New Year. New You. New Ways to Think About Wellness in 2025

This is an in-person program 3:00-4:30pm hosted at The Chicago Bar Association building (321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604). Reception following program.

Are you struggling with overwhelm or burnout and looking to improve your wellness in 2025?  Attorney and wellness advocate, Erin Clifford of Clifford Law Offices, will join the CBA for a special event that will inspire you to think about wellness in new ways as you enter the new year. Erin will discuss how attorney wellness is evolving in the post-pandemic era, covering topics ranging from differences in generational perspectives on wellness to the impact of bullying and incivility. She will also provide tangible strategies for lawyers to achieve better wellness. Erin will then be joined by a multi-generational panel of attorneys who will discuss how lawyers of all ages can work together to improve wellness in the legal profession. After the program, attendees are encouraged to stay and mingle at a networking reception.

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

This is a hybrid event with an in-person and a webinar option. Please select the appropriate button when registering if you plan to attend in-person.

Each year, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Media honors attorneys from a survey of Illinois practitioners who are up and comers in the legal profession. Honorees are selected based on a number of criteria, but specifically their unique and exceptional results and lawyering skills. Join us for a panel discussion with a select group of CBA-member honorees to learn more about their career paths, tips for those looking to stand out in their field, and what advice or influences helped them to get where they are today. The panel will be hosted at the CBA and virtually, with a reception to follow. 

Speakers:
Kathryne Hayes, Collins Bargione & Vuckovich 
Margaret Mendenhall Casey, City of Chicago Department of Law
Michael Sciaccotta, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Kyle Shires, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
Thomas Tomasik, Clifford Law Offices 

Moderator: 
Trisha Rich, Holland & Knight, LLP 

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Ring in the New Year with Intrinsic Motivation to Make Your Resolutions Stick

As we welcome the new year, many of us will identify resolutions and other goals we want to accomplish in the coming months.  Unfortunately, studies suggest that a huge majority of people—up to 80% will give up on them by the end of February, with only an estimated 8% sticking to their resolutions throughout the whole year.

Join us in this interactive workshop, where we will explore strategies and techniques to leverage intrinsic motivation to better accomplish our personal and professional goals, and help us break through any procrastination that has been holding us back from getting through our to-do lists. 

During this program, attendees will:
-Learn about three different types of internal motivators and how each one can help spur us to action (or break down the barriers that cause inaction);
-Gain a better understanding of the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, their impact on productivity, and how they can be harmonized; and
-Practice evidence-based techniques to apply these strategies to a resolution or goal that they are working through (or would like to start working on)

Speaker: 
Jonathan Beitner is the Founder of Beitner Coaching & Consulting.  Jonathan is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to the intersection of professional development and well-being.  He helps individuals identify and achieve their goals, and works with firms, law schools, and Fortune 500 companies to help their lawyers, students, and staff be more productive, happier, and healthier through individual coaching and evidence-based group programming. As a co-creator of the American Bar Association’s Well-Being Pledge, a lead organizer for the inaugural Well-Being Week in Law, and one of the drafters of the Mental Health and Substance Use CLE requirement in Illinois, Jonathan has experience creating and implementing industry-wide initiatives to help lawyers thrive.  He also serves as the Featured Well-Being Coach for the Chicago Bar Association. Jonathan previously practiced as a commercial litigator at an Am Law 100 firm and clerked for federal judges on the Sixth Circuit and Eastern District of Michigan after graduating from the University of Michigan Law School. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two young daughters.

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

A little over a year has passed since cash bail was abolished in Illinois. During this seminar, speakers from the Cook County Public Defender’s Office will take a deep dive into how the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) is put into practice in the courtroom on a daily basis. The panel will discuss navigating initial appearance hearings, the PFA appeals process, and provide access to important PFA legal resources for criminal attorneys. The goal of this seminar is to help practitioners understand the ins and outs of the Pretrial Fairness Act. 

Speakers: 
Abir Ahmed, Assistant Public Defender, Cook County Public Defender’s Office
Sharlyn Grace, Senior Policy Advisor, Cook County Public Defender’s Office
Patricia Jjemba, Director of Legislative and External Affairs, Cook County Public Defender’s Office
Tiara Morgan, Assistant Public Defender, Cook County Public Defender’s Office 

Moderators: 
Ashley Rodriguez, Second Chance Law LLC
Robert Alexander, Vanguard Advocates, LLP
Co-Chairs, YLS Criminal Law Committee

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

This is an In-Person program at The Chicago Bar Association (321 S. Plymouth Ct, Chicago, IL 60604).

Topic: The New Administration: What it Means for the Financial Services Industry  

Speakers: Ryan Carney, Government Affairs Advisor, K&L Gates
Jim Durkin, Partner, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres
Moderator: Daniel Reicher, Director of Regulatory Strategy and Initiatives, Jump Trading LL

(IL MCLE credit for live meeting only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: How Consumer Issues Make the News: A Law and Media Panel Discussion

Speakers: Stephanie Zimmermann, Consumer Investigations Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
Jason Knowles, Consumer Investigator, WLS-TV (ABC 7)
Moderator: Daniel Schneider, Supervisory Attorney, Legal Action Chicago

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Kickstart 2025 with IT Best Practices for Law Firms. Join Framework IT to learn the 7 areas of technology proven to help law firm leaders protect sensitive data and do their best work. By the end of this session, you’ll know how to proactively prevent IT issues, stop reacting to cybersecurity threats, and instead, have more time to focus on what really matters: protecting your clients’ legal rights. 

Speakers:
Olivia Anderson, Director of Sales, Framework IT
Adam Barney, President, Framework IT
Christopher Graham, Sr. vCIO, Framework IT
Mike Kolb, COO, Framework IT

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Recent Legislation and Current Issues in Child Welfare Legislation

Speakers: Danielle Gomez, Director of Legislative Affairs, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Divisions, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Elise Melrose, Senior Attorney for Legislative Affairs, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Divisions, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

This seminar will be an overview of tax sales and deeds, assessments, and assessment appeals by industry leaders. 

TAX DEEDS 101
Terry J. Carter, Carter Legal Group, P.C. 
Gregory M. Reiter, Reiter Law Offices Ltd.
John W. Stanko Jr., Stanko McCarthy Law Group Ltd.

ASSESSMENT AND APPEALS 101
Assessments, The Tax Bill, Tax Calculations and A Brief Overview Of The Tax Appeal Process
Steven Kandelman, Rieff Schramm Kanter & Guttman LLC

The Assessor’s Office Process
Cook County Assessor’s Office 
Christina T. Lynch, Legal & Ethics Officer 

The Board of Review’s Process 
Cook County Board of Review 
Speaker: TBA 

Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) and Specific Objections (SPO)
Lauren Elliott, Elliott & Associates

Moderator:
Dora Cornelio, Schmidt Salzman & Moran, Ltd.; Chair, CBA Real Estate Taxation Committee

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Genetic Information and Privacy Act: What Is It and Why Is It Relevant?

Speaker: Alexa Bradley, Associate Attorney, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.