​MCBA NEWSLETTER 

june 15, 2026

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​MCBA Events 2026
June
6/19 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar
Law & Justice Center Closed

6/25 (Thurs.)
Annual Meeting

6/26 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

July
7/3 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar
​Law & Justice Center Closed

7/10 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

7/14 (Tues.)
CLE 

7/17 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

7/18 (Sat.)
PILI Legal Advice Fair@MCCA
8:30 am - 12:30 pm

7/24 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

7/31 (Fri.)
Breakfast with the Bar

August
8/14 (Fri.)
​​​GAL Certification Planning Committee Meeting

8/18 (Tues.)
CLE 

September
9/15 (Tues.)
CLE 

October
8/18 (Tues.)
CLE 

December
12/10 (Thurs.)
Holiday Luncheon

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​Complete 2026 List of Court Holidays & Closures

2026 Jury Calendar

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annual meeting 2026

Members, please join us at our annual meeting.

The meeting will take place at Bloomington Country Club. The venue will open to attendees beginning at 4:00 pm with the meeting will commence at 4:30 pm on Thursday, June 25. 

This years agenda will include important business a summary of committee reports, a vote on open Board positions and the transition for the 2026-2027 term. This years agenda will also include the 2026 Young Lawyer of the Year Awards, the MCBA Memorials, and a special community award recognition. 

The cost is $30.00 if paid on or before June 15, 2026. After June 15, the cost increases to $35.00.

​The registration closes on Wednesday, June 24 at noon.
​
There will be appetizers, iced tea, and water provided along with a cashless (credit card only) bar.

Annual Meeting Registration & Information

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​NOTICE

Pursuant to §9.2(a) of Article IX of the By-Laws of the McLean County Bar Association, the following have been slated as nominees for the below-named offices of the McLean County Bar Association for the 2026-2027 term:
 
President:                                                     Adrian Barr
 
First Vice-President:                                      Michael G. Butts
 
Second Vice President:                                  Honorable Rebecca Foley
 
Secretary:                                                     Alexandra Williams
 
Member, Board of Governors                        Calli Farrell
       Term Expiring 2030                               
 
The above-named nominees will be formally placed in nomination at the annual meeting of the Association on June 25, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at Bloomington Country Club, 605 Towanda Avenue, Bloomington, Illinois 61701.
 
All members should plan to attend and cast their ballots as aforesaid. 
 
All members are further notified that pursuant to §9.2(b) of Article IX of the McLean County Bar Association By-Laws, not less than ten members may nominate other candidates for any office or offices described above.  Such nominations shall be in writing, signed by the nominators, and shall be filed with the Secretary of the Association not less than fifteen days preceding the date of the annual meeting as aforesaid.
 
Dated this 15th day of May 2026.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Nominating Committee of McLean County Bar Association
 
Kathleen M. Kraft, Chair
Brendan Bukalski
Laurel Bingaman
Nathan B. Hinch
Michael G. Butts
Spencer Chikahisa
Calli Farrell
Adrian Barr

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george boyle to retire
​july 2026

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After nearly 20 years of dedicated service to the City of Bloomington, George Boyle will retire on July 10, 2026. Since joining the City as Assistant Corporation Counsel in 2007, George has played a vital role in shaping policies, advising City leaders, drafting ordinances, and helping ensure fair and effective local government. Prior to his service with the City, George spent 17 years with Prairie State Legal Services, including nine years as Managing Attorney, where he focused on family, housing, and consumer law while advocating for some of the community’s most vulnerable residents. Throughout his career, George has been known for his deep legal knowledge, commitment to fairness, and unwavering dedication to public service, becoming a trusted advisor and institutional anchor within the organization. Colleagues have long appreciated not only his expertise and willingness to help others, but also the perspective and creativity he brings as a lifelong musician who has been playing drums in a band since 1969. George’s contributions have left a lasting mark on the City of Bloomington, and he will be deeply missed by coworkers, community partners, and all who have had the privilege of working alongside him.  We wish him the best in his next chapter.

