MCLEAN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
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​MCBA NEWSLETTER


​​NOVEMBER 16, 2020


 2020
November Events
11/17/20 (Tues.)
​CLE Zoom Event

​11/20/20 (Fri.)
​canceled until further notice

"Breakfast with the Bar" 


11/24/20 (Tues.)
CLE Committee Meeting

11/26 & 11/27/20 (Thurs. & Fri.)
Law & Justice Center Closed


December Events
​12/4/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" 

12/8/20 (Tues.)
BOG Committee Meeting 

​12/11/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" 

​12/18/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" 

12/24 (Thurs.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

12/25 (Fri.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

12/29/20 (Tues.)
CLE Committee Meeting

2021
​January Events

1/1/21 (Fri.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

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2021 MCBA membership
renewal is open


​Click on the MCBA Logo to the left to renew. 

​COURT notes



November 12, 2020 
To:  The McLean County Bar Association:
 
I hope this memo finds you in good spirits and in good health. One bright spot in recent weeks has been the weather. I hope you have been able to get outside, move around and expand your social distance in any way possible.

​We remain cautious with court operations and continue to take all necessary precautions to do our part in minimizing the spread of Covid-19.  Our biggest concern remains everyone’s health and well-being. The secondary concern remains the number of people that are being required to quarantine due to direct exposure to the virus. 
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We continue to monitor staffing levels within court operations as well as other offices directly related to operating the courts such as the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office and others. We also are doing our best to maintain a sufficient contingent of Court Reporters during this time.

Aside from the CDC recommendations on personal safety, the most important thing that we ask of everyone to do to avoid getting swept up in a quarantine is to, at a minimum, do the following: 
     (1)   keep your in-person interactions brief (less than 15 minutes);
     (2)   wear your face-covering; and,
     (3)   stay at least six (6) feet apart.
Judges have been instructed to keep court proceedings moving and on time, so we ask that any negotiations be done before you come to the courthouse. You are expected to enter the courtroom, conduct your court business and then promptly leave.

Should you have any questions or concerns on court operations, please contact Trial Court Administrator William Scanlon at (309) 888-5266.

Stay safe and healthy.
Best regards.
 
Chief Judge Mark A. Fellheimer

your court reporters...


​Did you know?
  • There is a looming shortage of Court Reporters in Illinois.
  • There are 589 Official Court Reporters in Illinois.  Of those, 247 are between the ages of 51-60 and 111 are 60+.
  • Court Reporters are State certified to take machine shorthand at 200 wpm with 95% accuracy. However, some judges and attorneys speak 300 wpm at times.
  • For every hour in court, a finished transcript can take up to three hours to transcribe, proofread and certify. 
  • Depending on the volume of transcript orders, in most cases a transcript can be provided within two to three weeks.  There are times when a transcript could possibly be provided sooner if needed. Advance notice of a requested due date is appreciated.​
​
​Suggestions for our new attorney's...
What does the court reporter's short hand say?
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Place your guess HERE. The most accurate answer will receive a MBCA t-shirt. The decoded message will appear in next weeks Bar Enewsletter along with the winner.
​Project your confidence and professionalism by slowing your speech and speaking clearly so that parties, witnesses and jurors can better understand legal jargon.  
  • Please speak clearly, articulate acronyms, provide spellings of proper names and locations, give full case name citations, especially when reading something into the record.
  • Speak one at a time.
  • Be clear about when on and off the record.
 
Do you have questions for your court reporters? You can send those questions to this 
LINK.
​
From your Court Reporters: Donna Banks, Diane Black, Lisa Doerr, Gale Everhart, Susan Geshwilm, Amy Jennings, Diane Newcomer, Sandra Rynders, Therese Stevens, Barb Wahls and Joy McKinney – Administrative Assistant to Chief Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit, McLean County

​COURT house reminders

* Keep your in-person interactions brief (less than 15 minutes). 
* Stay at least 6 feet apart.
* Wear your face covering.
* The 3rd floor lactation room is not to be used as an attorney conference room. 

PROJECT
SANTA
​2020
​

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If you did not adopt a resident and want to give, you are welcome to give gift cards from local eateries or give of your time to help move the physical gifts to the McLean County Nursing Home. See more details by clicking on the Elf. 

ALL RESIDENTS ARE OFFICIALLY ADOPTEd
& gifts were given beyond the adoptions.

Thank you for your generousity!

