Last week, the Nevada Supreme Court approved plans to proceed with the development of an alternative pathway for attorney licensing in the state that does not include the traditional national bar exam.
The current national bar exam, called the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), expires in 2028. States can adopt a modernized version of the exam, dubbed the NextGen bar exam, or develop their own bar exam or attorney licensing pathway.
So far, 25 jurisdictions — including Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Missouri — have announced that they will use the NextGen bar exam.
The NextGen exam is currently in development by
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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.
Latest from Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism - Page 2
How Kids Can Inspire Inclusion in the Legal Profession
As I navigate the first half of the school year with my three children, I am reminded of an experience my daughter had in the sixth grade.
She was new to the bus and sat beside a girl who was sitting alone. The girl’s skin was brown, and she wore a hijab. The girls started talking, sharing details about their families, popular culture, and music preferences.
When my daughter (who is multiracial with African American, Caucasian, Greek, and Native American heritage) asked about her seatmate’s background, she explained why she wore the hijab and discussed her family’s religious and cultural…
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ATJ Commission to Receive Justice Innovation Award for its Standardized, Plain Language Forms Project
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) is being recognized for its work in making the court system easier to navigate for self-represented litigants.
The ATJ Commission will be honored with the Justice Innovation Award from the Law Center for Better Housing (LCBH) during its 2024 Fall Benefit on October 17. LCBH is a Chicago-based legal aid organization focused on housing justice.
The award highlights the ATJ Commission’s standardized, plain language forms project, which has automated and translated court forms and streamlined the filing process to ensure they are easy-to-use for self-represented litigants and other court…
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New Pilot Program Helps Illinoisans Navigate the Legal System From Their Local Library
A new pilot program will connect self-represented litigants in Illinois to legal assistance and information at their local public libraries.
Court Access Library Centers will provide space, dedicated equipment, and trained librarians to help self-represented litigants navigate the legal system, appear in court remotely, obtain legal information and resources, and e-file and access court documents online, according to a press release.
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) partnered with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office on the program. It launched in 18 pilot locations in 11 judicial…
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Professionalism Spotlight: Trent L. Bush, Ward, Murray, Pace & Johnson, P.C.
Our Professionalism Spotlight series highlights Illinois legal professionals who demonstrate the ideals of professionalism and a commitment to equitable, efficient, and effective justice.
In this Professionalism Spotlight, we spoke with Sterling, Ill.-based attorney Trent Bush. Serving a rural area, Trent has experience in most civil practice areas but has primarily focused on litigation in the last several years.
He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and Lee County Bar Association, and previously served as president of the Whiteside County Bar Association.
Trent served as Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Technology and…
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The ‘Madison Crusader’ Funnels Passion for Advocacy into Roosevelt University Legal Clinic
A 10-year passion project recently came to fruition for Chicago attorney Jim Fine, when the Roosevelt University Legal Clinic (RULC) officially launched this summer.
RULC, which is being led by Fine, will begin by providing pro bono and low-cost basic legal services to Roosevelt’s students, faculty, and staff, and hopes to expand into the larger Chicago community.
The clinic will be staffed by paralegal student interns from Roosevelt’s Paralegal Studies Program who will gain real-world legal experience under the supervision of Director Fine and volunteer attorneys.
The ‘Madison Crusader’
Jim Fine, Director & Attorney, Roosevelt University Legal Clinic
Fine said…
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New Grant Aims to Improve Accessibility in Illinois Courts for People With Disabilities
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Access to Justice Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) have announced a new grant initiative to support local courts in improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
The Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant will help Illinois courts bridge budget gaps to address barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully accessing court services, with the goal of creating respectful and courteous court environments for all.
Grant funds can be used to support or expand existing projects or to create new initiatives. Some examples in the…
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17th Judicial Circuit Aims to Elevate Civility as a ‘Cultural Norm’ Through Mentoring
Tom JakewayTrial Court Administrator
In 2023, 50 organizations across the state used the Commission’s free, open-source mentoring curriculum as the foundation for their lawyer mentoring programs.
Since we began developing our professionalism-based curriculum for attorney mentoring programs in 2011, it has been used by law firms, bar associations, government offices, law schools, court districts, professional organizations, and a corporation.
