay? You’re fine. And no matter what happens, YOU WILL BE FINE.

I believe in confronting reality, even when it’s hard. Now that you’re seeing the possible danger, the most important question is this: What are you going to do about it?

Don’t just sit around worrying. Make your plan. Get prepared. Start dipping your toe in the job search waters. You don’t need to jump in head first at this point. But if you start now, it will be a much less stressful and overwhelming process if/when something happens.

Lastly, you should know that (at the time of this writing) all states in the US are “at-will” employment states, which means that employees and employers can part ways at any time, for any (legal) reason, without notice, and the decision can be made by either side. (NOTE: I am not am employment attorney and there are some exceptions to this law, so do your own research.)

My point is this: You never know when your job may be disrupted. It could be for any reason or for no reason. Much of the time, there are clear signs of danger you can see if you’re looking. But not always. So, even if none of these things are happening, it’s still always a good idea to be prepared for ANYTHING.

Three New E-discovery Case Law Developments So Far in 2020

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 12:00:00 GMT

From: Law.com

With so many lawyers focused on COVID-19, it would be easy to overlook the significant case law developments on electronic discovery that have transpired so far in 2020. Courts have issued any number of instructive orders on e-discovery issues ranging from metadata production and technology-assisted review to cost shifting and sanctions.

Paralegal Graduate Success Stories - ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 13:42:09 GMT

From the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals:

As Chair of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Paralegals, in honor of the 45th anniversary of the ABA Approval Process for Paralegal Education Programs (August 2020), I'm excited that we're receiving graduate's success stories to showcase on our site. You may submit a story (limited to 500 words or less) as well as a high-resolution photograph of the graduate electronically. Submissions must be received by September 16, 2020 . If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Watson.

All Cook County Courts closed today

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 13:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Courts

All Cook County Courts closed today 8/10, except bond courts

Due to restricted access to Chicago’s downtown area resulting from public safety activities and limits on public transportation, Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans on Monday ordered the closing of all courts, with the exception of bond courts.

Bond courts at the Leighton Criminal Court House, the Domestic Violence Courthouse at 555 W. Harrison Street, the Juvenile Justice Division and all six Municipal Districts will remain open.

Except for bond court, all cases scheduled for Monday will be continued for 30 days and parties will be notified by the clerk of new court dates.

Traffic Cases at the Daley Center are scheduled for Zoom videoconferences

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 22:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chief Judge Evans

Persons with a traffic case at the First Municipal District in the Daley Center are reminded that all Traffic Section cases will be scheduled for videoconference on Zoom. Please look for the time, date and room number on the citation so you will know the correct Zoom information, and do not come to court if you are not set for an in-person hearing.

For more information, check out the Litigation Section discussion board.

Cook County Assistant State's Attorneys are creating digital discovery packages for felony cases

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 23:00:00 GMT

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is going paperless! The ASA's at the Bridgeview courthouse have already started the process and are sending discovery electronically to members of the defense bar for criminal cases.

Be sure to log in and view the discussion in the Litigation section for more information.

'Erased in an afternoon': WA Supreme Court abruptly ends innovative legal tech program

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: KNKX radio

An innovative program that allows non-lawyers to be licensed to give limited legal advice has been touted as a national model. As reported by KNKX in 2016, it was created as a way to provide inexpensive legal help for people without a lot of money.

But now, with no official warning, the Washington Supreme Court has voted to kill the LLLT program, as it’s known.

Hundreds of civil cases aren’t scheduled for a court date for almost a year

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: CBS News Chicago

Attorneys whose cases are filed primarily in the Cook County Court’s Law and Municipal divisions received notices this past week that their next hearing dates are in February, March, and even April of 2021. They blame lack of Wi-Fi and video conferencing capabilities.

For First Time in Decade, PACER Website Gets Major Update

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: Bob Ambrogi

A new design rolled out yesterday for the website of the U.S. Courts Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) program, the site’s first major update in a decade.

The site, which can be found at pacer.uscourts.gov, provides information about the PACER service and is the portal to PACER applications. It is run by the Administrative Office (AO) of the U.S. Courts.

Illinois’ minimum wage increases on July 1

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: Illinois Business Journal

Illinois’ minimum wage will make its second increase this year to $10 per hour beginning July 1. The Illinois Department of Labor urges minimum wage earners to make sure their checks reflect the increase following July 1.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation passed by the General Assembly providing a path to a $15 minimum wage by 2025. Minimum wage earners received the first increase of $1 to $9.25 per hour on Jan. 1, 2020.

Prior to the January increase, the last time Illinois increased its minimum wage was a decade ago. In 2010, the minimum wage was raised from $8.00 to $8.25 per hour. Cook County has a higher minimum wage than the state, with the Cook County minimum wage increasing to $13 per hour beginning July 1, 2020. The City of Chicago minimum wage will also increase on July 1, 2020, to $13.50 per hour for small employers (4 to 20 employees) and $14 per hour for large employers (21 or more employees).

It's Time For Law Firms To Support Work-From-Home Culture

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 21:15:57 GMT

From Law360.com

Associates prioritized work-life balance far before this pandemic began. Many thought the ability to work remotely was a necessary part of this.

Now that we are months into working from home, many associates are realizing that working from home does not equate to work-life balance. Instead, the expectations of when to be available have been blurred into a stage of perma-availability.

The issue stems from the lack of consistency across firms on work-from-home expectations and policies.

Before this crisis began, law firms were at a crawl at instituting work-from-home policies. Many in law firm leadership were resistant to the idea[1] because there was an assumption that remote working would compromise efficiency, not allow for groups to work cohesively, and impact the ability to maintain and service clients successfully.

Instead, law firms worked tirelessly to develop an office work culture that distinguished them from their peers. Firms often emphasized their open-door policies, collaborative teams, focus on professional development and respect for one another. They invested time and energy into developing and maintaining these characteristics, which was challenging even when everyone was in the office.

Since many firms lacked formal remote work policies, they were forced to quickly adapt when states began instituting stay-at-home orders earlier this year. Without clear policies and procedures in place, it's no surprise that the boundaries between work and life broke down.