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Illinois Judicial Conference Survey about Remote Appearances
Due June 30, 2026 

The Illinois Judicial Conference Remote Access Task Force is asking you to complete a survey about the Remote Appearances in Circuit Court Proceedings. The online survey will take approximately 15 minutes. The deadline to complete the survey is June 30, 2026.

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prairie state legal services

PRAIRIE STATE LEGAL SERVICES - Pro bono attorney needed:
We have a client needing assistance with a McLean County divorce with children and no property.  Support and maintenance were already ordered in a F case and the client does not know where spouse is but our private investigator found two possible addresses, one in STREAMWOOD, IL and the other in MORENO VALLEY, CA. 
​
If you are willing to take this case, please contact Stacy James at [email protected] .

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Support LINK

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volunteer opportunity

Saturday, July 18
8:30 am - 12:00 noon
Legal Advice Fair
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​bar committee activities

​CLE Committee Meeting - June 23 noon
​​DEIA Committee Meeting - June 24 noon
BOG Meeting - July 14 noon
​​​GAL Certification Planning Committee Meeting - August 14 12.15 pm
Quarterly Family Law Bench/Bar Listening Session - September 2

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attorneys on the move

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samantha m. vazquez

The City of Bloomington is pleased to announce that attorney Samantha M. Vazquez has joined the legal department as Associate Corporation Counsel.

Associate Corporation Counsel
115 E. Washington St.
Suite 403
Bloomington, IL 61701
Email: [email protected]

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If your office has new attorneys and staff, then we would like to update membership on your additions! Maybe you have an attorney making moves within your office. Please click on the link below to submit a little about the new addition and feel free to add a photo as well. 

New to My Office? or Retiring? or Moving? Any Update!

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free cle opportunity

cle for gal's

To register: https://www.pathlms.com/aoic and follow the instructions below. 

mcba cle recorded opportunities

cle​

Originally Recorded
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
​Ends, March 1, 2028
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Sentencing Credit in Illinois Criminal Cases
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[Up to 1.5 hours general CLE - Approved]
​

Please join the McLean County Bar Association in welcoming Jackie Mathias-Jail R.E.S.E.T. (Recovery, Education, Support and reEntry Team) Director McLean County Jail and Hon. David Butler [Ret.]-Special Assistant Public Defender for McLean County.
 
This program will provide a guide of the credits that may be applied to reduce a criminal sentence.  The amount of time served on a criminal sentence may be significantly reduced by various forms of sentence credit available under Illinois law.  Attorneys should be familiar with the credits that may be applied to a sentence when negotiating a plea agreement or deciding on whether to go to trial.  Both defense attorneys and prosecutors will gain an awareness of the sentence credits that are possible for particular sentences.
 
Specific Topics Include:
Statutory Good Time Credit
Illinois Truth in Sentencing Act
Minimum Sentences
Periodic Imprisonment
County Jail Programs Credit
DOC Earned Discretionary Sentence
DOC Programs Credit
Sentencing Credit on Concurrent & Consecutive Sentences
Misdemeanor Good Time Act
Time Served in Custody Prior to Sentencing
Strangulation & Great Bodily Harm Cases
Revocation of Good Time Credit

Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

cle

Originally Recorded
Tuesday, December 3, 2025
​Ends, December 1, 2027
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​A Guide To Problem Solving Courts: 
​Drug Court, Recovery Court, and Veteran’s Court

​[Up to 1.5 hours general CLE - Approved] 
​

Presenters:
Hon. Dave Butler [Ret.]-Moderator
Ron Lewis
Hon. Scott Drazewski [Ret.]
Emilio Fischer
Craig Queen

This program will provide an overview of the sentencing alternatives known as Problem Solving Courts. These sentencing alternatives include Drug Court, Recovery Court and Veteran’s Court. Each of these specialized sentences are remedial and are alternatives to a prison sentence. Both defense attorneys and prosecutors will gain an understanding of these specialized sentences including eligibility requirements, terms and conditions, the process of evaluating referrals and the sentencing process.
 
