New Illinois Legal Ethics Rules

Description

The new Illinois Code of Professional Conduct was effective Jan. 1, 2010. There are new rules that define duties owed to prospective clients, duties of lawyers who serve as third-party neutrals, and duties of advocates in nonadjudicative proceedings, such as lawyer-lobbyists.

Other key issues include the scope of confidential information, reporting duties for in-house and outside counsel who learn of wrongful conduct committed by corporate or organizational employees, and attorney advertising, including electronic communications such as e-mail and websites.

Several rules govern firm management, including the management of retainer/fixed fees, and the sale of a law practice. The rules also address multi-jurisdictional practice and among other things, specify the circumstances where a lawyer not admitted in Illinois may render services in the state.

Listen as our authoritative panel of ethics attorneys guides you through the new Illinois ethics rules and how these new rules affect your practice.

Outline

1. Rules governing the attorney conduct and practices
   1. Scope of confidential information
   2. Duties to prospective clients
   3. Reporting duties for corporate counsel with information about corporate wrongdoing
   4. Attorneys who serve as third-party neutrals
   5. Advocates in nonadjudicative proceedings
   6. Multi-jurisdictional practice issues
2. Rules governing firm management and administration
   1. Retainer and fixed fees
   2. Billing clients for expenses
   3. Sale of a law firm
   4. Advertising and on-line communications (e-mail, websites)
3. Discussion of unanswered questions and remaining gray areas

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

• To what extent have the categories of permissible disclosure of protected information been expanded?
• What is the scope of an attorney's "reporting up" obligations in the face of learning of potential misconduct by a corporate or organizational employee?
• What do Illinois' new rules say about electronic communications such as e-mail and websites?
• How do the rules affect retainer/fixed fees and the billing of expenses?
• Under what circumstances can a lawyer not admitted in Illinois render services in the state?

Following the speaker presentations, you'll have an opportunity to get answers to your specific questions during the interactive Q&A.

Webinar/Teleconference

Strafford webinars/teleconferences offer several options for participation: online viewing of speaker-controlled PowerPoint presentations with audio via computer speakers or via phone; or audio only via telephone (download speaker handouts prior to the program).  Please note that our webinars do not feature videos of the presenters.

Ethics Credits

An excellent opportunity to earn ETHICS CLE credits in Illinois.

CLE Credit

Strafford's live seminars qualify for CLE in every state that accredits webinars. They offer you a high quality, cost effective, and convenient CLE option, with no lost travel time or expenses.

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