In this environment, associates have been forced to try to impose boundaries for themselves, including working with associate resource managers, blocking their calendar, talking about expectations with their partners, and communicating limitations in their schedules due to their own individual circumstances.

Now, as states begin the process of reopening, law firms are, for the most part, proceeding with caution. However, regardless of when offices reopen, it is increasingly clear that remote working is more widely accepted and will likely become a permanent part of every law firm's culture.

So the question many firms should now be asking is how does the culture they worked so hard to cultivate before coronavirus translate into an effective remote working environment? And how can law firms lay out clear and concise expectations for a remote working environment that are consistent for all associates?

The good news is this pandemic has demonstrated that law firms can operate successfully[2] in a fully remote environment. Firms have found that associates are incredibly efficient, produce quality work, maintain strong client relationships, and preserve group cohesiveness and comradery.

Given these results, firms have the opportunity to take a step back and do what they should have done before this crisis began: take the time to develop formal remote working policies so that they can begin shaping what their work-from-home culture will look like moving forward.

Now is the time for reflection to decide how successful — or unsuccessful — the last few months of working from home have been. Instead of leaning into the reactive policies that had to be adapted at the start of this crisis, firms can now take the time to identify areas for improvement and provide guidance to their attorneys about the firm's work-from-home expectations.

This includes clearly identifying work hour expectations, laying out guidelines for how attorneys should communicate times of unavailability, deciding what technologies they will use to allow teams to work cohesively, investing in technology to ensure that client confidentiality is protected, offerings trainings for staff, and more. These policies need to come from the top down so that expectations are consistent across the firm.

This crisis pushed firms to make drastic changes swiftly, but it has become clear that many of those changes are here to stay. Firms now need to reflect and assess whether their quick responses to the pandemic truly align with the cultures that existed when they were in the office.

There is likely room for improvement. As firms transition to being more work-from-home-friendly, it is vital that partners and associates alike are aligned with the expectations of one another.

Summer Eberhard is a managing director in the associate practice group at Major Lindsey & Africa. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

Cook County circuit courts will be open and hearing all matters starting July 6th

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 20:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Judges

Chief Judge Evans released an updated order today announcing that Courts will be open and hearing all matters starting July 6th. Courts will be able to conduct hearings by video-conference as needed.

In—person court dates shall be staggered, by date, time, and floor, to minimize the number of persons in the courtrooms.

Evictions and foreclosure are still stayed until July 31st.

Cook County courts getting courtrooms prepared

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:30:00 GMT

From: Memo from Judge Evans, Chief Judge

As Cook County prepares for the next phase of court operations, the Cook County Bureau of Asset Management reports to the Chief Judge that it has installed plexiglass barriers on the bench in every courtroom and signage to protect everyone's health.

Judge Evans estimates that by July 6, the county will have the following number of courtrooms prepared at these locations:

10 courtrooms at each of the following: Bridgeview, Markham, Rolling Meadows and the Domestic Violence Courthouse
8 courtrooms in Skokie
7 courtrooms in Maywood
11 courtrooms at the Juvenile Center
13 courtrooms at the Leighton Criminal Court Building
30 courtrooms at the Daley Center

In addition, the county has stated that the remaining courtrooms will be prepared no later than August 14.

Pictures of what a standard courtroom will look like, as well as Judge's Evans' Memo can be found in the Member Resource Center under COVID-19 Resources.

Cook County Circuit Clerk's website will be down Friday afternoon

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:17:06 GMT

The Clerk of the Circuit Court’s main website and ALL online services will be unavailable from Friday, June 26, 2020 at 4:30 pm until Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 9:00 am, for critical system maintenance.

Impacted services include, but are not limited to, court case lookups and payments of traffic tickets online. Electronic filing will NOT be affected by this outage, and can be accessed by going directly to your Electronic Filing Service Provider's website.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announces re-opening plan

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Board President

Cook County facilities (which include the courthouse) will reopen to the public on July 6, 2020 and members of the public will be required to adhere to physical distancing standards and other requirements as directed by Cook County. Highlights of the Reopening Plan

▶ Senior staff return to Cook County facilities beginning June 15, 2020.

▶ The first official wave of employees will return to Cook County facilities on July 6, 2020.

▶ Employees working on-site will continue to comply with physical distancing standards and adhere to the guidance provided within this plan and any additional guidance provided by supervisors.

▶ Cook County facilities will reopen to the public on July 6, 2020 and members of the public will be required to adhere to physical distancing standards and other requirements as directed by Cook County. Entering County Facilities

▶ All employees will be required to present employee IDs and undergo thermal screening. Public visitors will be required to undergo thermal screening.

▶ All public visitors and employees will be required to wear face masks and practice physical distancing.

Supreme Court Delivers Major Victory To LGBTQ Employees

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:00:00 GMT

From: NPR News

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor (6-3) that the LGBTQ+ community is protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They agreed that “sex” discrimination includes sexual orientation and gender identity.

IL Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments on June 24 on seven proposals

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 22:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County-Chancery Division

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hear comments on June 24, 2020, at a remote public hearing via the Zoom videoconference platform on seven proposals, including a proposal to require all written opinions by the Appellate Court to be published and a proposal to create a new Supreme Court Rule that would require all eviction complaints to include a copy of the written eviction notice or demand.

The public is invited to attend oral arguments via livestream on the Court’s YouTube page by clicking here. All the proposals, which must be approved by the Illinois Supreme Court before they could take effect, will be aired at a remote hearing before the Rules Committee at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 24, 2020.

The Rules Committee invites public comments on the proposals, which are posted on the Supreme Court website at: www.illinoiscourts.gov/SupremeCourt/Public_Hearings/Rules/default.asp

Cook County-Chancery Division announces transition plan

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 20:00:00 GMT

All matters are stayed/reset to a date after July 6, and then Chancery will begin to hear cases following a triage method. Courtesy copies may continue to be delivered via email.

Cook County-Law Division notice on court activities in July

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 19:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Judges

For Cook County, all cases scheduled between June 1, 2020 and July 3, 2020 will be rescheduled and all parties of record will receive electronic or postcard notice of their new court date.

The Law Division is in the process of drafting a new General Administrative Order that will be issued on or before July 3, 2020 that will vacate and supersede all previous Law Division General Administrative Orders that relate to Covid-19 procedures. The new General Administrative Order will provide for the resumption of all court activities excluding jury trials.

