Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

Our Mission To promote a culture of civility and inclusion, in which Illinois lawyers and judges embody the ideals of the legal profession in service to the administration of justice in our democratic society.

Website: https://www.2civility.org/
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2civility
Kendra Abercrombie
Laura Bagby
Penelope Bremmer
Penelope Bremner
Mark C. Palmer
amanda carey
Dan Davies
Erika Harold
Marin McCall
Sloane Oxley-Hase
Jayne Reardon
Julia Roundtree Livingston
Stephanie Villinski
ryan wells

Latest from Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism


Our Professionalism Spotlight series highlights Illinois legal professionals who demonstrate the ideals of professionalism in their careers.
In this Professionalism Spotlight, we spoke to Letitia B. Wiggins of Wiggins Law, LLC in McLeansboro, Illinois. Her practice serves Southern Illinois, focusing on family law and general practice law. She is also a Guardian Ad Litem.
Previously, Letitia served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Saline and St. Clair counties.
How do you remain civil in tense situations?
I remind myself that we usually see people at the worst times in their lives. We are tasked with helping [clients] navigate a system they…
Continue Reading Professionalism Spotlight: Letitia B. Wiggins, Wiggins Law LLC



The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Chief Counsel Mark C. Palmer will present a session on “AI, Legal Advocacy, and the Power of Words” at Legal Geek North America, a leading legal innovation conference.
The presentation, which will be held on June 17, 2025, in Chicago, will explore how lawyers can pair emerging technology with the human touch to enhance advocacy and shape powerful arguments in the age of AI.
“Lawyers have a professional responsibility to stay up to date on how technology is being used in client advocacy,” Palmer said. “This session…
Continue Reading Commission on Professionalism Chief Counsel Mark Palmer to Present at Legal Geek North America

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is calling on lawyers and bar associations to stand up to bullying in the legal profession. The Commission has launched a six-day Stand Up to Bullying Challenge at its Standing Up to Intimidation: Confronting Bullying in the Legal Profession summit on June 10, 2025.

The Stand Up to Bullying Challenge outlines actions lawyers and bar association leaders can take over six days to address and prevent bullying in their workplaces and organizations.

It is part of the Commission’s efforts to address and prevent bullying in the legal profession, based on the findings in…
Continue Reading Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism Launches Bullying Prevention Challenge for Lawyers and Bar Associations

A majority of Americans believe the U.S. should promote democracy and the rule of law globally, according to the American Bar Association’s 2025 Survey of Civic Literacy. And a whopping 90% support co-equal branches of government and a binding and enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.

The annual survey also found that Americans have mixed opinions about the balance of power and trustworthiness of government branches, and many lack basic knowledge of U.S. civics.

Now in its seventh year, the survey collected responses from 1,000 U.S. adults by telephone in English and Spanish from March 6–10,…
Continue Reading ABA Survey Finds Majority of Americans Support Promoting Democracy and Rule of Law Globally

Beginning in February 2028, lawyer hopefuls will take a new bar exam to become licensed to practice in Illinois.

The Illinois Supreme Court and Board of Admissions to the Bar announced that the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen) will replace the current Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) starting with the February 2028 administration.

This announcement provides law schools and law students with a significant runway to plan for the exam. Full-time fall 2025 law students, who will likely sit for the July 2028 exam, will have their three-year law school tenure to prepare.
Increased focus on real practice skills
In May…
Continue Reading Illinois to Administer New Bar Exam Beginning February 2028


The Illinois Supreme Court announced an amendment to Supreme Court Rule 9 aimed at addressing the impact of rejected filings on the filer.
The new rule requires that the trial court allow a back-dated filing as long as the new filing corrects the old one and the application is made within five court days. The amendment is effective immediately.
A previous version of Rule 9(d) laid out two ways to overcome a rejected filing, both requiring that “good cause” be shown. The Court said this requirement proved difficult to apply and resulted in rejected filings and filings being rendered untimely.
Continue Reading Illinois Supreme Court Announces Amendment to Rejected Filings Rule

  • Summit will feature leading researchers and lawyers discussing why lawyers bully, the personal and professional impacts, and strategies for responding
  • Commission will launch 6-day bullying prevention challenge for lawyers and bar associations
  • Summit sponsored by ISBA and CBA and co-sponsored by bar associations across Illinois
  • 5 hours of diversity and inclusion CLE credit is available

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that it will convene a virtual bullying prevention summit for lawyers and bar associations on June 10, 2025, from 12 – 1:30 p.m. CDT.
The summit, which is titled Standing Up to Intimidation: Confronting …
Continue Reading Commission on Professionalism to Host Virtual Bullying Prevention Summit on June 10, 2025

The number of aspiring lawyers is surging in Illinois and nationally in what the Wall Street Journal has called “one of the most competitive years” for law school hopefuls in recent memory.

