Perhaps the issue of lawyers drinking too much and abusing drugs is finally getting serious attention from those in the profession who build and sustain the culture. It’s been swept under the rug, whispered about, laughed off and/or ignored for as long as I’ve been a lawyer. As a self-regulated profession, we need to do […]
Trial attorneys feel at home in the well of the court, advocating for their clients. Veteran judges know the view from the bench well, conducting the court’s business. Courthouse employees across the Land of Lincoln constitute a well-oiled machine inside the brick and mortar buildings, each fulfilling their role serving justice for our citizens in […]
Times have changed. Twenty years ago, the bench and bar showed resistance to the incorporation of technology in the courtroom on various levels – fear of the unknown, disassociation with change, monetary inadequacies, and even antiquated rules of procedure and evidence stood in the way. Fast forward to today to discover the courts and practitioners […]
The most frequent comment we hear at the Commission about reversing the slide toward incivility in the legal profession: have the judges take control. Someone told me just last week that associates in her firm try to resist meeting incivility with incivility but felt obliged to do so to not look weak or ineffectual in […]
As Pro Bono cases rise in the Northern District of Illinois, revisions to Pro Bono reimbursements appeared to be a top priority for the federal court. According to the October 2015 survey of the Northern District of Illinois trial bar, lawyers consistently claimed that the reimbursement rate wasn’t enough to cover the costs incurred in […]
Crain’s recent article on the lack of black male federal judicial appointments in the 7th Circuit has generated some strong comments. I agree that diversity on the bench is important. But I take issue with the overly simplistic finger-pointing at President Barack Obama and contend there is a systemic problem with a lack of diverse […]
Is civility an issue in the legal profession? Discipline roundups may sanction the extreme, but where should legal professionals draw the line on less flagrant breaches of professionalism? According to the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s 2014 Survey on Professionalism, more than 85% of respondents reported experiencing some instances of uncivil or unprofessional behavior within […]
Can lawyers properly advocate for their clients without being aggressive toward opposing counsel? Many say no—aggressiveness is part and parcel of advocacy. And over the past few decades, anyone who is in the ring with lawyers would agree that there has been an increase in aggressiveness, also characterized as incivility. Many say the incivility is […]
On January 1, 2011, the first Baby Boomer turned 65 years old. Every day since, 10,000 Boomers have turned 65. This will continue for the next 14 years. And then one December night, in 2029, the very last Baby Boomer will reach that once traditional retirement age. And if she is employed, she might think […]
In March, the Census Bureau released new data in honor of Women’s History Month. Once again, among full-time, year-round civilian workers across all occupations, women were reported as earning 78.8 cents to every dollar earned by men. The new data, compiled by the 2013 American Community Survey, organized the 2010 census data by occupation, including […]
For the past two years, I have had the honor of managing the Commission on Professionalism’s Statewide Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program. Rather than being just another part of the job, it has truly been an honor. To have played a small part in connecting lawyers around the state, with the ultimate goal of transferring knowledge to […]
