On July 1, 2024, two significant amendments to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (IRPC) addressing harassment and discrimination became effective.
The Illinois Supreme Court amended IRPC 8.4, which addresses lawyer misconduct, and IRPC 5.1, which addresses the responsibilities of partners, managers, and supervisory attorneys.
In this article, I share what Illinois lawyers need to know about these amendments and why they were proposed.
IRPC 8.4(j): past and present
Prior to July 1, 2024, IRPC 8.4(j) read as follows:
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to: violate a federal, state or local statute or ordinance including, but not limited