Amended Rules go into effect July 1

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: Federal Bar Association-Chicago Chapter

The Illinois Supreme Court on June 9 amended Rules 501, 526, 556, and 585. All changes go into effect July 1. The amendments relate to classifications of and bail requirements for certain traffic offenses.

Annual State of the Court Address by Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 19:00:00 GMT

Free virtual event: Join the us next week for the Annual State of the Court Address by Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer! This event is limited to 250 people, so register as soon as possible!

Mental Health for Paralegals

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:16:40 GMT

From: The American Bar Association

Chicago Paralegal Association Board stands against racism, discrimination, and abuse of law

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 23:00:00 GMT

Being silent is easy but we feel it is unacceptable. The Board members of the Chicago Paralegal Association stand against racism, discrimination, and the abuse of the law. The Board members believe that the right to due process of law should be provided equally to everyone. We also believe that individuals in whom the public trusts to uphold the law should be held to the same standards as every other American. Chicago is a phenomenal place, and the Association strives to help create a stronger, more welcoming, and more just city.

We have worked hard to create a diverse Board, and will continue to recruit members with diverse voices and viewpoints, but we can always do more. We believe in justice and equality for all, and will continue to actively inform and educate ourselves and our general membership to foster and promote an inclusive community. We will also continue to reach out to legal aid organizations to offer our help. Individuals in need of legal resources can contact the National Lawyers Guild Chicago’s Criminal Defense Coordinator at 773-309-1198, or email the Guild at nlg.chi.crimdefense@gmail.com.

https://nlgchicago.org/programs/criminal_defense/

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

DuPage County Courts to Resume Court Operations - Beginning June 8

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 21:30:00 GMT

From: DuPage County Courts

DuPage County Courts to Resume Court Operations - Beginning June 8, 2020, courts in the 18th Judicial Circuit (DuPage County) will resume hearing all court matters either in-person or by remote means. Read the court's Order (AO-20) and press release.

Here are ways to get the latest, rescheduled court hearing dates in Cook County

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:36:10 GMT

From: Clerk of the Circuit Cook for Cook County

In an effort to provide varied channels for the public to get accurate court hearing dates, the Clerk’s Office has established specific email addresses and telephone numbers to use for requesting court dates for civil, traffic, and criminal cases; is promoting utilizing its FREE MOBILE APP, COURT CLERK MOBILE CONNECT, for obtaining civil case type information, including Domestic Relations, Probate, Chancery, Law, County, and Civil Divisions, and Suburban Districts or for Traffic cases; and providing instructions on how to search for civil case type information on the Clerk’s Office’s website, where one can search by name or case number for civil type cases, or by traffic ticket or driver’s license numbers for traffic cases.

Pro Bono Opportunity Guide

Fri, 29 May 2020 20:00:00 GMT

From: Paladin and The Chicago Bar Foundation

Check out the many pro bono opportunities such as the Legal Content Volunteers (LCV). LCVs are legal professionals who share their subject matter expertise to help us make sure that the information on our site is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible to our readers. Volunteer attorneys and paralegals draft, edit, and update online legal articles and resources for ILAO’s website and mobile app. Volunteers can work remotely, and all work and communication can be accomplished online, making this a great opportunity for the busy professional who wants to volunteer on their own schedule. ILAO staff will assign discrete writing/editing projects in the volunteer’s area of substantive expertise.

How To Take Advantage Of Online Career Skills Courses

Fri, 29 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

From: WorkItDaily

There are a host online courses available to help people level up in their careers, or learn new skills entirely.

But, to fully take advantage of online courses, you need to have your priorities in order and know exactly what you want to accomplish.

Some courses are offered for free, but there are also many that cost money. As you review available online courses and determine what's worth taking, you may have to consider both finances and time constraints. Consider these four categories when choosing online courses.

We are burned out working from home!

Fri, 29 May 2020 02:58:07 GMT

From: CNBC

It turns out that ditching the commute and working from home in your sweats is not all it’s cracked up to be. Juggling your work and home life, Zoom calls instead of in-person meetings and possibly parenting and home schooling kids, it’s no wonder Americans are exhausted. In fact, in a recent Monster survey, 51% of respondents admitted to experiencing burnout while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

How can music improve productivity and focus?

Fri, 29 May 2020 02:53:25 GMT

From: Personnel Today

Going about your day-to-day life, you’re more than likely to stick on your favourite playlist in the background. Whether you’re in the car, at the gym or sitting at your desk, your favourite artist is no doubt keeping you company through your speakers. But have you ever stopped to consider how the music you listen to is affecting your brain?

The idea that music can aid productivity in the workplace is not as new as many might imagine.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans enters Order extending matters to July 6

Thu, 28 May 2020 21:30:00 GMT

From: Cook County Circuit Clerk

Judge Evans' May 28th Order has been entered, extending matters to July 6. We have posted a copy in the members' Resource Center for your convenience.

IL Supreme Court has every circuit court's plans to reopen

Thu, 28 May 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Court reestablishment plans for each circuit as well as other #COVID19 resources for courts are listed on the Illinois Supreme Court's website. Check back often!

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will reopen and resume certain public services on June 4.

Thu, 28 May 2020 03:30:00 GMT

Beginning June 4, 2020, certain USCIS field offices and asylum offices will resume non-emergency face-to-face services to the public. USCIS has enacted precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in reopened facilities:

Visitors may not enter a USCIS facility if they:
- Have any symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever or difficulty breathing;
- Have been in close contact with anyone known or suspected to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days; or
- Have been individually directed to self-quarantine or self-isolate by a health care provider or public health official within the last 14 days.
Visitors may not enter the facility more than 15 minutes prior to their appointment (30 minutes for naturalization ceremonies).
Hand sanitizer will be provided for visitors at entry points.
Members of the public must wear facial coverings that cover both the mouth and nose when entering facilities. If they do not have one, USCIS may provide one or the visitor will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
There will be markings and physical barriers in the facility; visitors should pay close attention to these signs to ensure they follow social distancing guidelines.
Individuals may also have to answer health screening questions before entering a facility.
Individuals are encouraged to bring their own black or blue ink pens.

