laura bagby

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Laura Bagby is Communications Director at the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, where she develops and executes strategy to elevate the Commission among attorneys and judges in Illinois. Laura leverages communications channels to educate and engage with the legal community in support of the Commission’s mission of increasing civility and professionalism to enable the administration of justice.

Firm/Organization: Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism
Blogs: 2Civility

Latest Articles

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The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Lindsay Shaw has been nominated for the Association of Legal Administrators’ (ALA) Quest Award. Shaw, CLE & Program Coordinator for the Commission on Professionalism, is one of 18 finalists from more than 720 eligible members across the U.S. The Quest Award recognizes a new member who has become quickly and effectively engaged with ALA and demonstrates support for the profession, conviction, dedication and relentless pursuit of personal and professional excellence. Chapter presidents are given the opportunity to nominate one individual from a field of the chapter’s eligible…
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The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Commissioner Hon. Debra Walker will receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois College of Law. The Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented at the College of Law’s Annual Dinner on Thursday, April 11, in Chicago. Since 1966, the College of Law has chosen individuals annually to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of their professional achievements and leadership in their communities. Past recipients include the Hon. Barbara Crowder (Ret.), Circuit Court of Madison County, Ill., and the Hon. Anthony Black, Florida Second District Court…
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The ABA Standing Committee on Professional Regulation wants lawyer regulation to be preventative. It seeks comments by April 15 on a draft resolution and report encouraging state supreme courts to study and adopt tailored Proactive Management-Based Regulation (PMBR). The Standing Committee developed the report with the ABA Young Lawyers Division Ethics and Professionalism Committee. PMBR helps lawyers develop ethical infrastructures aimed at preventing misconduct. Traditionally, much of the lawyer regulatory process has been complaint-driven and reactive. However, a majority of complaints are for what’s considered “lesser misconduct,” like a lack of communication or neglect. PMBR proponents believe that…
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Early bird registration has been extended for the The Future Is Now: Legal Services 2.019. The discounted $75 registration fee is valid until Monday, April 15. The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s signature event will be held on Thursday, May 16, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT at Venue SIX10 in Chicago. Now in its fourth year, The Future is Now conference will feature 10 TED-like talks on embracing and promoting the Rule of Law amid rapid innovation in the legal industry. Lawyers, entrepreneurs and professors from across the U.S. will present on topics like evolving alternative legal landscapes,…
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The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce the lineup of speaker talks for the fourth annual The Future Is Now: Legal Services 2.019 conference. The conference will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT at Venue SIX10 in Chicago. “The delivery of legal services is evolving rapidly. Technology is providing new ways to communicate, collaborate and organize our work. However, implementation is uncovering ethical challenges,” said Martin Sinclair, Chair of the Commission on Professionalism. “The Commission looks forward to bringing together lawyers and legal professionals at The Future Is…
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Illinois Supreme Court’s e-filing exemption now includes attorneys and non-party filers with a disability. The Supreme Court currently requires e-filing through its eFileIL platform for all civil cases in Illinois trial courts. Previously, Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c) allowed “good cause” exemptions from the e-filing mandate for self-represented litigants (SRLs) that fell into certain categories, such as a lack of computer access, a disability or a language barrier. However, the exemption, which aims to reduce the burden on clerk staff and ensure access to the judicial process, didn’t initially account for attorneys or non-party filers with a disability. The Supreme…
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Earlier this month, the Illinois Supreme Court took steps to make paying court fees more manageable. The Court announced changes to the assessment system by which fees, fines and other court costs are paid by litigants in civil and criminal cases. The goal is to address the confusion, inconsistency and financial hardship caused by the previous structure, and make the justice system more accessible. The changes were proposed by a Statutory Court Fee Task Force after a wide-ranging study that found litigant filing costs in civil cases and defendant court fees in criminal cases could lead to excessive financial burden.…