Specific Topics Include:
 
What Are Problem Solving Courts?
Drug Court, Recovery Court, and Veteran’s Court Distinguished
PSC Referrals
PSC Court Process
PSC Teams
Steps In Processing PSC Referrals
Adult Risk Assessments & Drug Evaluations
State’s Attorney’s Screening of PSC Referrals
Attorney’s Role When Client is Sentenced To a PSC
PSC Violations

Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
​Ends, July 1, 2027

A Case Review from the Bench
​

Presented by: Hon. Donald Bernardi [Ret.] & Hon. Charles Feeney [Ret.]
​
​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 

​

Retired Judges Donald Bernardi and Charles Feeney have each selected two cases from their time on the bench that present interesting legal issues. These cases are both civil and criminal and include a variety of issues, including legal malpractice and the use of the involuntary intoxication defense in criminal cases.

Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
​Ends, March 1, 2027

Small Law Office Efficiency - AI

Presented by: Drew Vaughn

​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 

Please join the McLean County Bar Association in welcoming Mr. Drew Vaughn. He will be teaching about how Artificial Intelligence works, the ethical implications of its use, and practical applications of Artificial Intelligence that you can implement today.  

Learning Objectives:
1. Foundations of Artificial Intelligence [A.I.]
2. Ethical Implications of the use of AI
3. Practical AI Application
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
​Ends, August 1, 2026
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​IRS Taxes Discharged in Bankruptcy

Presented by: Robert Schaller, JD

​[Up to 1 hour general CLE - Approved] 
​

You can become the client’s hero by eliminating IRS back taxes. Learn how to spot opportunities for IRS tax resolution. The focus of the seminar is how to eliminate IRS back taxes thru bankruptcy. The presentation will discuss Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 basics and the bankruptcy adversary proceeding process.

Learning Objectives:
1. Learn how to spot IRS tax resolution opportunities.
2. Learn how to eliminate IRS back taxes thru bankruptcy.
3. Learn Bankruptcy Code basics: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 and adversary proceedings.
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

CLE
Originally Recorded
​Tuesday, July 16, 2024
ENDS June 25, 2026
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Traffic Stops & Motor Vehicles Searches

Presented by: Hon. David Butler (Ret.) & Matthew Butler

​[up to 1.5 hours general CLE - Approved] 

Evidence of a crime is often found by police during the search of a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation. Items found during the search may be illegal contraband, such as drugs or weapons, or evidence of another crime. What starts out as a minor traffic violation can turn into a search of the vehicle to investigate evidence of crimes unrelated to the traffic stop. This CLE program presents an examination of the various legal bases for the police to conduct a motor vehicle search and the possible legal challenges to the search. Attorneys who either defend or prosecute criminal cases involving the possession of contraband will be better able to recognize evidentiary issues related to criminal charges arising out of traffic stops and motor vehicle searches.
 
TOPICS TO BE COVERED ARE:
 
Lawful basis of traffic stops
“Out of the Car”  Drivers and Passengers 
Search of Persons in the Vehicle
Search of Vehicles
Probable Cause Searches
Dog Sniffs
Odor of Cannabis
Search Incident to Arrest
Parole Searches
Inventory Searches
Consent Searches
Motions To Suppress Evidence

The cost is $20.00.
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Registration for Recording & CLE Credit Instructions

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friday breakfast with the bar
join us this friday
8:00 am-9:00 am

Ivy Lane Bakery - Downtown Bloomington
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Looking for
opportunities

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A local high school graduate is seeking summer part-time work. He is available to help move boxes or furniture or light maintenance help. If interested in learning more, please email Mary at: [email protected]

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career opportunities 
&
law student opportunities

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​state farm insurance 

Discovery Counsel

deadline 6-19

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Fire CLaim Counsel

deadline 6-21

in-house litigation discovery counsel

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In-House Fire Claim Counsel

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office space available

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802 N. Clinton, bloomington

Information

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108 w. monroe, BLOOMINGTON

Information

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