All court facilities in Will County will be open June 1, 2020

Thu, 28 May 2020 03:00:00 GMT

From: Circuit Court of Will County

All court facilities in Will County will be open during normal business hours, including Branch Courts effective June 1, 2020.

On May 27, 2020, Chief Judge Richard C. Schoenstedt issued Administrative Order 2020-23. This Order sets forth the parameters of Court operations as the State moves into Stage .'3 of Governor Pritzker's "Restore Illinois" plan. Administrative Order 2020-2.'3 delineates many of the current practices including the safety requirements of social distancing and face-covering as well as the expanded use of remote hearings in Civil and Family cases. In addition, specific protocols in felony, juvenile, misdemeanor and traffic cases have also been adopted.

U.S.D.C. - Northern District issues Fourth Amended General Order 20-0012

Wed, 27 May 2020 22:00:00 GMT

From U.S. District Court - Northern District

Effective May 29th:

-The Third Amended General Order 20-0012 extended certain deadlines by 28 days. This Fourth Amended General Order does not extend any deadlines in civil cases

-Civil jury trials will not be conducted before August 3, 2020, and trials set to begin before August 3, 2020, will be reset by the presiding judge.

-The Court suspends Local Rule 5.2(f), which requires in many instances that paper courtesy copies of filings be delivered to the judge, through July 15, 2020. No courtesy copies may be submitted for filings made through July 15, 2020.

-Although parties may continue to file non-emergency motions, the Court suspends Local Rule 5.3(b), which otherwise requires that all motions be noticed for presentment. For non-emergency motions, no motion may be noticed for presentment on a date earlier than July 15, 2020. For notices of presentment on and after July 15, 2020,parties must consult each judges’ presentment schedule because judges may continue to suspend the presentment requirement and may schedule motions at limited times.

https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/_assets/_documents/New%20AMENDED%20GENERAL%20ORDER%2020-0012.pdf

DuPage County extends limited court operations through June 5

Wed, 27 May 2020 21:37:00 GMT

From: DuPage County Chief Judge Daniel P. Guerin

DuPage County Chief Judge Daniel P. Guerin today issued an Administrative Order which extends limited court operations by rescheduling most criminal, juvenile, and all traffic matters through June 5, 2020. Beginning May 18, 2020, civil matters will remain as currently scheduled and proceedings will be conducted remotely using telephonic and video conferencing technology, including the Zoom platform.

Illinois' 13th Judicial Circuit Courts (LaSalle, Bureau, and Grundy counties) have issued guidance on reopening (whether in person or remotely) beginning on 6/1

Wed, 27 May 2020 21:30:00 GMT

From: BCRNews

The 13th Judicial Circuit Courts, which consist of LaSalle, Bureau and Grundy counties, will resume resume operations (whether in person or remotely) beginning on June 1, subject to the mandatory and recommended provisions of Illinois Supreme Court Order M.R. 30370 entered on May 20, 2020, and the Supreme Court Guidelines for Resuming Illinois Judicial Branch Operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and subject to the individual judge’s management discretion within the parameters of the order and guidelines in individual cases and calls.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will enter an order that essentially extends his current order to July 6

Wed, 27 May 2020 21:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chief Judge Evans

Discussions continue on the upcoming phases of operation in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The court is currently operating on its modified schedule through May 31. The court continues to monitor the pandemic and is mindful that the pandemic is not expected to peak until mid-June.

On Thursday, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will enter an order that essentially extends his current order to July 6 or until further order of court, meaning the date could be earlier than July 6. On June 1, emergency matters will continue to be heard in civil and criminal cases. Since the modified court operations began on March 17, judges have heard more than 111,000 criminal matters either in person or via videoconference. The number of hearings in civil cases is still being compiled.

Chief Judge Evans considered entering an order to resume more court proceedings on June 15. But he decided to extend the date to July 6 to allow enough time for all justice system stakeholders to ensure that more proceedings will be conducted in a way that protects everybody. These conditions have not been finalized, but they will be consistent with best practices involving face coverings, physical distancing, room capacity limits and flexibility for those who cannot attend court due to illness or exposure to illness.

Chief Judge Evans is asking judges to review pending cases with attorneys via telephone or videoconference to determine when cases can be scheduled on or after July 6.

In addition, the court is seeking additional Zoom licenses, so that more proceedings may be conducted via videoconference and livestreamed via the court’s YouTube channel. The court currently has 50 Zoom licenses and is awaiting the result of contractual negotiations between the county and Zoom to secure 350 more Zoom licenses.

The court will continue to monitor the pandemic and make additional announcements as needed.

Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer releases May 25, 2020 Video Message to the Bar

Mon, 25 May 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: U.S. District Court-Northern District of Illinois

Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer releases May 25, 2020 Video Message to the Bar, advising she has appointed a task force to plan for the safe resumption of operations at the courthouse.

https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/Pages.aspx?page=covidvideo

Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance Will Go into Effect July 1

Fri, 22 May 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: William Pokorny of Franczek

City Council approved an amendment to the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance to temporarily protect employers from lawsuits. Although the substantive requirements of the Ordinance will still go into effect on July 1, 2020 as scheduled and may still be enforced by the City, individual employees will not be allowed to file lawsuits for violations of the ordinance occurring before January 1, 2021. For safety-net hospitals, the ordinance will still go into effect on January 1, 2021 as originally scheduled.

Separately, the City’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (“BACP”) issued a final rule clarifying certain requirements under the Ordinance to assist businesses in moving forward with updating their scheduling practices. As we previously reported, the Ordinance applies only to certain “Covered Employers,” that employ the requisite number of employees and those primarily engaged in one of the following industries: business services, healthcare, hotel, manufacturing, restaurant, retail, and warehouse services. Key provisions of the final rule are summarized below.

8 traits of a methodical paralegal (and why you should be one)

Thu, 21 May 2020 02:00:00 GMT

From: One Legal Blog

Paralegals should be many things: organized, efficient, ethical, hard-working, meticulous, and methodical. Being methodical means forming a routine and sticking to it, even as deadlines loom and stress ensures. Here are some of the qualities that define a methodical paralegal and why methodical should be your new MO.

