$109 Illinois MCLE - 30 Credits

ABA Ethics Rule 3.3 and Electronic Data Discovery

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Professional Responsibility

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

The course provides an in-depth exploration of ABA Model Rule 3.3 and its critical application to electronic discovery, emphasizing the attorney?s duty of candor toward the tribunal. It examines ethical obligations to disclose adverse legal authority and correct misrepresentations in both traditional and digitally stored evidence, addressing challenges such as metadata integrity, preservation of electronic evidence, and the complexities introduced by advanced technologies like AI, blockchain, and predictive coding. Additionally, the course discusses practical issues including client fraud, improper handling of encrypted or cloud-based data, and the ethical pitfalls of automated document review, ensuring that legal professionals are well-equipped to maintain the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of digital evidence in modern litigation.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: AI Taxonomy and Terminology

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, "AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: AI Taxonomy and Terminology," provides an in-depth exploration of artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing its relevance to the legal profession. It defines AI broadly, covering various subsets such as machine learning, generative text, image, and video AI, as well as supervised, unsupervised, semi-supervised, reinforcement, and self-supervised learning. The course discusses practical applications in legal contexts, from enhancing document analysis and evidence management to predictive legal analytics. It also addresses potential legal issues related to privacy, intellectual property, liability, algorithmic bias, and compliance. By examining specific AI technologies including facial recognition, object detection, self-driving cars, drones, robotic assistants, virtual assistants, and AI-powered recruitment and trading agents, the course underscores both the transformative potential and the legal challenges associated with AI integration into law practice.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Computer Vision

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, An AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Computer Vision, provides legal professionals with a comprehensive understanding of how computer vision, a branch of artificial intelligence, intersects with legal practice. It begins by introducing the fundamentals of computer vision and its growing relevance in law, especially in areas such as surveillance, intellectual property, discovery, and digital evidence. The course explores technical concepts including neural networks and deep learning while addressing legal challenges related to evidence admissibility, privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical concerns. It also covers practical applications in forensic investigations, litigation, document verification, and regulatory compliance, equipping attorneys with the knowledge to navigate and leverage these technologies effectively in their legal work.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Large Language Models

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, "AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Large Language Models," provides attorneys with a comprehensive understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs), covering their definition, training processes, and implications for legal practice. Participants learn how LLMs use neural networks trained on vast text datasets to perform versatile language-based tasks, such as drafting legal documents, conducting research, and automating routine tasks, thereby significantly impacting fields like customer service, education, journalism, and especially law. The course emphasizes critical ethical considerations, including attorney-client confidentiality, data privacy (GDPR compliance), bias and fairness in outputs, and intellectual property rights. Additionally, it explores practical strategies for attorneys to integrate LLMs responsibly into their workflows, addressing challenges such as hallucinations (misinformation), admissibility of AI-generated evidence, malpractice risks, cybersecurity concerns, and compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, the course equips attorneys with essential AI literacy skills, enabling them to balance innovation with professional ethics and competence as AI technologies continue to transform the legal landscape.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford
• Dr. Russ Biagio Altman

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Machine Learning

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Machine Learning, provides a comprehensive introduction to machine learning (ML) and its transformative implications in the legal field. It begins with foundational concepts, exploring the core principles, workflows, and models of ML, while distinguishing it from traditional programming. Tailored specifically for legal professionals, the course emphasizes the growing significance of ML in areas such as legal research, contract review, eDiscovery, and predictive analytics. It delves into key ethical and legal considerations, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, attorney-client privilege, and regulatory compliance with laws like GDPR. Participants are guided through real-world legal applications, challenges in evidentiary standards, liability concerns, and cross-examination of ML-based expert witnesses. The course also examines ML's impact on workplace surveillance, insurance, criminal justice, antitrust, and financial services. Throughout, attorneys are encouraged to develop technical fluency, adopt ethical best practices, and stay abreast of evolving legal frameworks to effectively navigate and leverage ML tools in modern legal practice.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Anxiety and Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Mental Health - Substance Abuse