Allison & Mosby-Scott
Ballard, Laura
Bernardi, Don
Brendan Bukalski, Johnson Law Group
Castagna, Laura
Davis, Julia
DeLeon-Bond, Carolina
DeVary, Allen
Donaldson, Erin
Duffy, Judge
Feldman, Kristie
Foley, Judge
Ganschaow, Jaime
Grosso, J Michael
Hoffman, Frank
J.T.
Kearns, Jenna
Koth, David
Kraft, Katy
​Lawrence, Judge
Leighton, Tim
Mahrt, Steve
Mancias, Michelle
McKinney, Karen
​McManus, Steve
Meyer Capel, A Professional Corporation
Namadurai, Ezhil
Nichols, Michael
Perry, Holly
Pratt and Pratt, P.C. 
Pysell, Shelley
Robert T. Varney & Associates
Smalley, Alice
Tamarra Rennick Bernstein & Andy Bernstein
Watkins, Bob
Wood, Gina & Gorge
Wood, Megan
Wood, Stephen
Woods, Jessica

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Click on the logo above for the latest news on the US District Court website. 
​

November 10, 2020
Dear Bar Association:
 
As you may know, the current term of Magistrate Judge Cole ends on May 5, 2021 and the current term of Magistrate Judge Valdez ends on May 19, 2021. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §631 and guidelines established by the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts, public comments are solicited concerning the reappointment of a magistrate judge.
 
It is the Court's practice to notify bar associations in the Northern District of Illinois concerning the reappointment of a magistrate judge.  I have attached a link to the U.S. District Court's for the Northern District of Illinois' website. Under the Latest News section of the Court's website, the notices are being published regarding the reappointments of Magistrate Judges Cole and Valdez.  As the notices indicate, comments should be forwarded to Clerk of Court Thomas G. Bruton by Wednesday, December 30, 2020. If you are able to call this opportunity for comments to the attention of your association's membership through a newsletter or other publication or by posting it on your association's web site, it would be appreciated.
 
If you have any questions about the notices or the magistrate judge reappointment process, please feel free to contact me by telephone at (312) 435-5359 or by e-mail at this
LINK. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

​Michael Serratore

canceled due to area covid infections rising.

​friday  -  ​breakfast ​with the bar

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TUESDAY - november 17
​CLE 

NOON VIA ZOOM

ILLINOIS WORKPLACE TRANSPARENCY ACT

[1 HOUR PR CLE CREDIT APPROVED]
Please join the McLean County Bar Association in welcoming Danielle M. Kays from the Labor & Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Ms. Kays will provide a CLE on the new Illinois Workplace Transparency Act effective on January 1, 2020 and its requirements, including the mandatory harassment training for employees.

​
This event is open to MCBA member attorneys and their non-attorney staff.
​
By enrolling and/or participating in this CLE event, the participant affirmatively acknowledges and states that he or she is not entering into an attorney-client relationship of any kind, nature, or scope with Seyfarth Shaw or any of its attorneys, principals, and/or members.
​
Registration is closed.


mark your calendar

2021
January 19 - State of the Circuit CLE noon time event
​February 3 - Criminal Day Seminar CLE
February 16 - CLE noon time event
March 16 - CLE noon time event

April 21-22 - The Guardian Ad Litem Event 
June 7 - MCBA Golf Outing at BCC beginning at noon

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2020 BLOOMINGTON CANNON ESTATE PLANNING
TELECONFERENCE SERIES PROGRAM
​HOSTED BY PNC WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Time: 12.00 noon - 1.30 pm
​via teleconference​


 1 hour of Continuing Legal Education Credit will be earned for attendance at each call.
A certificate of attendance will be given to each participant.
Please RSVP ​ by replying to Jennifer.julius@pnc.com and include a list the names of the colleagues who will be attending. If you have questions please call Jennifer at 309.655.5484

​December 15
Conflicts of Interest Issues Facing Estate Planning Professionals


career opportunities


Hinshaw & culbertson
​LLP

seeks
Information
Posted Nov 16

junior level litigation associate



office space available


ILLINOIS HOUSE BUILDING
Quality Office Space at Affordable Rents
Two Blocks Directly North of Law & Justice Center
Call or text 309-531-0445
Posted August 3 - End December 31


downtown law office building
​for sale


105 N. Center Street - Bloomington
Posted August 10 - End December 31


bar committee activities

2020
​CLE Committee Meeting - November 24 noon
​BOG Meeting - December 8 noon


MCBA Breakfast with the Bar  -  canceled until further notice...
Remember to have “Breakfast with the Bar” every Friday morning between 8:00 am and 9:00 am. It’s a great way to meet and talk with your fellow attorneys in an informal setting. Stay for 10 minutes and have a cup of coffee or stay for an hour and have a full breakfast before court. Grab an associate, partner or friend and come.      See you Friday!

Executive Committee 
President                            
​Kathleen Kraft

2nd VP
Judge Pablo Eves

Secretary
Nargis Khokhar
1st VP
​Nathan B. Hinch

Immediate Past President
Julia Davis

Treasurer
Calli Farrell
Disclaimer:
The McLean County Bar Association (MCBA) presents the information on this web site as an information service to our members and other Internet users. While the information on this site is about legal issues, it is not legal advice. The information is not intended to create, and receipt of the information does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Those using this information should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel.
Board of Governors
John L. Pratt
Brendan Bukalski
Michael Butts
​Dean Davis


Administrative Assistant
Mary Sellmyer

​Find a Lawyer Disclaimer:
The intention of the MCBA"Find a Lawyer"search is only to refer members of the public requiring legal services to members of the MCBA who have indicated that they wish to receive referrals in a particular area of the law.

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  • Career Opportunities
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