Illinois Supreme Court issues order and operational guidelines to help courts resume in-person operations

Wed, 20 May 2020 17:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chancery Division

The Illinois Supreme Court today issued an order and operational guidelines to help courts statewide resume in-person operations and establish procedures for remote hearings. Since midMarch, the state’s courts have been operating under precautionary measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to conduct emergency and essential matters.

This order is effective June 1 and modifies the Court’s March 17, 2020 order so that each circuit may return to hearing all court matters either in-person or remotely according to a schedule adopted for each county by the chief circuit judge. Remote hearings, which have proven to be successful nationwide, will play a large role in reducing the numbers of people appearing at courthouses and ensuring the safety of court users, staff and judicial officers.

Learn about various aspects of the paralegal career

Wed, 06 May 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Udemy

Paralegal Power Breaks are ideal for entry level to seasoned paralegals. These short information packed sessions provide a convenient and useful method for paralegals to learn new concepts, improve on various legal processes, and interact with other paralegals in different locations. They are provided in order to assist with paralegal career development. The sessions are short, concise, and packed with useful information and resources that can be immediately put to use.

Pritzker pushes Supreme Court for order authorizing his stay home order, other COVID-19 rules

Wed, 06 May 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Record

Pritzker has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to issue an order effectively ending legal challenges to his authority to order Illinois residents to limit gatherings, close businesses, and stay home.

Will County and Lake County courts extend protocols and procedures to May 29th

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Administrative Orders were entered on May 5, 2020 for Will County and Lake County and copies are available in our member Resource Center in the COVID-19 Resources folder.

Will County has extended its protocols and procedures set forth in prior Administrative Orders until May 29th.

Lake County is rescheduling dates to after May 29th, which notices will be generated by the clerk. Branch courts (Mundelin, Park City, and Round Lake Beach) will remain closed until July 6th.

Please view the court orders for more information.

Ida B. Wells, legendary Chicagoan, received a Pulitzer Prize

Tue, 05 May 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Chicago Tribune

Ida B. Wells, the investigative journalist, civil rights crusader and legendary Chicagoan, received a Pulitzer Prize citation as part of this year’s annual awards.

The honor, announced Monday by the board of the Pulitzer Prizes, is a testament to Wells’ long-standing work and contributions to the country, said Michelle Duster, the great-granddaughter of Wells.

“The only thing she really had was the truth,” Duster said Monday, noting that Wells’ life was not easy and admirers should not minimize what she overcame. “And she used journalism as a tool to not just report what was going on, but she used her skill as a journalist, to the best of her ability, to impact social change.”

#ChicagoProud

Cook County Chancery Division enters new GAO 2020-6 today

Tue, 05 May 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Chancery Division entered GAO 2020-6 today replacing prior order GAO 2020-04, continuing all general and mortgage foreclosure/mechanics lien matters to May 31^st.

Pending dates will be automatically rescheduled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the clerk’s office will send out notice of the new dates to all parties of record. The Order also encourages attorneys to re-notice the new date as a courtesy to all parties in the case.

All mortgage foreclosure cases, evictions, orders for possession, and judicial sales are stayed.

Only emergency matters will be heard. The Court’s order defines what an “emergency” means and outlines the procedures for scheduling.

GAO 2020-6 can be found in our member Resource Center.

Judge's Updates for Cook County-Markham Courthouse-Sixth District

Tue, 05 May 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: Judge Michael B. Barrett-Circuit Court of Cook County

On behalf of the Markham judges, we hope you and yours are all healthy and well and continue to be so.

As you may be aware, on May 1, 2020, Chief Judge Evans extended the Covid-19 Order requiring the court to operate on a limited basis though May 31, 2020. It is our expectation that the courts will "reopen" on June 1, 2020. A copy of Chief Judge Evans' Order may be found here (http://www.cookcountycourt.org/Portals/0/5_1_20%20GAO.pdf?ver=2020-05-01-115729-743). Of course, if the June 1, 2020, date changes Judge Evans will issue a subsequent order.

With the support of Presiding Judge Brewer, the judges who hear civil cases in Markham established an Order which reschedules dates for cases which fell within the time period court operations were significantly scaled back (March 17, 2020 through May 29, 2020). Additionally, the Order discusses the opportunities and procedures for conducting hearings, pretrials and other similar matters while the courts remain under limited operations.

During the ongoing period of limited court operations, we will continue to accept dismissal orders, special process server orders and other "routine" orders via email. Please be aware that you will only receive a stamped copy of the approved order rather than a signed copy. You should also be aware that since the clerk's office is operating in a limited capacity as well, any orders which are approved, stamped and returned to you will not be entered in the clerk's docket until the clerk's office is able to return.

Judge Bates prepared an order which applies to cases in Markham Room 102 and may be found here (http://www.cookcountycourt.org/Portals/0/6th%20Municipal%20District/Standing%20Orders/JUDGE%20BATES%20CALENDAR%2086%20SPECIAL%20EMERGENCY%20ORDER%20NO_%202020-04.pdf?ver=2020-05-01-152534-287).

As we move toward a reopening of the courts, Chief Judge Evans will issue a statement or an order providing the operating protocols for the courts, litigants, attorneys, clerks, security personnel, etc. We strongly encourage you to review the protocols which will be in place once court operations resume. All orders affecting the Cook County courts may be found here (http://www.cookcountycourt.org/).

Because I do not have email addresses for all attorneys and litigants who appear in Markham, please pass this message and attachment to all attorneys and litigants who you feel should be aware of the Markham Civil Orders, including your opponents.

We are mindful of the challenges we all face when the courts reopen. We are also mindful that we do not yet know all of the challenges we all will face when the courts reopen. However, we are determined to return to court prepared to move forward - together.

Chief Judge Evans extends modified court operations through May 31

Fri, 01 May 2020 19:00:00 GMT

From: Circuit Court of Cook County

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today entered an order that extends the postponement of many criminal and civil cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County through May 31.

Today’s order amends Chief Judge Evans’ prior orders that similarly allowed emergency matters to proceed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and, most recently, postponed most cases through May 18.

The court will continue to monitor the pandemic and make more announcements as needed.