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

The course explores the significant issue of anxiety-driven substance abuse among legal professionals, highlighting factors such as chronic workplace stress, demanding billable-hour systems, cultural stigma surrounding mental health, and competitive legal environments. It examines commonly abused substances, including alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal drugs, as coping mechanisms for unmanaged anxiety. Additionally, the course delves into the severe consequences of substance abuse, including ethical violations, disciplinary actions, compromised client outcomes, and impaired decision-making. It emphasizes the critical role of supportive workplace policies, specialized treatment programs, lawyer assistance programs, mindfulness and resilience strategies, and proactive advocacy and education to address these challenges and promote healthier practices within the legal community​

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Artificial Intelligence and Electronic Discovery

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course about Electronic Discovery and Artificial Intelligence in Practice of Law will explore ten topics that are relevant to attorneys. First, the course will explore ai-powered document review for legal discovery efficiency. Next, the course will investigate predictive coding in e-discovery: accuracy and ethical implications. The course will then explore using machine learning to identify privileged information. After this, the course will investigate automating legal hold notices with artificial intelligence. Next, the material will cover evaluating ai algorithms for relevance in e-discovery processes. The course will then turn towards impact of ai on e-discovery costs and time management. Next, the course will investigate challenges of integrating ai in small law firms' e-discovery. The course will then explore regulatory compliance for ai use in legal e-discovery. Lastly, the material will cover data privacy concerns in ai-driven e-discovery procedures.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Client Confidentiality and Ethical Electronic Data Discovery

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Professional Responsibility

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, "Client Confidentiality and Ethical Electronic Data Discovery," provides a comprehensive exploration of ABA Model Rule 1.6 and its implications for legal professionals handling electronically stored information (ESI). It emphasizes the duty of attorneys to protect client confidences, highlighting key ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies, data discovery, and e-discovery processes. Participants are introduced to strategies for safeguarding sensitive information, such as metadata management, secure cloud storage, encryption, and the use of ethical screening software. The course also addresses practical measures for managing confidentiality in situations involving litigation holds, third-party vendors, social media data, and privilege logs, offering actionable solutions for reducing risks. By underscoring the importance of technological competence, the curriculum equips attorneys to navigate complex legal landscapes while upholding their ethical obligations. From proactive planning to disaster recovery, this course fosters a thorough understanding of how to balance transparency with confidentiality and prevent inadvertent disclosures. Through this knowledge, attorneys can enhance their professional integrity, client trust, and compliance with ABA ethical standards in an increasingly digital legal environment.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Common HR Concerns in the Workplace

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

In "Common HR Concerns in the Workplace," HR specialist and business consultant Ginny Kuehl, and attorney Russell Jackman discuss specific HR issues affecting law offices, identify issues of Violence and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in all businesses and provide a review of OSHA and other rules and regulations of which lawyers should be aware. They offer valuable advice on how to recognize and address workplace Violence and Sexual Harassment situations so as to minimize risks for employers and employees alike.

Faculty:

• Russell Jackman, Esq.
• Ginny Kuhel

Computer Security Trends for Attorneys and Law Offices

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

In keeping with the intent of the ABA Rules, it is important for all attorneys to stay up to date on matters of material importance to their practice, this discussion updates our previous program informing attorneys about the ongoing trends in Legal Technology for Computer Security Trends. This will include discussion about the 2023 ABA Resolutions 608-610, the increasing use of AI for both positive and negative uses in the legal realm, the upcoming transition from windows 10 to windows 11 and some tips/trends to keep an eye on in the near future.

Faculty:

• Russell Jackman, Esq.

