Our Blog

January 14, 2020

Make Law Better by Looking Outside Law—Retail and Travel Edition

With the holiday season just behind us, one thing we all did recently was buy things—often lots of things—and many of us took a year-end trip as well. So it seemed only natural to start my 2020 Resolution for the Legal Profession series by focusing on what we can learn from the retail and travel industries.

Like the Uber/taxi analogy I have explored previously, there obviously are big differences in law compared to retail and travel. But there are overarching trends in those industries we ignore at our peril. Chief among them are the way they are shaping consumer expectations and the important lessons for how we can better connect to clients and deliver our services.

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December 30, 2019

CBF Seeks JEP Community & Training Manager

The Justice Entrepreneurs Project Community & Training Manager will be responsible for serving as the point person for and manager of the JEP Network, Managing and continually evaluating the JEP curriculum, mentoring program and knowledge management tools, and developing user-friendly and accessible resources for public education and outreach.  The CBF offers a competitive salary, […]

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December 16, 2019

2020 Resolution—Make Law Better by Looking Outside Law

One of the common traits of our legal profession is to view
ourselves as unique in the world. And that is certainly true to an extent, as the
practice of law involves specialized expertise and services that good lawyers
are distinctively able to provide.

But we are not as unique as we think we are, particularly when it comes to the business of law and the way we deliver our services. For that reason, my Fourth Annual New Year’s Resolution for our Profession is to break out of our legal bubble. There is much we can learn from other professions and industries to improve both the practice of law and access to justice.

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December 16, 2019

JEP moveJEP Has All the Moves

We are excited to announce that the CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project has officially moved its headquarters to 73 W. Monroe, Suite 100. After a wonderful 6-year run in the lofty, heavy timber office space just west of Union Station, the JEP is keeping it moving and getting closer to the action in the Loop. […]

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December 13, 2019

Lawyers in the Classroom

Looking to give back in the new year? The Edward J. Lewis II Lawyers in the Classroom program is seeking volunteers to visit second through eighth grade classrooms to help students to better understand the U.S. Constitution, our legal system, and law-related careers through a fun, interactive curriculum. Learn more at a training on […]

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November 22, 2019

Build It and They Might Not Come

Since the days of yore, our courts and larger legal system
have centered around a “build it and they will come” model that requires people
to come to us on our terms. If you have a dispute, come downtown to the courthouse
and they’ll take care of it. And if you have a legal problem, come see one of
the many good lawyers out there and you’ll be all set.

This model worked pretty well for literally centuries, and the more centralized system of justice still has an important place in our modern world. But the growing reality today is that most people the system is designed to serve don’t know about, don’t trust, or do not feel connected to our traditional justice system. Finding better ways to connect people in their own communities with legal help and access to the legal process is an increasingly critical part of ensuring equal access to justice going forward.

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November 19, 2019

Fourteenth Cohort of JEPers Kick Off 18-month Incubator Program

A few weeks ago, the CBF Justice Entrepreneurs Project welcomed five fantastic attorneys into the program. The “Fab Five,” as they’ve come to be known, are excited to build the type of client-centric firms that embody the principles of the JEP, committed to providing affordable services to the underserved. The new JEPers will join over […]

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November 18, 2019

Kudos to Amanda Insalaco!

The CBF extends a hearty congratulations to Amanda Insalaco, our 2016 Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholar! Amanda, who graduated from DePaul College of Law last May, received a prestigious Borchard Fellowship in Law & Aging for 2019-2020 hosted by the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL), a CBF grantee.

The Borchard Fellowship will give Amanda […]

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November 16, 2019

Long-time CBF Leader Austin Hirsch Recognized by Bulletin of Atomic Scientists

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists this month honored one of our long-time CBF partners and leaders, Austin Hirsch, with a lifetime achievement award. The award recognizes individuals who make major contributions in the fields of journalism, science, advocacy, and art to create a healthier, safer planet.

Austin is a former CBF board member who remains an […]

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November 12, 2019

New CBA/CBF Task Force Aims to Lead Our Profession into the Future

The CBA and CBF earlier this month launched a new Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law & Innovation with the interconnected goals of making legal services more affordable and accessible for the public and making the practice of law more innovative and sustainable for lawyers. Building on the CBA and CBF’s prior leadership on these issues and similar efforts in other jurisdictions, the Task Force will reimagine the way we regulate the business of law in Illinois and ultimately make recommendations to the Illinois Supreme Court to modernize the Rules of Professional Conduct to advance these goals. Learn more…

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