How paralegals gained power, status and more pay

Fri, 01 May 2020 15:00:00 GMT

From: Career Talk with UCSD Extension Director of Legal Education, Julia Dunlap, Esq.

“Paralegals now get a lot more respect from attorneys because they have to have faith that the paralegals they hire can do similar work to the attorney and do it well,” said Dunlap, past president of American Association for Paralegal Education. “The attorney is ultimately responsible for anyone who works for them. So, writing a motion or doing legal analysis may be done by a paralegal, but it has to be up to attorney standards because it’s the attorney’s reputation on the line.”

Dunlap said that in addition to handling some things that were previously solely reserved for lawyers, paralegals also need to be digital detectives. They must be experts in finding things that are hidden electronically, or often reviving documents and financial records that have been deleted.

The changes have put a lot more responsibility on the role of the paralegal, but as a result it’s also a viable and financially stable career for professionals with an interest in the law, but not perhaps an interest in law school.

May 1st is Law Day!

Fri, 01 May 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: IL Department of Human Rights

The ABA's Law Day 2020 theme is “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100.”

In 2019-2020, the United States is commemorating the centennial of the transformative constitutional amendment that guaranteed the right of citizens to vote would not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex. American women fought for, and won, the vote through their voice and action.

IL Department of Human Rights has released its model Sexual Harassment Prevention Training program

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:00:00 GMT

Public Act 101-0221 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act ("IHRA") requiring ALL Illinois employers to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training to ALL employees by December 31, 2020.

Employers may develop their own sexual harassment prevention training program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards for sexual harassment prevention training outlined in Section 2-109(B) and/or Section 2-110(C) of IHRA.

We have uploaded the Illinois Department of Human Rights ("IDHR") powerpoint containing the model Sexual Harassment Prevention Training program to our members' Resource Center.

Learn about HIPPA privacy and security issues related to COVID-19

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) hosted a webinar on April 24, 2020, for health IT stakeholders on HIPAA privacy and security issues related to COVID-19 and recent OCR actions related to the pandemic.

A recording of this webinar and the slides from this presentation are located in our member Resource Center.
Speakers:
Timothy Noonan, Deputy Director for Health Information Privacy, OCR
Marissa Gordon-Nguyen, Senior Advisor for Health Information Privacy Policy, OCR
Topics include:
COVID-19 and Permissible Disclosures under the HIPAA Privacy Rule
Enforcement Discretion and Guidance for Telehealth Remote Communications
Guidance for Disclosures to First Responders and Public Health Authorities
Enforcement Discretion for Business Associates to Use and Disclose PHI for Public Health and Health Oversight Activities
Enforcement Discretion for Community-Based Testing Sites

The Illinois Supreme Court has temporarily amended Rule 206 regarding discovery by electronic means

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Alison Doyle at The Balance Careers

The Illinois Supreme Court has temporarily amended Rule 206 regarding discovery by electronic means.

U.S. District Court-Northern District of Illinois revises its Amended General Order

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 18:00:00 GMT

From: US District Court

This Third Amended General Order extends all deadlines in civil cases and Executive Committee matters by an additional 28 days. A copy of the Order may be found in our members Resource Center.

Cook County Law Division - Updated procedure for Emergency Motions with even case numbers

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 14:00:00 GMT

Our members received an email from Judge Flanagan with these new procedures.

Until further notice, all Emergency Motions (Even Case #s), Routine Motions, Settlement Orders and Dismissal Orders, as set forth in Section 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 of Law Division General Order 20-4, previously directed to Judge Kathy M. Flanagan, shall now be sent to Judge Karen O'Malley [address: karen.omalley@cookcountyil.gov].

Contested Motions for Motion Call E shall remain being forwarded to Connie Bitter [connie.bitter@cookcountyil.gov].

Please do not send Emergency Motions, Routine Motions, Settlement Orders and/or Dismissal Orders to Connie Bitter.

Coping Skills for Anxious Job Seekers

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 21:30:00 GMT

Job searching can be stressful, even for the most confident person. It can be more challenging if you’re anxious and worried about the hiring process, as well as about when you will be hired for a new position. If you’re unemployed, the stress can be compounded with concern about how long it’s going to take to find a new job, and how you’re going to pay the bills until you line up a new position.

There are many factors in a job hunt that can cause anxiety, but there are ways to reduce stress and take control. You might never consider job searching fun, but at least you might be able to turn it into a positive experience rather than a difficult one.

Paralegals and paralegal students can help provide pro bono assistance for COVID-19 related matters

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:00:00 GMT

https://old.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/g6bfbq/list_of_remote_legal_work_opportunities_for_those/

More than 300 law students, paralegals and student paralegals from across the country have joined forces to provide pro bono assistance for COVID-19 related matters.

These students stand ready to provide research, drafting and other support on projects including drafting for bail motions, supporting efforts to seek release from immigration custody and research regarding paid leave policies.

To sign up to volunteer, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSewQhizXsYOuA95BuwA0K0NIQDdnNhEVmBAEqbIe_wSa6I6mg/viewform

Additionally, here is a list of remote legal work opportunities for those whose summer 2020 internships were canceled.

Publishing probate notices with Public Notice Network

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 03:00:00 GMT

From: Public Notice Network/Chicago Law Bulletin

Publishing your probate notices is easier than ever! Public Notice Network, part of Law Bulletin Media (owners of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin), in January, launched an online portal to submit your notices in six easy steps and request publication.

The process is user-friendly and convenient and allows you to:

See the actual notice and how it will appear when it is published so you can make any necessary changes
Pay for the notice at completion with a credit card and print a receipt
Have a receipt along with the text of the notice automatically emailed to you
Access your certificate of publication on the site once the notice has been published all three times

Their team will:

Publish the notice(s) in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Provide you with copies of the notice
eFile your certificate of publication with the Circuit Court of Cook County and you can access the eFiled copy on our website
Upload the notice to PublicNoticeIllinois.com, an aggregated website of public notices hosted by the Illinois Press Association as required by law, and to the ChicagoDailyLawBulletin.com

If you prefer to email them your notice instead of using the website, you can do so. Email it to PublicNotice@LawBulletinMedia.com.