Cybersecurity for Attorneys

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This comprehensive course, "Cyber Security for Attorneys," addresses the legal profession's increasing dependence on digital infrastructure and the critical need to protect sensitive client data from sophisticated cyber threats. Participants will explore the ethical duty of technological competence and understand why law firms are prime targets for hackers. The curriculum covers common threats such as phishing, ransomware, and wire transfer fraud, while providing practical guidance on defensive measures like multi-factor authentication, email encryption, and secure remote work practices. The course also details essential strategies for developing firm-wide cybersecurity policies, creating incident response plans, managing vendor security, and complying with data breach notification laws.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Diversity, Inclusion and Implicit Bias in Attorney Performance Evaluations

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Diversity and Inclusion

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course explores the critical issues of diversity, inclusion, and implicit bias in attorney performance evaluations within legal organizations. It addresses how implicit biases, unconscious attitudes or stereotypes, can significantly affect fairness in performance reviews, particularly regarding gender, race, communication styles, leadership perceptions, and intersectional identities. Throughout, it emphasizes the importance of identifying biases through quantitative and qualitative methods, promoting transparency, and implementing structured evaluation frameworks and regular bias training. Additionally, the course highlights the negative impact biases have on career trajectories, promotions, compensation decisions, and perceptions of competence and credibility. Effective strategies to mitigate bias include employing standardized metrics, diverse evaluation panels, anonymous assessments, and technology-driven solutions like artificial intelligence. Ultimately, the course advocates for accountability and proactive measures to foster equitable evaluations and inclusive organizational cultures.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

eDiscovery with Slack, Teams, and the Cloud

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course provides legal professionals with essential strategies for managing electronic discovery in modern collaboration environments. The course contrasts traditional email-based discovery with the unique challenges of dynamic chat platforms , addressing the complexities introduced by Slack, Microsoft Teams, and cloud storage. Participants will learn to navigate critical issues such as the preservation of ephemeral messages, emojis, and GIFs ; maintaining context in fragmented conversations ; and handling hyperlinks and attachments. The curriculum covers practical applications including updating legal hold notices , implementing preservation in Microsoft 365 , using platform-specific APIs and tools like Microsoft Purview , authenticating chat data for admissibility , and negotiating modern ESI protocols. The program also emphasizes the ethical duty of technological competence while addressing key legal principles like proportionality , privilege , and cross-border data privacy.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Electronic Discovery and the Cloud in the Practice of Law

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course about electronic discovery and the cloud in practice of law will explore ten topics that are relevant to attorneys. First, the course will explore legal implications of cloud storage in electronic discovery. Next, the course will investigate data privacy challenges in cloud-based electronic discovery. The course will then explore preservation obligations in cloud-stored electronic evidence. After this, the course will investigate accessing and securing cloud data in legal investigations. Next, the material will cover compliance with esi protocols in cloud environments. The course will then turns towards impact of gdpr on U.S. cloud discovery practices. Next, the course will investigate authenticity verification of cloud-stored legal documents. The course will then explore cloud service provider agreements in ESI management. The course will next investigate legal ethics in using cloud platforms for ediscovery. Lastly, the material will cover cost-effective cloud solutions for small law firms.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Employment Law Facts Every Virginia Attorney Should Know

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

Several new laws went into effect in 2020 that shifted Virginia from a from a pro-employer state to a decidedly pro-employee state. The new laws create a much greater risk of liability for employers. This course is designed to get attorneys up to date with this new regulatory landscape and discusses both civil and criminal liabilities that employers may face. Topics include independent contracting, liabilities for unpaid wages, discrimination liabilities, the pros and cons of arbitration, pregnant employee rights and numerous other important legal issues.

Faculty:

• Anne G. Bibeau, Esq

Ethics of Bankruptcy in the Practice of Law

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Professional Responsibility

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course about ethical issues of bankruptcy in the practice of law will explore ten topics that are relevant to attorneys. First, the course will explore conflicts of interest in bankruptcy client representation. Next, the course will investigate disclosure requirements for attorneys in bankruptcy cases. The course will then explore ethical dilemmas in advising clients about bankruptcy fraud. After this, the course will investigate transparency and honesty in bankruptcy petitions filed by lawyers. Next, the material will cover attorney fees and ethical concerns in bankruptcy proceedings. The course will then turn towards duty of competence in handling bankruptcy matters. Next, the course will investigate confidentiality issues in bankruptcy practice. The course will then explore attorney responsibility in reporting client misconduct in bankruptcy. The course will next investigate fraudulent transfers and lawyer ethical boundaries. Lastly, the material will cover misrepresentation of bankruptcy exemptions by legal practitioners.

