MCLEAN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
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MCBA Newsletter                                               updated                                 april 20, 2020 


2020
April Events
4/21/20 (Tues.) - Virtual
CLE Luncheon


4/24/20 (Fri.) - Virtual
Family Law Bar Update/Check in Meeting


4/28/20 (Tues.)
CLE Committee Meeting

May Events
5/1/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" at Scouts

5/8/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" at Scouts

5/13/20 (Wed.)
​
GAL Committee Meeting
​

5/15/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" at Scouts

5/22/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" at Scouts

5/25/20 (Mon.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

5/26/20 (Tues.)

​CLE Committee Meeting
​
5/29/20 (Fri.)
"Breakfast with the Bar" at Scouts

​June Events
6/16/20 (Tues.)
​Annual Bar Meeting

July Events
7/3/20 (Fri.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

7/21/20 (Tues.)
​CLE Luncheon-Collections
​

August Events
8/18/20 (Tues.)
​CLE Luncheon

September Events
9/7/20 (Mon.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

9/15/20 (Tues.)
​CLE Luncheon

9/25/20 (Fri.)
Law Day Celebration Gala

October Events
10/12/20 (Mon.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

10/20/20 (Tues.)

​CLE Luncheon

10/21 & 22 (Tues. & Wed.)
​GAL Conference


November Events
11/11/20 (Mon.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

11/17/20 (Tues.)

​CLE Luncheon

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


December Events
12/24 & 25 (Thurs. & Fri.)
Law & Justice Center Closed

2021
​January Events

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

Letter to MCBA membership from Chief Judge Fellheimer
RE covid-19 planning
​04-15-20
COVID-19 updates for the 11th circuit
4-20-2020 from Supreme Court of IL Attorneys with June 30, 2020 MCLE Compiance Deadline...

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Let us hope this Spring weather is here to stay this time as I certainly did not appreciate snow in the middle of April !
 
I hope you are able to take advantage of our first ever virtual CLE presentation, 'Who's Bias, The truth About Implicit Bias', courtesy of the Underwood Committee. This CLE hour is approved for the hard to get Diversity and Inclusion Professional Responsibility credit. It is scheduled for tomorrow. Please see the registration LINK below. If the current restrictions remain in place heading into the Summer, we would anticipate that Retired Judge David Butler's presentation on Collections will be presented virtually on Tuesday, July 21st.
 
As things in our community are starting to open up with a working plan toward normalcy, I remain hopeful that we can once again see each other in group settings. To that end, we will keep you advised of the specifics of the Bar's Annual meeting, currently scheduled for June 16th, as we draw closer. There is the potential for it to be moved out a maximum of 30 days.
 
This past week, we had ordered and delivered 40 boxed lunches/meals to our brave healthcare workers at Advocate BroMenn. I was informed that the staff was appreciative of the such giving spirit and looked forward to lunch when things are so upside down at the moment. This week, we will be doing the same with OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. Please continue to keep all of our front line workers and first responders in your thoughts. I am exploring additional charitable opportunities.
​
Lastly, nominations remain open for The Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. The deadline is April 30 and there is a LINK below. 

Continue to Be well and Be safe. 
Best regards,
​​​Joe Foley

condolences

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Steve Larkin passed away last week.  Steve was a general practice attorney and public defender in the 1970’s and 1980’s until personal issues resulted in a career change for Steve.  

​Please click on Steves photo to reach his obituary. 


announcement

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I hope everyone is doing well during this challenging time. Prairie State Legal Services is fully staffed and accepting cases. Our physical office is closed. Our staff are working from home. Our staff’s contact information has not changed. Please contact Adrian at abarr@pslegal.org or (309) 433-0065 if you have any questions.     Adrian Barr

2020
MCBA YOUNG LAWYER OF THE YEAR
AWARD a
PPLICATION

DEADLINE - April 30th
The MCBA is now accepting nominations for its 2020 Young Lawyer of the Year Award. In order to be considered for the award, one must be (1) under the age of 36 or less than 10 years in practice, and (2) a member in good standing with the McLean County Bar Association. Evaluation criteria include employment history, individual achievements in the practice of law, service to the MCBA, and community/pro bono service.​
Nomination Form

past young lawyer award winners

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​amelia buragas
​
2017

YOUNG LAWYER AWARD WINNER


Amelia Buragas grew up in the Bloomington-Normal area. She attended the University of Illinois where she majored in microbiology. She later attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Law where she was awarded the Mathys Award for Appellate Advocacy and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Amelia also has a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communications and spent several years working as a reporter and editor at a Madison-based trade publication.
Amelia moved back to Bloomington-Normal after law school and has practiced law at the Dorris Law Firm, P.C. and Kelly Law Offices, P.C. (now Kelly & Castagna, P.C.). She particularly enjoys appellate law and has worked as a contract attorney for the Illinois Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. In 2017, she had the opportunity to argue before the Illinois Supreme Court in the case Cochran v. Securitas. She also is involved in the community and recently served a four-year term as a member of the Bloomington City Council. She currently is the secretary of the Miller Park Zoological Society Board and is a member of the board of directors of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council. Amelia frequently writes for legal publications and is serving a two-year term as Editor-in-Chief for the Illinois Bar Journal. She also is a member of the Assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association.
Amelia currently is a partner with the law firm of Bolen Robinson & Ellis, LLP, which has offices in Decatur, Lincoln, Sullivan, and Bloomington. 