Applications submitted to ABA-accredited law schools in the U.S. have jumped 23% and the number of applicants has increased almost 20%, according to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

In Illinois, the state’s law schools have seen a 29% increase in applications compared to last year and 20% more Illinoisans have applied to law school this year than last.

This has been a dynamic admissions cycle. The…
Continue Reading Applications to Illinois Law Schools Soar 29% Compared to Last Year

University of Illinois Professor Thomas Rudolph, Head of the Department of Political Science and Erika Harold at the awards ceremony
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Executive Director Erika Harold has received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Political Science.
The award recognizes individuals who have significantly advanced the interests of the department, its students, or alumni. Harold, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois in 2001, was honored for her work at the Commission on Professionalism, her impact on the…
Continue Reading Executive Director Erika Harold Honored with University of Illinois Department of Political Science Distinguished Service Award

In previous installments of my “Disappearing Rural Lawyer” series (Part I, Part II, Part III), I have examined the alarming shortage of attorneys in rural Illinois and explored initiatives across the state and country to address this problem to better serve rural communities, from financial incentives for relocating lawyers to technology tools to easier cross geographical divides.

Legal deserts — vast geographical areas with minimal or no access to legal services — remain a reality for many rural Illinois residents. For them, finding legal representation might require traveling significant distances, taking time off work, and incurring…
Continue Reading The Disappearing Rural Lawyer, Part IV: The Persistent Legal Desert Crisis

Each year during the first week in May, the Institute for Well-being in Law hosts Well-Being Week in Law (WWIL) to raise awareness and encourage action around mental health challenges facing legal professionals.

This year, WWIL will spotlight the importance of social connection in our health with its theme “The Social Rx: Boosting Well-Being with Connection.”

From May 5 – 9, WWIL will host free activities and webinars that focus on the role connection plays in physical, spiritual, career and intellectual, social, and emotional well-being. A calendar of events can be found on WWIL’s website.
Why is social connection…
Continue Reading How Lawyers Can Boost Social Connection During Well-Being Week in Law 


This year’s Law Day theme, “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One,” encourages us to reflect on what unites us as a nation and the shared values that have guided the United States as it approaches its 250th anniversary.
Observed annually on May 1, Law Day honors the importance of the rule of law in American life. In 2025, legal professionals, educators, and communities across the country will mark the 67th celebration with events and programs highlighting this year’s theme.
We have compiled ways for Illinois lawyers to take part — both in person and virtually — and invite…
Continue Reading How Illinois Lawyers Can Celebrate Law Day 2025

Our Professionalism Spotlight series highlights Illinois legal professionals who demonstrate the ideals of professionalism in their careers and a commitment to equitable, efficient, and effective justice.

In this Professionalism Spotlight, we spoke to Josh Rohrscheib, Founder and Managing Attorney of Onward Injury Law, which has locations throughout central Illinois.

As a personal injury lawyer, Josh said he finds this work particularly fulfilling because he helps people through some of the most difficult chapters of their lives.
How do you remain civil in tense situations?
It helps to begin with the end goal in mind and to look for common…
Continue Reading Professionalism Spotlight: Josh Rohrscheib, Onward Injury Law


Earlier this month, the Illinois Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law adopted three significant proposals that will amend or create new rules aimed at addressing the significant unmet legal need in the state.
The move will impact the way lawyers practice in Illinois, more clearly defining avenues for lawyers to connect with consumers and encouraging more affordable fee agreements. In addition, a pro bono pilot project aims to increase volunteerism and professional development by providing attorneys with CLE credit for providing pro bono legal services.
The proposals, which are outlined below, will take…
Continue Reading Supreme Court Adopts Proposals Addressing Alternative Fee Arrangements, CLE for Pro Bono, and Intermediary Connecting Services

More lawyers think that AI has become mainstream in the legal profession compared to last year, but some lawyers still hesitate to adopt AI into their practice.

The ABA’s annual Legal Technology Survey Report, which analyzes survey responses from 512 attorneys in private practice across various firm sizes, found that 13% of lawyers say that AI is mainstream in the legal profession, compared to 4% in 2023. However, nearly half of the lawyers surveyed (45%) think it will become mainstream within the next three years.

That said, many lawyers remain concerned about AI’s accuracy and relationship with the billable…
Continue Reading Nearly Half of Lawyers Think AI Will be Mainstream in the Legal Profession With Three Years


In just two weeks, the Commission will host its annual Future Is Now: Legal Services conference, showcasing key issues at the forefront of legal professionalism.
If you are one of the more than 600 lawyers already registered for the virtual conference, we look forward to engaging with you on Thursday, April 24.
If you are not registered but would like to attend, please register at: https://events.ringcentral.com/events/the-future-is-now-legal-services-conference-2025.
Here are five key issues we will explore during the conference’s sessions.
1. Navigating generational differences in colleagues and clients
The legal workforce is now comprised of five distinct generations, with people…
Continue Reading 5 Things Illinois Lawyers Will Learn at the Future Is Now 2025