To place public notices in Illinois outside of Cook County or learn more about PNN, please contact Gina Gallichio today at ggallichio@lawbulletinmedia.com or 312-644-7395. They have relationships to handle all of the details with more than 200 newspapers across the state.

Pritzker extends stay-at-home order

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 03:00:00 GMT

From: Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

Gov. J.B. Pritzker tripled-down on efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus Thursday, announcing he would again extend his statewide stay-at-home order, but with modifications.

The new executive order, which Pritzker said he will sign next week, will take effect May 1 and run through May 30. It comes a week before the current stay-at-home order was set to expire, and relaxes some restrictions while tightening others.

Adobe Scan mobile app

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 02:00:00 GMT

From: Adobe

Looking for a way to have clients send you documents in a PDF format?

The free Adobe Scan mobile app works on your mobile device, scans documents into PDFs, and automatically recognizes text.

New standing order re procedures for video and telephone conference hearings for Will County Civil Cases

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Will County

Administrative Order 2020-16 was entered 4/21/2020 setting procedures for video and telephone conference hearings for Will County Civil Cases.

CPA Proud to Have Members Participate in Wills for Heroes Program

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: Chicago Bar Association/YLS Section

CPA's President Tisha Delgado and Director of Membership Kristina Judge have consistently volunteered with the Chicago Bar Association's Wills for Heroes Program over the past few years. They assist in notarizing and witnessing simple wills and powers of attorney for first responders.

Now, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Chicago Bar Association's Wills for Heroes Program will offer free estate planning assistance to COVID-19 essential healthcare workers who are bravely putting their own safety at risk to serve the public during the health crisis.

Program dates have not been set yet, but CPA members will be available to assist.

This program is available to eligible essential healthcare workers and their spouses or partners. Please visit www.chicagobar.org/chicagobar/wills for more information and to learn if you are eligible for the service.

Q&A with Clerk Brown and CourtFiling.net a Huge Success!

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT

During our Q&A yesterday with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County and her Division Chiefs, we learned that citations, wage garnishments, and bank freezes are not being heard during the pandemic. Here is a link to the executive order signed yesterday by Governor Pritzker.

https://www2.illinois.gov/…/Exec…/ExecutiveOrder2020-25.aspx

Did you miss the webinar? Not to worry! CPA members can access the recording at any time in our Member Resource Center. Membership has its benefits. Join us today!

CPA to host Q & A with Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to announce that this Wednesday, April 15th, CPA President Tisha Delgado will be joined by Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy Brown and Marcus Niro of CourtFiling.net for a webinar discussion.

The discussion will focus on the Clerk's new CCC portal for accessing criminal cases, adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, and plans for the future.

After registering, you'll have an opportunity to submit questions to Clerk Brown. We will tackle the most popular questions live during the webinar. Be sure to join us on Wednesday, April 15th at 3pm CT.

Clerk of Circuit Court-Cook County goes Facebook Live

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Facebook post-Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Valuable information released today in a Facebook LIve post from The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Electronic notices were being sent out resetting court hearings, when Chief Judge Evans extended the order to keep courts closed until May 18.

The Clerk’s skeleton crew has been working hard to reset all dates again. If you have questions, please let us know in the comments and we will reach out to the Clerk for answers.

https://www.facebook.com/cookcountyclerkofcourt/videos/520458788632785/

Illinois Courts Paper Copy Extension Suspended Until Further Notice

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 14:42:29 GMT

From the Illinois Courts

In light of the ongoing public health concerns relating to COVID-19 and the Governor of Illinois’ extension of prior Executive Orders entered in response to COVID19, the Court’s order of March 24, 2020 extending the relaxation of the requirement in the Court’s Electronic Filing Procedures and User Manual to give parties 14 days instead of the usual five days to provide the Court paper copies of specified documents e-filed through April 7, 2020, is amended to further suspend the paper copy requirement until further order of the Court.

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Opens Attorney Portal for Access

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Clerk Dorothy Brown officially launched CCC Attorney Portal on the Clerk’s Office’s website today, granting attorneys with active licenses in Illinois, access to, and search abilities for, CRIMINAL CASE INFORMATION online.

The portal allows attorneys to access the Clerk’s Office’s new Odyssey case management system for criminal case information upon proper registration and validation.

Are Emergency Remote Notarizations Covered By E&O Policies?

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 13:37:12 GMT

From: National Notary Association

With many states issuing emergency executive orders, proclamations and guidance temporarily authorizing remote online notarization (RON) or remote notarization of paper documents, members of Notary community have asked if these notarizations would be covered by their bonds and errors & omissions insurance policies. In general, the answer is yes.

The NNA reached out to Merchants Bonding Company for guidance. Here’s what you need to know.

A remote notarial act performed in a state that issued an emergency measure is a valid notarial act and generally should be covered under an applicable bond or E&O policy as long as the notarization conforms to the emergency measure and was performed while the emergency measure was in effect, according to Gina Lockwood, Senior Claims Attorney with Merchants Bonding Company.

Many states that have enacted emergency measures have authorized traditional Notaries to perform RON under certain circumstances or subject to certain criteria. It is extremely important that Notaries read, understand and comply with any state-specific requirements to obtain authorization to perform remote notarial acts during this temporary period and ensure that they do not exceed the authority granted to them in performing RON.

Since these orders are temporary, Notaries should be conscious of the start and end date of the orders to make sure that they are not performing RON acts outside the authorized period.

The requirements to perform RON under the emergency measures are extremely varied from state-to-state. For example, some of these requirements may include, but are not limited to, to the following:

Taking a state-approved training class;
Providing notice to the state prior to engaging in an initial remote notarial act;
Using state approved vendor platforms to perform a remote notarial act;
Notarizing hard copy documents sent via mail following performance of a remote notarial act; or
Maintaining video records of remote notarial acts for a certain period of time.

Notaries should continue to maintain good records during this period, including records of their compliance with any steps required under the emergency measures to perform RON, as verifying compliance with these requirements will be an important step in determining whether coverage exists under any bond or E&O policy for acts performed during the temporary period.

Michael Lewis is Managing Editor of member publications for the National Notary Association.

Cook County circuit clerk shifts to appointment-only operations

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 23:00:00 GMT

From: Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

Lawyers who need to conduct business at the Cook County circuit clerk’s office will have to set up an appointment first.