tuesday - april 21 - cle

'WHO'S BIAS?
​THE TRUTH ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS'

1 HOUR OF cle - professional responsibility
​including diversity and inclusion

[APPROVed]

The Underwood Committee on Professionalism cordially invites you to attend a presentation on 'Who's Bias? The truth about implicit Bias'. This McLean County Bar Association sponsored event is presented in conjunction with the Public Initiative Law Interest [PILI]. The presentation will be lead by ​Latasha Barnes, JD who has worked to advance equity and inclusion in the delivery of legal services. She joins us from the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri.
​
​For those in the legal profession, understanding the ways implicit bias influences our choices and approaches towards legal issues can make a huge impact not only on ways we structure our practice but also how we build a legal system that provides justice and effective service to its citizens. Learn techniques and practical tips to interrupt biases and practice in a culturally sensitive manner, as well as promote inclusion within your law practice and in the legal profession.

There is a limited amount of attendees allowed thus resulting in a first come, first serve situation. ​A few seats still remain for this free hour of CLE. 
Registration

rescheduled

tuesday - july 21, 2020
collections

Obtaining and Collecting Judgments in Debt Collection Actions:
Representing both Plaintiffs and Defendants

[up to 2 hours general cle credit approved]

Registration will open in June

​updated

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​Help The Immigration Project help others become Citizens!

McLean County Immigrant Resource Guide LINK
​
Over the last ten years, Immigration Project has helped over 500 Lawful Permanent Residents to naturalize-be sworn in as U.S. citizenship! We would love your assistance in conducting legal eligibility screenings and in completing appropriate USCIS forms. We will provide training. Spanish is not required, though helpful for about a quarter of the cases and if necessary we can provide interpreters.
 
In-house clinics are held on a Thursday or Friday, with legal screenings in the morning, followed by a different team of form-fillers. We really need help with the legal screenings 9am-1pm, but would also love help with form-filling if you wish.  (Our next Normal Citizenship Clinics is scheduled for May 15th, but subject to change due to COVID-19.)
 
We normally have quarterly, Saturday workshops in Monmouth, Springfield, Kankakee, and Normal.  Our Monmouth June 6th workshop is still on the schedule.  If interested in dedicating your Saturday and/or doing some direct representation on other types of cases, please contact Danielle DeWinter ddewinter@immigrationproject.org .

mark your calendar

2020

April 21 - CLE Event - Diversity & Inclusion
April 24 - Family Law Bar Update/Check in Meeting
​July 21 - CLE Luncheon - Collections
​September - Law Day Gala - an evening event -  more information to come
October 21-22 - The Guardian Ad Litem Event
November 13-15 - The ISU Invitational Mock Trial Tournament

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

Time: 11:30 am     ​Location: Same
PNC Wealth Management
202 E. Washington St.
2nd Floor Conference Room
Bloomington, IL  61701
 1.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education Credit will be earned for attendance at each call.
A certificate of attendance will be given to each participant.

As part of PNC’s ongoing effort to protect the health of our employees, customers and business partners from the potential impacts of the Coronavirus, we will be canceling the April 2nd Cannon teleconference. We have been in contact with Cannon Financial Institute to see if there is a way to offer CLE credit, where you are able to access the program from your home or office. Should this current health climate stretch into May, we will work toward being able to do that. So stay tuned…..
 
 Jennifer Julius Administrative Assistant - jennifer.julius@pnc.com   (P) 309-655-5484
 PNC Wealth Management, 301 SW Adams, D2-Y701-03-3, Peoria, IL  61602

April 30
Developing and Keeping Business for Estate Planning and Trust Professionals

June 4
The Relationship Among Trust Beneficiaries and Trustees, the IRS and the Courts
 
July 9
Ethics-Based Obligations in Specific Client Engagements
​
August 6
Maximizing Flexibility With Powers of Appointment
 
September 3
Picking Up the Pieces:  Post-Divorce Planning
 
October 1
Moving the Needle With Your Clients’ Retirement Asset Planning
 
October 29
Contemporary Challenges in Trust Administration
 
December 3
Essential Asset
​Protection Planning

​January 7, 2021
Conflicts of Interest Issues Facing Estate Planning Professionals


CAREER OPPORTUNITIES



​growmark, inc

seeks
Information
Posted Mar 30 End Date Apr 27

non-attorney
legal collections & invoices assistant


bar committee activities

2020
Family Bar Division Meeting - April 24 12:00 noon
CLE Committee Meeting - April 29 12:00 noon
GAL Committee Meeting - May 13 12:00 noon
Law Day Committee Meeting - May 20 12:00 noon

save the dates
​2020

may 9 - softball challenge - cancelled
july 21 - cle luncheon or virtual meeting - collections
​SEPTEMBER 26 - LAW DAY GALA.. AN EVENING EVENT
october 21-22 -gal conference
november 13 - 15 - the isu invitational mock trial tournament


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MCBA Breakfast with the Bar - ​cancelled 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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  • MCBA Home
  • Newsletters
  • Find a Lawyer
  • 2023 Member Ap
  • About
  • Contact
  • MCBA Committees
    • MCBA Scholarship
  • MCBA Documents
  • Past Events
  • Resources
    • Forms-McLean
  • Career Opportunities
  • LAP Eleventh Judicial Assistance Attorneys
  • Product