Standing Committees

Standing Committees of the DuPage County Bar Association

 

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Encourage acceptability and understanding of ADR among the bench and bar; develop qualifications for ADR providers; and present educational programs; ensure and maintain the quality of the mediation service. Members must qualify as mediators and meet the qualifications as stated in Section 17b. of the by-laws.

Appellate Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area of law including administrative law. Keep current with legislation on local, state and national levels in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Integrate committee functions and goals with the Second District Appellate Court Justices.

Bankruptcy Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law. Keep current with legislation on local, state and national levels in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Act as liaison for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 trustees. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Business Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Children's Advocacy - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Civil Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel. Consider the formation of specific sub-committees to deal with specialized areas, i.e., federal practice, chancery, workers' compensation, et al. Review and consider periodic revisions of 18th Circuit Rules of Court.

Continuing Legal Education - To assist the DCBA and its members in organizing useful and effective continuing legal education programs, especially where the topics are broader than any individual committee’s area of interest, or where multiple sessions are being offered that span committee areas of interest.  

Responsibilities:  

  1. Organize and oversee a basic skills course to be offered in the Fall.
  2. Organize and oversee the DCBA Mega Meeting during the Winter.
  3. Organize and oversee the educational component of the President’s Trip.
  4. Organize and oversee any special-purpose educational programs or seminars that do not fit within any existing committee.

Criminal Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area and coordinate with the Legislative Liaison regarding any proposed changes in the law.  Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Editorial Board - The editorial board consists of 24 DCBA members appointed by the
Board of Directors.  Its purpose is to promote legal education, inform and serve DCBA members and the legal community as a whole by publishing scholarly articles, opinions, editorials and general information of interest contributed by its members as well as the DCBA membership at large and others from the legal community.

Entertainment - Submit budgets and reports to the Board of Directors prior to events as required. Plan all social functions of the Association including but not restricted to: Baseball outing, Holiday Party entertainment, President's Ball, Spring golf outing, Day at the Races, and Casino Nite. Develop proposals for new social events and evaluate existing ones.

Estate Planning and Probate Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Family Law and Practice - Monthly meetings are held at the Attorney’s Resource Center of the DuPage County Courthouse on the third Tuesday of each month from September through May. The committee provides a monthly case law update, reports on statutory changes, and proposed legislation relative to family law.  Meetings provide attendees with a survey of compelling topics
affecting family law practitioners and their clients. The goal of the Committee is to build upon existing knowledge while expanding upon new topics relating to family law.  The committee assists the domestic relations division with providing volunteers to work at the Help Desk, makes recommendations relative to the Local Court Rules, and provides volunteers to assist pro bono clients at the DuPage County Night Court program. The committee also supports the presiding judge to coordinate educational seminars for court appointed mediators and Guardians ad Litem.

Health Care Law Committee - Educate the members of the DuPage Bar Association on current issues in today’s health care area through a forum where ideas and trends are presented by the individuals who are addressing those issues in their daily activities as health care attorneys.  The health care committee can accomplish this by holding six to eight hour-long MCLE lunch hour meetings during the year and preparing an article for the DuPage Bar Association Brief.  Ideally, a member of the committee should share their expertise and present a topic on an issue they recently faced.

Intellectual Property Committee - The mission of the Intellectual Property Committee of the DuPage County Bar Association is to be a resource to local members who include intellectual property and business lawyers, members of corporate law departments, and private law firms, who encounter intellectual property issues in the course of representing their clients in connection with business transactions and litigation matters.  Via DCBA Brief articles and regular “Lunch ’N’ Learn”
seminars, the Intellectual Property Committee will, (a) keep IP practitioners who are members of the DCBA up to date on intellectual property issues, important case law, statutes, regulations and proposed legislation, and (b) inform the DCBA membership more generally about important IP topics which may affect their practices. 

Judges' Nite - Determine a suitable site for show and rehearsals; negotiate a contract for show locations and sound/lighting contractor. Prepare an estimated budget. Organize writers committee. Publicize the opportunity for participation as writers, actors and technical support. Secure ads for playbill. Provide the Board of Directors with a close-out report following the event.

Judiciary - The Judiciary Committee shall institute procedures for investigating and reporting upon qualifications of prospective judges and judicial officials and the retention of judges and judicial officials. The procedures employed and the distribution of results shall be in the manner established by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Upon the direction of the Board of Directors, the Judiciary Committee shall perform the following tasks and report the progress and results of its investigation to the Board

  1. Observe the functioning of all courts;
  2. Observe the manner in which each judge and judicial officer of the courts administers his or her office;Propose changes in the law relating to the election of judges, appointments thereof and the method of voting for judicial office;
  3. Initiate and prepare constitutional and statutory changes for the improvement of the methods of judicial election and selection;
  4. Gather information on subjects relating to the improvement of the administration of justice;
  5. Assist the courts in solving judicial problems and recommend improvements;
  6. Record outstanding judicial service and notable efforts to improve the administration of justice; and
  7. Investigate complaints involving the conduct of judges and judicial officers of all aforesaid courts.

The Judiciary Committee shall consist of nineteen members of the Association; Four who have been members of the Association for at least five years but less than ten years; four who have been members of the Association for at least ten years; four who have members of the Association for at least fifteen years; four members at-large and three most recent Past-Presidents of the Association able and willing to serve.

