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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Latest from Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism - Page 5

Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to release a Profiles in Professionalism interview with Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis.
The Profiles in Professionalism video series highlights distinguished Illinois judges and lawyers whose character, ethics, and contributions have shaped the legal profession.
“The Commission on Professionalism is honored to share Chief Justice Theis’ story, as she provides an intimate look at the events and ideals that motivate her inspiring career,” said Erika Harold, Executive Director of the Commission on Professionalism. “Chief Justice Theis’ steadfast commitment to advancing an ethical, compassionate justice system that is trusted

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Continue Reading Working ‘Every Day to Earn The People’s Trust’: Commission on Professionalism Releases Profiles in Professionalism Interview With Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis

Access to Justice Commission logo
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) is seeking proposals for two initiatives.
Disability Access Grant
The ATJ Commission and the Access to Justice Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts have issued the 2026 Request for Proposals for the Disability Access Grant, an initiative that advances accessibility and reduces barriers to equal access to courts for people with disabilities.
The application and grant policy are available here. Proposals will be accepted through October 10, 2025.
The Disability Access Grant recognizes that courts have an obligation to address accessibility barriers and provide equal access

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Continue Reading Commission on Access to Justice Seeking Proposals for Court Disability Access Grant, Access to Justice Award Nominations

illinois legal events 2025, Applause, champagne and man at party for celebration, social event and gathering. Glass, luxury and men and women with liquor for cheers, toast and speech at gala, new years eve and business dinner
The final months of the year bring cooler days, festive nights, and many ways for the legal community to come together.
Lawyers and judges can nurture existing relationships and build new ones at Illinois legal events hosted by bar and judicial associations.
From a makeover to a trip to the zoo and from charity galas to holiday parties, these events can expand your network while fostering belonging and collaboration within the legal profession.
We encourage you to review this list of the legal community events closing out 2025 and choose some to attend. If we missed any events, please email

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Continue Reading Take Advantage of These Illinois Legal Events to Close Out 2025

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The Illinois Supreme Court announced today that Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., has been selected to serve as the Court’s 123rd Chief Justice. His three-year term will begin on October 26, 2025.

Chief Justice Neville will be the second Black Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, following the late Justice Charles E. Freeman, who served in the role from 1997 to 1999.

Chief Justice Neville will succeed Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, who has served in the role since 2022.

“Throughout his career, Chief Justice Neville has been a stalwart advocate for a fair and accessible justice system

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Continue Reading Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., to Serve as Next Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court

Karen R. Mills, Karen Mills
Our Professionalism Spotlight series highlights Illinois legal professionals who demonstrate the ideals of professionalism in their careers.
In this Professionalism Spotlight, we spoke to Karen R. Mills, an attorney at Aronberg Goldgehn in Wheaton, Ill. Karen concentrates her practice in estate planning, probate, and trust administration and guardianships.
Karen is the Immediate Past President of the DuPage County Bar Association (2024-2025).
How do you remain civil in tense situations? 
I try to remember I am always advocating for my client, so I lead with empathy for their unique situation.
Family issues can become very personal. I attempt to remove the emotion,

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Continue Reading Professionalism Spotlight: Karen R. Mills, Aronberg Goldgehn

Mark Palmer headshot FI
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that Chief Counsel Mark C. Palmer will present on the ethical use of technology in the delivery of legal services at the 2025 8am Kaleidoscope Conference, which will be held September 2-4 in Austin, Texas.
The Kaleidoscope Conference is focused on delivering practical insights to help lawyers grow their firms in the areas of business leadership, financial success, and technology and innovation.
Palmer’s presentations include:
  • Wednesday, September 3, 4 – 4:45 p.m., “Chatbots at your Door: Keeping Your Virtual Greeter Ethically Tethered”
  • Thursday, September 4, 1 – 2

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Continue Reading Commission Chief Counsel Mark Palmer to Present at 2025 8am Kaleidoscope Conference

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The overwhelming majority of the Class of 2024 law school graduates secured jobs within 10 months of graduation, according to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), an association of over 3,000 legal career professionals who advise law students, lawyers, law offices, and law schools.

NALP reported that 93.4% of U.S. law graduates obtained a job after graduation, the highest percentage in nearly four decades of tracking the statistic. This percentage exceeds the 2023 percentage by 0.8 percentage points.

Eighty-four percent of graduates were employed in jobs that require bar passage, which exceeds the 2023 percentage by 2.2 points.

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Continue Reading 2024 Law School Graduates Report Highest Employment Rate Ever

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Can you recall how you felt before beginning law school? Did you worry about managing the rigorous class schedule and workload? Were you looking forward to meeting your professors and classmates? Or maybe you didn’t know what to expect.

Based on my conversations with incoming law students who participated in the 2025 Jumpstart Orientation, students today are feeling the same mixture of excitement and anxiety leading up to law school.