Faculty:

• Victor Perri, Esq

Fundamentals of Attorney Well-Being

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Mental Health - Substance Abuse

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This CLE course equips lawyers with a practical, evidence-informed toolkit for sustaining attorney well-being while maintaining high performance in demanding legal environments. The course defines well-being as a multidimensional skill set, then explains how stress physiology can erode concentration, judgment, and health, and how to distinguish burnout from depression and anxiety so participants can respond appropriately. From there, it delivers concrete, usable strategies on sleep fundamentals, sustainable boundaries and availability norms, time and attention management systems that reduce chronic overload, emotional regulation in conflict-heavy practice, managing perfectionism and fear of mistakes, and interrupting rumination and worry. The program also covers mindfulness without mystique, micro-breaks and recovery routines, flexible exercise and nutrition habits for long days and travel, substance use risk warning signs, building social support outside the firm, healthy communication and assertiveness, handling difficult clients without emotional spillover, secondary trauma and compassion fatigue, creating psychological safety on teams, digital hygiene for email and notifications, coping with trial and deal surges, financial stress as a well-being factor, effective use of therapy, coaching, and employee assistance programs, preventing isolation in remote and hybrid practice, ergonomics and injury prevention, values-based career alignment, recognizing when professional help is needed, crisis planning for acute stress, and building a long-term well-being plan with accountability.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Mobile Device Discovery in Litigation

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course, "Mobile Device Discovery in Litigation", provides legal professionals with a comprehensive guide to navigating the complexities of Electronic Data Discovery (EDD) involving mobile devices. The curriculum addresses the unique challenges mobile devices pose due to their personal nature, diverse data types, and the proliferation of apps. Key topics include identifying relevant devices and data sources, comparing collection methods, managing company-owned devices versus BYOD policies, and crafting effective legal holds. Participants will explore strategies for preserving and discovering challenging data types, including text messages, disappearing messages, cloud backups, location data, and data from social media and health apps. The course also delves into critical legal issues such as the dangers of client self-collection, spoliation, proportionality arguments, privacy concerns, the Fifth Amendment, authenticating evidence, hearsay objections, and working effectively with digital forensics experts.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Preparing Your First Appeal: From Opening Brief to Oral Argument

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the appellate process in civil law, emphasizing its significance for solo and small practice litigators. It covers fundamental aspects such as what decisions can be appealed, the distinctions between trial and appellate courts, and the procedural rigor required in appellate practice. The discussion includes key considerations for deciding whether to appeal, ethical responsibilities in advising clients, and the importance of timely communication. It also addresses practical elements like filing notices of appeal, the structure of opening briefs, and the critical role of oral arguments. Additionally, this course highlights the necessity of understanding local court rules, maintaining a high-level tone, and being precise with citations. It underscores the importance of protecting a trial win and provides insights through the case study of Pinter-Brown v. Regents of the University of California, illustrating the complexities and strategic considerations inherent in the appellate process.

Faculty:

• David Graulich, Esq.

Rule 1.1 Competence - A Case Law Exploration

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Professional Responsibility

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

The American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, first adopted in 1983, represent a comprehensive framework for ethical legal practice in the United States. ABA Rule 1.1: Competence is a fundamental ethical requirement in the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct that mandates lawyers to provide competent representation to their clients. Competence means having the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation. This rule underscores the importance of lawyers maintaining their legal skills through continuous study and education. It ensures that clients receive professional and adequate legal services, protecting their legal rights and interests. Violations of this rule can lead to disciplinary actions against lawyers, emphasizing the rule's critical role in maintaining the integrity and quality of the legal profession. This course will explore different facets of this rule by examining important cases such as Strickland v. Washington (1984), Nix v. Whiteside (1986), and Roe v. Flores-Ortega (2000).

