Illinois Attorney

Where do I find a lawyer in Illinois?
Illinois is unique in that even with a voluntary bar association, there is a dedicated organization, the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, that regulates and disciplines the legal profession.  When faced with an option between an Illinois attorney and an attorney from another jurisdiction, there are a number of reasons to choose the Illinois attorney, not the least of which are a variety of resources to find a suitable lawyer, stringent codes of professional conduct and mechanisms to protect the average client from fraud.

What is the Illinois State Bar Association?
The ISBA is the voluntary bar association for Illinois attorneys that serves a number of functions including providing for professional development and legislative advocacy.  The ISBA in particular has taken stances against the death penalty, support for civil unions and gender equality.  As the bar is a voluntary organization, this enables it to take these contentious and controversial positions on these issues.  The ISBA also publishes the Illinois Bar Journal, which complies recent developments in the legal profession with reports on court decisions and a classified section for advertisements generated for Illinois attorneys.

The ISBA also provides for professional development and counseling offering both Continuing Legal Education classes and a Lawyer Assistance Program for lawyers that have issues with stress or substance abuse.


How do I know my Illinois attorney is legitimate?
The ARDC is the best tool to determine the legitimacy of your Illinois attorney.  Using the ARDC directory, one may look up the disciplinary of the Illinois attorney and ensure that they are still licensed to practice law in Illinois.  Since you will not be able to use membership in a voluntary bar association as your standard for determining legitimacy, you will need to consult the ARDC is you have concerns.

The ARDC of Illinois is the primary disciplinary body for Illinois attorneys and other organizations will often make the rulings of the ARDC known, as well as take remedial steps against the offender, in accordance to the rules of the organization.  Therefore, even members of state and local bar associations will face sanctions for their behavior if found unethical or dishonest and harmed the client.

To ensure the continuing legitimacy and professionalism of Illinois attorneys, CLE classes and training are mandatory and every Illinois attorney must 


How do I find an Illinois attorney?
The ISBA maintains a lawyer referral service that an individual may call to get in touch with a referral clerk.  The clerk will help them determine if they have a need for legal services, then will be able to determine which lawyer that is a member of the service will best meet the needs of this particular client.  The charge for using this service to set up a 30 minute consultation will be no more than $25.  Alternatively, you may search for a lawyer manually, through the ARDC database, although there is no indication if the lawyer is taking on new clients or will be best equipped to handle your legal issue.


How is an Illinois attorney disciplined?
The ARDC has control over investigating and punishing instances of fraud and will impose sanctions accordingly if wrongdoing toward the client or other ethical violations are found.  Decisions made by the ARDC will be published by other Bar Associations, including any actions that association itself will take against the Illinois attorney.


What are elements of a good Illinois attorney?
The best Illinois attorney will communicate with you effectively but also remain impartial.  You will not want an attorney that agrees with you readily and does not give your case the critical evaluation it deserves.  As such, the best Illinois attorneys will be an objective observer during the pre-trial phase and young strongest advocate at trial.  If your attorney does not communicate effectively, you may want to consider another lawyer that will be able to give your case the attention it deserves.

Professional conduct is very important when choosing a lawyer.  Attorneys that routinely feud with judges and other attorneys will fail at effective representation and may jeopardize your chances of achieving a settlement with the other party or a favorable ruling from the judge.  You must be able to make an early evaluation of your attorney’s abilities and professionalism before committing to long term services.


What are the typical rates of an Illinois attorney?
For malpractice, personal injury or accident cases, it is common practice for an Illinois attorney to work on contingency, with the lawyer collecting a percentage of the award.  Illinois places some limitations on contingency fees with the following restrictions:

- Not exceeding 33% of first $150,000

- 25% of damages ranging from $150,000 to $1 million

- 20% for damages over $1 million.

Fee arrangements may be subject to review and approval of the court in instances where the amount of the award will be very high.

For other services, you will generally be billed by the hour or in flat fees.  You will pay hourly for the use of the lawyer’s time or you may pay a flat fee for a specific service, such as reviewing the legality of a document or contract.

Be sure to ask about ancillary fees and fees for using office staff and resources.  Some law offices will even charge for incoming phone calls or answering questions in emails.  Be sure to have all fees in writing.  When dealing with unreasonable or hidden fees from an Illinois attorney, you may need to contact the local bar association to enter fee dispute resolution.  


What are questions to ask Illinois attorneys?
How does my case relate to Illinois state and local laws?

What are your fees and do you have alternate payment plans?

Can I please have all fees in writing?

Are you an active member, in good standing, of the Illinois Bar Association?

What roles do you play as a member?

Can you produce your ARDC record, if not, where may I view it?

What are my chances of winning a settlement or at trial?

Can you refer me to another lawyer if you are unable to take my case?