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    • October 08, 2026
    • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • Zoom
    • 433
    Register


           


    The Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois (ALA), The Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District and Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Invite You to Attend a CLE Training:

    How Appealing: Free CLE to Become a Volunteer Attorney in the Second District Appellate Court's Pilot Mediation Program

    This two-hour CLE will prepare lawyers to (1) better assist their clients in appellate mediation and (2) qualify attorneys to engage with the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District in its launch of a pilot program for appellate mediation for some self-represented litigants [SRLs]. The pilot responds to the increasing number of SRLs in the appellate court and improves access to justice by providing video-conference mediation [at no cost to the litigants] and the help of volunteer attorneys just for mediation (not for the appeal itself).

    Lawyers attending the program will leave this online seminar with a deeper understanding of

    • How appellate mediation provides access to justice for all litigants,
    • Best practices for appellate advocacy in mediation,
    • Appellate rules and procedures that confound clients and SRLs,
    • The mechanics, strategies, and goals of appellate mediation, and
    • Much more.

    Please note: Illinois attorneys, who attend this CLE and are currently licensed and have had any responsibility with at least one appeal to a court of review or mediation education and experience, will be qualified to apply to serve as pro bono counsel for the pilot appellate mediation program.

    Speakers:

    • Justice Elizabeth Rochford, Illinois Supreme Court
    • Justice Margaret J. Mullen, Illinois Appellate Court
    • Judge Jorge Ortiz, Chair, Access to Justice Commission
    • Rocco J. Spagna, Chief Circuit Mediator for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeal
    • Jeffrey H. Kaplan, Clerk of the Illinois Appellate Court, 2d District
    • Kimberly Glasford, President Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois
    • Abigail Causer, Public Interest Law Initiative
    • Laura Josephson-Bernat, Josephson Bernat Dispute Resolution
    • Julia R. Lissner, Akerman LLP

    Questions? Email: AC2mediation@illinoiscourts.gov

    MCLE:  Participants will earn 2.0 hour of MCLE credit from the ALA.

    Location:
     Online. You will receive a Zoom meeting link via email after registering for this event. (Please note that only speakers will be visible, so participants need not dress formally for this event.)

    Cost: Free 



    • October 15, 2026
    • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • Zoom
    • 459
    Register


           


    The Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois (ALA), The Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District and Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Invite You to Attend a CLE Training:

    How Appealing: Free CLE to Become an Appellate Mediator in the Second District Appellate Court's Pilot Mediation Program

    This two-hour CLE will prepare lawyer/mediators to (1) facilitate appellate mediation and (2) qualify lawyer/mediators to engage with the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District in its launch of a pilot program for appellate mediation for some self-represented litigants [SRLs]. The pilot responds to the increasing number of SRLs in the appellate court and improves access to justice by providing video-conference mediation [at no cost to the litigants] and the help of volunteer attorneys, just for mediation.

    Lawyer/mediators attending the program will leave this online seminar with a deeper understanding of

    • The key differences between mediation in the trial and appellate courts,
    • Best practices for appellate mediation,
    • Appellate rules and procedures that affect the reward/risk analysis,
    • The mechanics and goals of appellate mediation, and
    • Much more.

    Please note: Lawyer/mediators, who attend this CLE and meet other criteria will be qualified to apply to serve as a mediator for the pilot appellate mediation program. Mediators serving in the pilot will be compensated. Mediators must be either a (1) a current or retired attorney, licensed to practice law in Illinois for at least 10 years with substantial and recent experience mediating actual cases, or (2) retired judge, and be able to independently host a videoconference mediation, demonstrate completion of a recognized 40-hour mediation training. In addition, mediators for family cases must demonstrate completion of at least 10 hours of recognized training specific to family mediation.

    Speakers:

    • Justice Elizabeth Rochford, Illinois Supreme Court
    • Justice Margaret J. Mullen, Illinois Appellate Court
    • Judge Jorge Ortiz, Chair, Access to Justice Commission
    • Rocco J. Spagna, Chief Circuit Mediator for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeal
    • Jeffrey H. Kaplan, Clerk of the Illinois Appellate Court, 2d District
    • Kimberly Glasford, President Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois
    • Abigail Causer, Public Interest Law Initiative
    • Jonathan B. Amarillio, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
    • Laura Josephson-Bernat, Josephson Bernat Dispute Resolution
    Questions? Email: AC2mediation@illinoiscourts.gov
    MCLE:  Participants will earn 2.0 hour of MCLE credit from the ALA.

    Location: Online. You will receive a Zoom meeting link via email after registering for this event. (Please note that only speakers will be visible, so participants need not dress formally for this event.)

    Cost: Free 



    • October 22, 2026
    • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
    • Zoom
    • 393
    Register



    The Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois (ALA) and the DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA) Cordially Invite You to Attend an Appellate Practice Seminar:

    UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT YEAR IN REVIEW:

    2026 VIRTUAL LUNCHTIME APPELLATE SEMINAR

    Please attend our appellate practice seminar reviewing and analyzing recent significant opinions from the United States Supreme Court. The Presenter will be ALA Past President Michael A. Scodro, a partner at Mayer Brown LLP and co-head of its Supreme Court and Appellate Practice. He formerly served as Illinois Solicitor General and as a Law Clerk for United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. He is a long-time Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he teaches a seminar on the United States Supreme Court. ALA President Kimberly Glasford will moderate this event.

    MCLE:  Participants will earn 1.0 hour of MCLE credit from the ALA.

    Location:
     Online. You will receive a Zoom meeting link via email after registering for this event. (Please note that only speakers will be visible, so participants need not dress formally for this event.)

    Cost: Free for the ALA and DCBA members; $25 for non-members.

    Questions?  Contact Christine Kowal at christine@applawyers.org


    • October 29, 2026
    • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
    • Uptown Grill, 601 First Street, LaSalle, IL 61301
    Register

         
           

    The Appellate Lawyers Association (ALA) and the DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA) Cordially Invite You to Attend our:

    Third District Appellate Court Roundtable Luncheon

    Please join us for our annual, in-person, roundtable luncheon with the Justices of the Illinois Appellate Court, Third Judicial District. Numbers permitting, the ALA will seat at least one justice at each table.  

    Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026

    Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

    Cost: $50 for public-sector ALA and DBCA members; $60 for private-sector ALA and DCBA members; $65 for public-sector nonmembers; $75 for private-sector nonmembers. Lunch is included.

    CLE Credit:  Participants will earn 1.0 credit for this event. The ALA is an approved MCLE provider.

    Questions? Christine Kowal at christine@applawyers.org

    Cancellations/Refunds:  Cancellations must be received two business days prior to the event in order to receive a full refund. No refunds will be processed after this time. Cancellations must be in writing and may be submitted to christine@applawyers.org.  Additionally, payment is expected from no-shows.

DISCLAIMER: The Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois does not provide legal services or legal advice. Discussions of legal principles and authority, including, but not limited to, constitutional provisions, statutes, legislative enactments, court rules, case law, and common-law doctrines are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

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