Faculty:

• Victor Perri, Esq

Storytelling in the Courtroom

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

As a trial lawyer, what do you really need in order to win your case? Attention ? the jury's attention. I don't mean that in the narcissistic "everyone look at me" sense. When I say every trial lawyer wants more attention, what I mean is that before you can build a rapport with the jury and earn their trust, you have to fight a war ? the war for the jury's attention. "Attention" and "connection" are the key elements needed to win the minds and hearts of the jury.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part II

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

Like it or not, we are in the midst of an attention war. We need to confront the reality that the jury's attention can no longer be taken for granted. We have to change our way of thinking to focus on gaining attention before we can leave lasting impressions. The jury's attention must be the currency that every trial lawyer trades in. In this presentation, I will talk about how storytelling can help lawyers to cut through all of the noise and distractions of everyday life in order to connect to the jury on a human level.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part III

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

Stories are told in two basic modes: (1) narrative summary and (2) scenes. Narrative summary is an overview. It?s an expository way of moving the audience along in the story. It?s very much ?telling.? Most Nineteenth Century novels begin with narrative summary. For example, ?It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.? It?s more conceptual than cinematic.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part IV

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

Kristin Linklater, one of the great voice instructors, puts it like this:?There?s a desire to speak?an impulse. It runs down the spinal column and through the central nervous system galvanizing simultaneously the breathing mechanism and the laryngeal mechanism into an activity that creates a vibration which is immediately amplified by surrounding resonating surfaces into voice. At the same time the impulse activates movements of lips and tongue that deliver words."

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

The ABCs of the Remote Law Practice

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

Join lawyers Jacob Stein, Diane Camacho, Larry Cohn, and Michael Bono as they delve into the world of remote law practice in this enlightening discussion. Discover the advantages and practical tips for running a successful remote law firm, including:

• Benefits such as reduced overhead costs and reaching a wider client base.
• Overcoming common obstacles like breaking old habits and dispelling misconceptions about professionalism.
• Effective communication strategies for both individual and group meetings.
• Innovative business development tactics like hosting webinars and networking through joint ventures.
• Financial management essentials, including trust account separation and utilizing specialized software for bookkeeping and reporting.
• Embracing technology with cloud storage, practice management software, and document automation tools.
• Leveraging AI legal research and drafting tools like Co-Counsel, Spellbook, and GAVL to boost efficiency. Gain valuable insights from the speakers' own experiences as they share tips for embracing technology and ensuring the security and effectiveness of remote law practices.

Faculty:

• Jacob Stein, Esq
• Diane Camacho
• Michael Bono
• Lawrence Kohn

The Importance of Civility in the Legal Profession

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: Civility

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This CLE course examines civility as a core professional and ethical obligation in legal practice, distinguishing it from mere courtesy and exploring how civil conduct underpins effective advocacy, judicial efficiency, and public trust in the justice system. Drawing on real-world litigation contexts?including courtroom advocacy, written practice, discovery disputes, negotiations, client management, and digital communication?the course analyzes how incivility escalates conflict, increases costs, undermines ethical compliance, and harms lawyer well-being, while also addressing power dynamics, bias, and high-conflict practice areas. Participants will gain practical strategies for maintaining zealous advocacy without crossing into incivility, responding skillfully to uncivil conduct, meeting judicial expectations, and integrating civility into professional identity, mentorship, and firm culture, reframing civility not as a ?soft skill? but as a foundational competence essential to justice, professionalism, and long-term success in the legal profession.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Trust Account Basics

Illinois MCLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Illinois MCLE Course Details:

This session will cover the practical aspects of managing Client Trust Accounts in a law firm and what profitability measures lawyers should be reviewing.

• Client Trust Account Protection Program [CTAPP]
• What reports should you have for your trust account?
• How should your trust account be reconciled?
• Common mistakes

Faculty:

• Diane Camacho