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The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) is recruiting volunteers for its 2019 High School Mock Trial Invitational. The mock trials will be held Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10 at the Public Affairs Center at the University of Illinois Springfield. The volunteer registration deadline is Thursday, February 28 at 4:30 p.m. CT. This year’s mock trial will explore a criminal case involving the death of a preparatory academy student during a fire in a school dormitory. The ISBA invites judges, lawyers, law students and paralegals from across the state to volunteer as judges and jurors. The ISBA has sponsored…
More than 170 general counsel and corporate legal officers demand big law firms commit to diversity or they’ll take their business elsewhere. The open letter comes on the heels of dismal law firm diversity numbers from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and an online debate sparked by Paul Weiss’ all-white and majority male partner class. Paul Weiss has since outlined steps to improve diversity. The letter, which was shared with ALM Media and posted to a general counsel group page on LinkedIn, says, “We expect the outside law firms we retain to reflect the diversity of the…
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As the legal community celebrates Black History Month, the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) reports mixed lawyer diversity numbers. Law firms have historically struggled with lawyer diversity. However, the industry appears to be prioritizing a diverse workforce. Seventy-five percent of Jenner & Block’s 2019 partner class identify as racially diverse or women. Drinker Biddle & Reath’s 2019 partnership announcement emphasized its commitment to promoting women. Meanwhile, Paul, Weiss’ all-white and majority male partner class generated a social media firestorm. Last month, NALP released its 2018 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms. The data is based on its…
When Steven Elrod assumed the role of president of the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) in June 2018, he set his agenda to focus on the three C’s: civics, collegiality and civility. Since then, he has instilled civility throughout the CBA’s longstanding CLEs and other educational programming. He has also spearheaded new partnerships with the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism to advance civility and professionalism among lawyers in Illinois. We caught up with Steven to discuss his civility initiative and what we can expect from the CBA this year. What’s the importance of…
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that early bird registration is open for The Future Is Now: Legal Services 2.019. The Commission will host the annual conference on Thursday, May 16 at Venue SIX10 in Chicago. The theme is The Rule of Law Amid Change. Now in its fourth year, The Future is Now will feature 10 industry thought leaders discussing the rule of law amid rapid innovation in the legal profession. Participants will consider this dynamic interplay affecting the delivery of legal services and the foundational principles of the profession. Future law-focused topics…
As National Mentoring Month winds down, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (2Civility) is thrilled to announce the launch of an online lawyer mentoring orientation. The online presentation can be used year-round by sponsoring organizations to launch mentoring relationships. This tool is the initial step required to begin our Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program. Illinois Supreme Court developed the program in 2011 to provide a structured way for experienced lawyers to nurture the careers of attorneys in their first five years of admission to practice law in Illinois. Online lawyer mentoring orientation The new online orientation provides an overview…
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The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) has released new Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process (Recruitment Principles). The NALP Board of Directors voted to make significant changes in its law school recruitment standards to meet the diverse needs of its member organizations. The NALP Recruitment Principles reflect the organization’s commitment to ensuring the legal profession is accessible to everyone on a non-discriminatory basis. What are the NALP Recruitment Principles? The Recruitment Principles provide best practices for the ethical recruitment of law school students. They outline suggested guidelines for employers, law schools and job candidates to ensure fair…
James DeAno designated Vice-Chair John Kim appointed Commissioner Jeffrey Jackson retires from Commission The Supreme Court of Illinois has appointed Martin Sinclair as Chair of the Commission on Professionalism, effective January 1, 2019. Mr. Sinclair, an attorney at Sperling & Slater, P.C. in Chicago, previously served as Commission Vice-Chair. His term as Chair will expire on December 31, 2020. In addition, Commissioner James DeAno, managing partner at DeAno & Scarry, LLC in Chicago, has been designated Vice-Chair for a term expiring December 31, 2019. John Kim, counsel at State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. in Bloomington, has been…
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Want a say in the future of the Illinois judicial branch? The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) requests feedback from the Illinois legal and judicial communities on priorities for the Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC). The input will be used to develop a strategic agenda for the recently reconstituted IJC. In September 2018, the Illinois Supreme Court approved amendments to Supreme Court Rule 41, which, in 1971, established an IJC “to consider the work of the courts, to suggest improvements in the administration of justice, and to make recommendations for the improvement of the courts.” The amendments were aimed…
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