Circuit Clerk Dorothy A. Brown’s office announced that in-person services must now be scheduled in advance due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19

New statewide effort ‘All in Illinois’: stay at home and stay safe

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Governor JB Pritzker launched a new statewide effort today called ‘All in Illinois’ to reinforce the state’s core message, backed by scientists and public health experts: stay at home and stay safe.

As Illinoisans continue to practice social distancing to stay healthy, ‘All in Illinois’ is a way to unite residents across the state and remind them we are all in this together.

All in Illinois is supported by a series of public service announcements featuring famous Illinois natives, including Jane Lynch, Deon Cole, Jason Beghe, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Matt Walsh. The PSA videos reinforce the importance of staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis and encourages everyone to do their part to stop the spread of the virus. The PSA celebrity videos can be viewed by visiting Allin.Illinois.gov.

People can also show their solidarity by updating their Facebook profile photos with the All in Illinois frame image and share messages with friends and family on social media using the #AllinIllinois hashtag. Additionally, Illinois residents can show they’re committed to being part of the solution by displaying All in Illinois signage in their yard or in their window.

While much of attorneys’ work can be done remotely, still dependent on paralegals

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 22:52:39 GMT

From: Chicago Bar Assoc-Young Lawyers

All industries will feel the ripple effect either directly or indirectly and the legal practice is no exception. While much of attorneys’ work can be done remotely, they are still dependent upon support staff and paralegals. Real estate attorneys are no different and not only rely on their office support, but also on real estate brokers, lenders, title companies and municipalities. The disconnect between real estate attorneys and these partners, the lack of continuity, and the disruption of ordinary business distributions will undoubtedly affect productivity. There are some jobs or tasks that cannot be done remotely at all and the real estate industry is heavily dependent on physical interaction. When physical interaction is limited or precluded altogether, the volume of real estate closings suffers a dramatic decline.

Federal court matters extended another 28 days

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 22:22:13 GMT

From: U.S. District Court - Northern District of Illinois

Second Amended General Order 20-0012, entered today, 3/30, by Northern District of Illinois extends all deadlines in civil cases and Executive Committee matters by an additional 28 days.

The Court suspends Local Rule 5.2(f), which requires in many instances that paper courtesy copies of filings be delivered to the judge, through May 1, 2020. This means that no courtesy copies may be submitted for filings made through May 1, 2020.

Keep checking the Court's website for updates!

Cook County court operations postponed through May 18

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: Cook County Chief Judge

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today entered an order that extends the postponement of many criminal and civil cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County through May 18.

The order also expands the use of videoconferencing for all court proceedings deemed necessary or emergencies during this time. The Office of the Chief Judge has been working with the justice system stakeholders – the sheriff, clerk, state’s attorney and public defender – on this increased use of video appearances.

Currently, all jail detainees with bail hearings at the Leighton Criminal Court Building appear in court via video. Video has also been used in several other areas of the court. The court anticipates more use of video every day, and all matters will be conducted via video no later than April 16.

Chief Judge Evans’ order also closes three court facilities from April 6 through May 18: the Chicago branch courts at 5555 W. Grand Ave., 727 E. 111th St. and 3150 W. Flournoy St. Any emergency matters in those cases will be heard at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

“As we continue to monitor the spread of the coronavirus, these actions are needed to protect public health,” Chief Judge Evans said. “Our system of justice must continue to hear all necessary and urgent matters, and today’s order balances access to justice with the need for social distancing. I commend everybody in the justice system for carrying out their respective missions during this unprecedented time. Though the days ahead present more uncertainty than clarity, we will perform our respective duties safely and effectively.”

Chief Judge Evans considered closing the five suburban courthouses and consolidating all suburban matters into the Leighton Criminal Court Building. But after consulting with Dr. Emily Landon of the University of Chicago Medical Center and the Executive Committee of the court, it was determined that decentralized court operations are in everybody’s best interest to prevent an increased risk of spreading the coronavirus at one centralized location.

Today’s order amends Chief Judge Evans’ March 13 order that similarly allowed emergency matters to proceed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and postponed most cases until April 16. Chief Judge Evans’ new order continues his prior moratorium on evictions or foreclosures, and none will be allowed during this time.

Just like the order entered on March 13, today’s order means that no jury trials in criminal or civil matters would begin until after May 18. Individuals who have been summoned to jury duty through May 18 should not report for jury duty. They will receive a new date for service.

The court will continue to monitor the pandemic and make more announcements as needed.

How to keep yourself happy and productive if you're working from home because of the coronavirus outbreak

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 22:07:23 GMT

While remote work has obvious benefits, it's not all fun and games. In reality, working remotely requires discipline and can come with its share of loneliness. Remote workers are more likely than their in-office counterparts to report feeling overly stressed at work, and to struggle with maintaining a healthy work-life balance, according to a 2019 Airtasker survey of more than 1,000 professionals.

From: Business Insider

Illinois Courts COVID-19 Information and Updates

Sat, 28 Mar 2020 19:33:15 GMT

The Illinois Judicial Branch continues to monitor the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Check the Illinois Supreme Court's page for information on Orders entered for a specific county and court.

COVID-19: Illinois Circuit Court Case Suspensions and Delays

Sat, 28 Mar 2020 18:16:45 GMT

From: Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

As of today 3/27, "here’s a summary of happenings in the legal and governmental worlds that have been affected so far in addition to some pertinent building closures."

Remote notarizations allowed in IL during Disaster Proclamation

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 14:00:00 GMT

From: IL Governor's Office-Executive Order 14

During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation related to the outbreak of COVID-19, the requirement that a person must “appear before” a Notary Public commissioned under the laws of Illinois pursuant to the Illinois Notary Act, 5 ILCS 312/6-102, is satisfied if the Notary Public performs a remote notarization via two-way audio-video communication technology, provided that the Notary Public commissioned in Illinois is physically within the State while performing the notarial act and the transaction follows the guidance posted by the Illinois Secretary of State on its website.

Looking for additional guidance? Check out our member Resources page for specific information on the process.

American Bar Association Changes the Definition of Paralegal

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 11:36:13 GMT