The Jumpstart Orientation, which was created by Judge Ann Claire Williams (Ret.), is a pre-law school program designed to prepare first-generation 1Ls attending Illinois law schools for law

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Continue Reading Federal Judges Share Three Pieces of Advice for 1Ls

drew hickey
Our Professionalism Spotlight series highlights Illinois legal professionals who demonstrate the ideals of professionalism in their careers.
In this Professionalism Spotlight, we spoke to L. Drew Hickey, a Partner at Bolen, Robinson, and Ellis, LLP in Decatur, Ill. Drew practices in the areas of adoption, guardianship, probate, and estate planning.
How do you remain civil in tense situations?
I keep in mind that while client problems are acute in the moment and require zealous advocacy, over time, each issue can be resolved in many different ways.
I also keep in mind that while most of us [lawyers and judges] are

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Continue Reading Professionalism Spotlight: L. Drew Hickey, Bolen, Robinson, and Ellis, LLP

erika harold ABA Anti-Bullying Resolution
Erika Harold on the floor of the ABA Annual Meeting holding the Commission’s Bullying in the Legal Profession report.

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism is pleased to announce that the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates voted today to adopt a resolution encouraging legal organizations to study and address bullying in the legal profession.
Resolution 523, which was adopted at the ABA’s 2025 Annual Meeting, is based on the Commission’s landmark report “Bullying in the Legal Profession: A Study of Illinois Lawyers’ Experiences and Recommendations for Change.”
The resolution reads:
RESOLVED, That the American Bar

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Continue Reading ABA Adopts Anti-Bullying Resolution Based on Commission’s ‘Bullying in the Legal Profession’ Report

image depicting a hacker attack or security breach on the internet using multicolored locks, a computer keyboard, and someone's handThe recent decision of Thomas v. Corbyn Restaurant Dev. Corp., 111 Cal. App. 5th 439 (2025) is a wake-up call for all law firms handling client funds. Even the best-intentioned lawyers can, through a single lapse in protocol and judgment, find themselves liable for a six-figure settlement vanishing into the hands of cybercriminals.
The ruling makes clear: when proper procedures for financial transactions aren’t strictly followed, the law does not protect unwary lawyers from their monetary responsibilities.
In the following post, I explore how financial cyber fraud can happen to lawyers and steps to help ensure your law firm is

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Continue Reading How to Stop This $475,000 Email Scam from Happening to Your Law Firm

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Three women posing in front of a podium and a slide that says the National Organization of Bar Counsel Annual Meeting.
Melissa Smart, Director of Education for the Illinois ARDC and NOBC Executive Board member; Erika Harold; and Lea Gutierrez, Illinois ARDC Administrator

The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s Executive Director Erika Harold presented a session titled “The Prevalence of Bullying in the Legal Profession and a Data-Driven Blueprint for Change” on July 30, 2025, at the National Organization of Bar Counsel (NOBC) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

“I would like to thank Melissa Smart, Director of Education for the Illinois ARDC and a member of the NOBC’s Executive Board, and the NOBC’s Planning Committee for inviting the Commission to share

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Continue Reading Commission Executive Director Presents on Bullying Report at the National Organization of Bar Counsel Annual Meeting

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July is Disability Pride Month, recognizing the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which went into effect 35 years ago this month.

While laws like the ADA mandate accessibility requirements and nondiscrimination for people with disabilities, disability inclusion is more than that. It’s a human issue impacting more than 1 in 4 adults, according to the CDC.

The number of lawyers who report having a disability has been increasing, especially in younger generations, according to the National Association of Law Placement (NALP).

Over 7% of 2023 law school graduates identified as having a disability, double the number

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Continue Reading Two Ways to Prioritize Disability Inclusion in Your Law Firm

Access to Justice Commission logoThe Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice recently announced a partnership with the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois and Land of Lincoln Legal Aid that will provide important data on the impact of remote appearances in reducing access to justice barriers in rural communities.
During the two-year pilot program, Land of Lincoln attorneys – including staff, Pro-Bono, and Judicare attorneys – will appear remotely before Second Judicial Circuit judges. The judges and attorneys will provide data on these appearances, so the ATJ Commission can explore how appearing remotely impacts traditionally unrepresented parties.
Second Circuit Chief Judge Melissa

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Continue Reading ATJ Commission Pilot Program Will Study Impact of Remote Appearances in Second Judicial Circuit 

perfectionism lawyer, Productive master, productivity and project management skill, multitasking work and time management concept, skillful businessman riding unicycle juggling elements, laptop, calendar, ideas and emails.
Lawyers practice in competitive, high-stakes environments where perfection is often viewed as necessary to success. Most people who are attracted to legal careers are driven by high standards and an intense desire to succeed, qualities that seem well-suited to the demands of the job.
However, a recent report titled “The Perfectionist Paradox” found that many perfectionist tendencies that lawyers wear as a “badge of honor” may be hindering their ability to manage their workloads and excel in their careers.
When perfectionism turns ‘toxic’
The study, which was conducted by Krill Strategies, JC Coaching & Consulting, and Ambitionprofile in

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Continue Reading How Perfectionism May Be Hurting Your Legal Career