Illinois’ 17th Judicial Circuit Court – which serves Winnebago County and Boone County – was part of the pilot program and one of the first court districts to use our mentoring curriculum. A Local Rule in the 17th Circuit now requires…
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ABA Council to Seek Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to Accreditation Standard Governing Diversity and Inclusion in Law Schools
A Council of the American Bar Association (ABA) will soon seek public comment regarding proposed revisions of an accreditation standard, Standard 206, governing diversity and inclusion in ABA-approved law schools.
According to an ABA Journal article, the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar (Council) voted on August 16, 2024, to propose changing the title of Standard 206 from “Diversity and Inclusion” to “Access to Legal Education and the Profession.”
The Council also voted to change the Standard’s language and accompanying interpretation to focus on a “commitment to access” to law school and…
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Should My Law Firm be on TikTok? 4 Questions to Ask Before Adopting Any Social Media Platform
Should my law firm be on TikTok? What is Threads? Is it too late to create a Facebook page for my law firm? Have you heard of that new platform, FriendFrame?
Okay, FriendFrame doesn’t exist… yet.
The majority of law firms (89%) have an existing social media presence, according to American Bar Association data. Most firms that use social media are on LinkedIn (87%) and Facebook (62%), and about a third of firms (38%) are on X, formerly Twitter.
Whether you are considering launching a social media account to support your law firm’s client development efforts or are looking…
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Breaking Down the ABA’s Guidance on Using Generative AI in Legal Practice
Late last month, the American Bar Association issued Formal Opinion 512 detailing a lawyer’s ethical obligations when using generative artificial intelligence (genAI) in legal practice.
The Opinion acknowledges that lawyers often use traditional AI to boost the quality and efficiency of their legal practices, for example in contract analysis or e-discovery. However, the advent of genAI, which creates new content based on user prompts or questions, raises unique issues related to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
The Opinion offers general guidance for lawyers in six specific areas but notes that given the rapid evolution of genAI tools, updated…
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Workplace Incivility May Be Costing U.S. Businesses $2B Per Day, Survey Finds
A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that people working in the U.S. experience 202 million acts of incivility each day, with nearly 40% of the uncivil behavior happening at work.
Incivility in workplaces can impact employee morale and may be costing U.S. organizations roughly $2 billion per day in absenteeism and diminished productivity, the survey says.
“Fostering civility in the workplace is not just about politeness – it is a strategic business imperative. Companies that prioritize civility are more likely to attract and retain top talent, foster innovation, and achieve long-term success. In doing…
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Illinois Lawyers: There is Still Time for Summer Fun With These Events
Last summer, our resident well-being blogger Stephanie Villinski wrote a blog urging Illinois lawyers to take advantage of their last chance to soak up summer. Did you take her advice?
Putting work responsibilities aside to focus on summer fun is not always easy for lawyers. The emails and client demands do not stop when the warmer weather hits.
However, summer does not end until September 22, so you still have time to try to fit some fun in.
In addition to summer events held by your bar associations, law schools, and civic organizations, we have compiled a list of some…
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Equip for Equality Attorney Discusses ‘Shared Humanity’ and Impact of Legal Victory for People With Disabilities
Last month we celebrated Disability Pride Month, a commemoration each July of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as a time to highlight the contributions of people with disabilities and raise awareness of the stigmas many still face.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have a disability impacting things like cognition, mobility, hearing, and vision.
In the legal profession, while the number of lawyers who report a disability has been growing, they represent just 1.99% of all lawyers at U.S. law firms.
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Lessons for Lawyers from ‘Mr. Pommel Horse,’ Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik
As the world focuses on the athletic elite competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a peculiar star has emerged for Team USA, twisting and turning his way into our hearts.
Affectionately dubbed “Mr. Pommel Horse” or “Pommel Steve,” Stephen Nedoroscik delivered a spectacular routine on the pommel horse that clinched the bronze medal for the U.S. men’s gymnastics team — its first medal in the team competition in 16 years.
While you may not initially draw a comparison between gymnastics and law, the pommel horse virtuoso’s Olympic performance provides many lessons lawyers can use in our quest to…
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‘Run your own race’: Advice from three former Illinois law students
Do you remember the anticipation you felt in the weeks leading up to law school? Do you remember if hearing stories about unending class prep and the dreaded Socratic method filled you with anxiety? Or maybe you didn’t know what to expect.
No matter what comes to mind, most law students likely feel a mix of excitement and apprehension leading up to law school. Some may be a little more familiar with the process, thanks to exposure to the legal profession through lawyers in their family or social networks. For others, law school may be their first interaction with the…
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