2Civility Blog

The 2Civility Blog is a thought-provoking platform of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. It is a forum that provides the space to dive deeply into key issues impacting the legal profession.

Through the blog, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism advances its mission to promote a culture of civility and inclusion within the following topics: civility, diversity and inclusion, ethics, future law, justice, law school, leadership, legal profession, mentoring, professionalism, technology, and wellness.  These topics demonstrate that the law can be both a rewarding and challenging vocation.

The 2Civility Blog is a tool to think critically about and navigate the straight lines, curves, and detours of the legal profession. Our intent is to foster an open and ongoing dialogue. Don’t delay. Join the 2Civility Blog community and conversation.

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By: Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

Blog Authors

Dan Davies
Jayne Reardon
Laura Bagby
Mark C. Palmer
Ryan Wells
Sloane Oxley-Hase
Stephanie Villinski

Latest from 2Civility Blog

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Last month, I was fortunate enough to be involved in the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s (Commission) Future is Now: Legal Services 2.019 conference in Chicago (shameless plug – save the date for April 2020). The conference got me thinking about the nature of conferences, talks, the legal learning space and how they interact with the theories of learning architecture. Attorneys are some of the most adept people when it comes to absorbing…
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In recognition of Pride month, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (Commission) will feature biographies of LGBTQ+ legal professionals who promoted a culture of civility and inclusion within the Illinois legal community. Keep an eye out for additional biographies during June. Pearl Hart Pearl Hart was born in Traverse City, Michigan in 1890 as the fifth and only American born daughter in a family of Russian Jewish Immigrants. Shortly after her birth, Hart’s…
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Deadlines rule lawyers’ schedules whether they like it or not. For Illinois lawyers (last name N-Z) there is an important deadline coming up on June 30, 2019. The upcoming deadline is to report compliance with the 2017-2019 MCLE reporting period. No pressure, but there is under a month to go! Deadline Requirements Hopefully, this deadline and the MCLE requirements are not a surprise to you. As a quick refresher, the Illinois MCLE requirement is 30…
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Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s annual conference: The Future is Now: Legal Services 2.019. As a current law student, the speakers challenged me to think about leveraging technology in the legal profession. The conference was as much an honest self-reflection of the legal profession’s current environment as it was a showcase of the requisite professional competencies of the future lawyer. I left the conference…
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Earlier this month, hundreds of legal professionals gathered in Chicago to attend the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s The Future Is Now: Legal Services 2.019 conference. This year’s speakers explored topics including evolving alternative legal landscapes, novel access to justice solutions, legal innovation through technology, blueprints for change and more. While each talk varied, there was a common thread: how can lawyers embrace legal innovation while upholding the rule of law and their professional…
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One thing that defines the legal profession is that it’s “self-governing.” Lawyers have ethical regulations that bind them together in service to others. But do lawyer ethics rules effectively serve the profession? Do these regulations serve the public? Not as well as they should. Rationale for Self-Regulation What’s this notion of “self-regulation?” Lawyers aren’t licensed or regulated by a department within the executive branch of the government but by state supreme courts. This isn’t set…
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Legal innovation is all the rage in our profession. In fact, innovation has been a hot topic in many industries for a while now. Law’s stock in trade has been analyzing and applying specialized legal knowledge to solving clients’ problems. But since technology has made information widely available, lawyers no longer have a monopoly. The general public is searching the internet for legal information and services. Companies are selling legal information and services on the…
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When was the last time you evaluated your legal services in terms of client expectations? How about your legal marketing plan? For most, it’s rarely, if ever. Yet, we work in a service industry. While the maxim “the customer is always right” might seem misplaced in the legal profession, it doesn’t diminish the importance of taking a client-centered approach to the delivery of legal services. According to the 2018 Clio Legal Trends Report: “Clients…
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Lawyers have a duty to represent their clients. At the same, they have a responsibility to the legal system and the quality of justice administered. These three sets of obligations are laid out in the Preamble to the Rules of Professional Conduct. The Preamble urges lawyers to promote civility and to further the public’s confidence in the rule of law and the justice system. So what does it mean to promote civility and the rule of…
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Many people don’t seek legal assistance because they simply don’t know that they need legal help. They don’t realize they have a legal problem that has a legal solution. This education gap is where the access to justice issue begins, but isn’t where it should end. Can technology help improve access to justice? Increased accessibility and technology that identifies and addresses legal problems are gradually reducing barriers to equal justice under the law for all.…