Our Blog

July 20, 2020

Where’s the Proof?

This is a common refrain from the naysayer crowd when the subject of regulatory reform and access to justice is raised. And we can be sure we will hear it when the CBA and CBF Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law & Innovation releases its report and recommendations for public comment this week.

From the beginning of time, this has been the anthem of all who fear change and resist progress. It is a misguided question because, after all, how can you prove something that has not happened yet? When the question is properly framed in this context, however, it turns out there actually is lots of proof that underscores the urgent need for regulatory reform.

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July 16, 2020

court buildingGroundbreaking New Research Report Shows that Legal Assistance Has a Broad Range of Impacts on Case Outcomes and Court Efficiency

A new research report based on a comprehensive study in California shows that access to civil legal aid has a broad range of significant positive impacts. Specifically, the report underscores that access to legal assistance improved case outcomes, significantly increased perceptions of fairness, and…

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July 15, 2020

daley center external shotCBF/Circuit Court Pro Se Advisory Committee Recommends Changes to Make Remote Court Services More Accessible and Efficient

The Circuit Court of Cook County reopened on Monday, July 6 after being largely closed to the public for over three months. In anticipation of some of the unique challenges self-represented litigants will face in this new environment, the CBF/Circuit Court Pro Se Advisory Committee made several recommendations…

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July 14, 2020

cbf award 2020 recipientsFirst Virtual CBA and CBF Pro Bono Awards Celebration

Seven unsung heroes in the legal profession were recognized and celebrated for their extraordinary service to our community at The Chicago Bar Association and The Chicago Bar Foundation’s 22nd annual but first virtual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Celebration on Tuesday, July 14, 2020.

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July 2, 2020

judge kinnaird photoJudge Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird (1949 – 2020)

The CBF mourns the sudden passing of Judge Dorothy Kirie Kinnaird.  Throughout her career, Judge Kinnaird worked to make our justice system more fair, accessible, and efficient for all.  She believed deeply in serving others and dedicated countless hours to improving the legal profession and access to the courts, exemplified by her exemplary leadership service […]

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June 16, 2020

Making Law Better By Looking Outside of Law—The Wrap

When I kicked off my 2020 Resolution for the Legal Profession series back in December, to say the world looked different from today would be the understatement of the century. But for everything else that can be said about how much things have changed in just a matter of months, the central point of the resolution—that there is much our legal profession can learn by looking at other professions and industries—has only become more apparent.

The way we do business in law already was not working well for the average person or for the lawyers trying to serve the consumer legal market, and other professions and industries were far ahead of us in modernizing their business practices. As we all adapt to the new normal where more people than ever need legal help and where remote, multichannel access will forevermore be a fundamental part of our lives, it is even more urgent for our legal profession to look beyond ourselves for solutions.

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June 16, 2020

task force meetingCBA/CBF Task Force Preparing to Release Draft Report for Public Comment

The CBA/CBF Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law & Innovation is putting the final touches on a comprehensive report and recommendations for modernizing our regulatory framework for the business of law.  The product of nine months of hard work by dozens of dedicated volunteers working on five committees, the next step is to share […]

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June 2, 2020

A Time for Our Legal Community to Reflect and Act

The CBF joins The Chicago Bar Association in standing with all who seek justice for George Floyd and echoes the words of CBA President Jesse Ruiz.

The events of the past week have underscored how far our country remains from achieving the fundamental American ideal that we all stand equal before the law. Communities of color continue to experience the legal system in different ways than everyone else, and too often with deadly consequences, as the whole world has seen with the death of George Floyd and too many others.

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May 26, 2020

illinois supreme court roomIllinois Supreme Court Enters Order Supporting CARES Act Housing Protections

The CBF and its partners in the legal aid community helped advocate for a Supreme Court Order based on the protections for tenants outlined in the federal CARES Act. Under the Act, landlords are required to wait until after July 25 to issue any eviction notices to renters in housing units that are part of […]

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May 26, 2020

illinois supreme courtIllinois Supreme Court Adopts New Rule and Policy Encouraging Remote Court Appearances

Through its ongoing partnership with the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, the CBF helped draft the new Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Remote Court Appearances in Civil Proceedings and Supreme Court Rule 45.

The CBF has long advocated for increased remote access to the court system seeing the benefits that simple technologies can […]

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