Labor and Employment Law and Practice - Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Law Day - Plan the annual Law Day activities conducted the first two weeks of May each year, aimed at educating the public about the legal system. Submit proposed arrangements by January 1st for "Law Day" presentation including but not limited to

  1. Mock trials at courthouse and elsewhere;
  2. County-wide moot trial competition;
  3. Selection of Liberty Bell Award recipient;
  4. Phone-in Ask-A-Lawyer at the Association office;
  5. Appointment of a scholarship committee to review applicants and make recommendations to the Board of Directors. 

Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Law in Literature Committee - As a committee of the DuPage County Bar Association, our mission is to advance the literary sophistication of its members in both classic and current writings
which embrace legal concepts and themes.   To fulfill this goal, specific works are periodically selected for individual reading followed by group discussion and critique.

Law Practice Management - Advise the Association regarding the economics of the practice of law, including but not limited to the use of word processing equipment, computers, software, uniform forms and the use of credit cards to assist the lawyers in more effective use of their skills and time. Review availability of professional liability insurance and any alternatives.

Lawyer Referral Service - The purpose of the Lawyer Referral Service is to assist the general public by providing a means by which any person who can afford to pay a reasonable fee for legal service can be referred to a qualified member of the bar. The service should be operated in a spirit of public cooperation.

The LRS Committee shall consist of seven members of the Association as follows

  1. The Third Vice President of the Association shall be the Chair;
  2. Three members of the Board as appointed by the President with advice of the Board;
  3. Three non-board members.

Legal Aid - Develop programs to meet the overwhelming needs for access to the justice system by DuPage County residents of low and fixed incomes. Develop programs and opportunities for members to participate in pro-bono services, and monitors issues affecting the indigent population of DuPage County in the delivery of legal services. Provide special recognition to outstanding pro-bono attorneys. Act as grievance committee for questionable client applications.

Legislative Liaison - Report to the Board of Directors and standing committees on legislative matters. Prepare a legislative agenda. Articulate Board resolutions to respective legislative bodies. Organize quarterly meeting with local representatives.

Local Government - Organize a list of village attorneys/counsel and host an open house at the Association office. Keep the Association fully informed of all case law, statutory and regulatory changes in this area including administrative law in coordination with Legislative Liaison. Survey various corporate in-house departments as to which service the DCBA could provide to these attorneys. Promote positive public relations with large corporations. Ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, and reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Media - Develop consistent public education/relations policy and publicize the accomplishments and activities of the Association and its members in a more accurate and favorable light. Work with the Chair of the Lawyer Referral Service Committee in implementing a weekly news column (Ask-A-Lawyer) with the Daily Herald. Coordinate and implement "People's Law School." The basic overview program is designed to teach the public about the legal system. Develop and implement community service projects and involve all committees in obtaining objectives of this committee. Enhance the image of attorneys and the Association particularly through the media.

Continue "Legal Action" cable television program. ensure that DCBA members speaking publicly comply with Speaker's Bureau rules, avoid personal editorial comments, reading standard "DCBA Disclaimer" as approved by general counsel.

Membership - Develop specific proposals and events to attract recent bar admittees into our membership and assist new admittees in making the transition from law school to law practice. Encourage the participation of recently admitted members of the DCBA in the activities of the Association. Promote the development of practical professional skills. Recommend and resolve any particular problems which may face a less experienced practitioner. Encourage a closer relationship between new and established members and coordinate efforts with Mentoring Program. Develop ways to keep new lawyers active in the Bar Association and utilize their skills.

Paralegal Committee - The Paralegal Committee is a forum created to promote and enhance high standards in the paralegal profession.  The Committee provides an opportunity to network with other DCBA members, and sponsors continuing legal education and professional development seminars throughout the year.  Paralegal committee members support each other through sharing their expertise in varied areas of legal practice. 

Planning Committee - The purpose of the Planning Committee is to develop, study and recommend to the Board of Directors suggestions for the future direction of the Association including activities and services; court facilities, programs, projects and income producing services. The Committee shall consist of the following: The Chair shall be the Second Vice President; the Vice Chair shall be the Third Vice President; other members of the Committee shall be appointed by the President with the advice of the Board of Directors and shall include at least the last three Past Presidents.

Professional Responsibility Committee - The Professional Responsibility Committee works with other DCBA committees and staff to ensure that there are opportunities for DCBA members to receive ethics credits for the MCLE presentations that those committees sponsor.  The Professional Responsibility Chair also arranges for mediation and/or arbitration of fee disputes between clients and attorneys that are submitted by either party to the DCBA for resolution.

Real Estate Law and Practice - The goal of the Real Estate Committee is to provide to its members the opportunity to learn about topical issues that affect the lives of the real estate attorney.  To achieve this goal, the committee offers MCLE lunch hour meetings during the year.  The co-chairs of the committee  invite attorneys and other professionals to address these meetings; the speakers are thus able to share their expertise with the members of the committee.  Time is always
available for questions and answers, thereby providing for additional educational opportunity.

Tax Law and Practice - Provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas and information concerning federal, state and local tax laws and regulations for tax and business lawyers, members of corporate law departments, business persons, CPAs, financial planners and other tax practitioners. Sponsor continuing legal education programs or distribute literature to educate the DCBA and general practitioners on the basic tax laws and to provide advanced instruction to experienced practitioners in all areas of tax law. Seek opportunities to clarify the tax laws and the procedures for their implementation as it affects tax practitioners.  Finally, look for ways to assist the DCBA membership and community in the area of tax compliance and tax awareness, and implement programs to benefit the DCBA membership and such community.