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Appellate Practice Boot Camp Conference: Judicial Law Clerks Teach the Do's and Don'ts (Illinois)

This program focuses on Civil Appeals in Illinois Appellate Courts

You may also be interested in:

Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing (IL)

Click here for more info.

 "I'm going to be participating in my first appeal, and this seminar truly helped clarify the appellate rules." - J. Fletchall, Levin & Brend, PC

"All speakers gave great insider tips! [They] explained complicated nuances very well." - B. Bresnahan, Dennis Noble & Associates, PC

"Excellent speakers and materials!"

"Excellent presentation. [The] speakers provided a clear understanding of appellate practice in the Supreme Court." - G. Anderson

"All of the speakers were excellent! It is great to hear this information from the other side, i.e. the court. Lots of great practical tips!"


Dates and Times

To Be Announced


Course Summary

A practical view of appellate practice in the Illinois Appellate Court, this course is a unique opportunity to learn appellate practice from those who know. Appellate law experts, including career Judicial Law Clerks from various Illinois Appellate Courts, discuss Illinois appellate practice, with an emphasis on the practical aspects. Main topics include: drafting effective briefs; presenting oral arguments; standards of review; how appeals are processed and resolved; rehearing petitions; and the top “do’s” and “don’ts” for effective appellate attorneys. The program focuses on improving attorneys' practice, brief writing and oral argument as well as identifying common procedural mistakes.

After presenting this program for three years, we can proudly state that you will learn more in this program about practicing in the Appellate Courts than any other program you have attended on the topic.

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Topics to be covered in this seminar include:

  • Getting Familiar with the Rules
  • Jurisdiction: Appealing the Right Order or Judgment
  • Drafting An Effective Brief
    * Presenting the Facts
    * Standards of Review
    * Arguments--Headings & Roadmaps
    * Tips For Effective Arguments and Strategies
  • Motion Practice
  • Oral Arguments--What to Expect and How to Improve
  • Decision Process--Summary Orders, Published Decisions
  • Post-Judgment Practice: Petitions for Rehearing and Appealing to the IL Supreme Court

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CLE Specialization Credit

Pincus Professional Education certifies that this seminar has been approved for 3.0 hours of Appellate Specialization Certification credit in California.

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MCLE Credit

Pincus Professional Education certifies that this seminar has been approved for 3.0 MCLE hours in Illinois.

Pincus Professional Education certifies that this seminar has been approved for MCLE credit in the amount of 3.0 credit hours, including .5 hours of ethics credit in California.

Upon request, we will assist attorneys in asking for CLE credit in other states. 

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Instructors

Moderators:

Patricia S. Spratt, Esq.
Shareholder
Shefsky & Froelich, Ltd

Patricia S. Spratt is an expert litigator, with a focus on appeals and commercial and business litigation. Prior to joining private practice, Ms. Spratt clerked for then Chief Judge William J. Bauer of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Spratt teaches Appellate Advocacy at Loyola University, where she previously received her law degree and served as Editor for the Loyola University of Chicago Law Journal.

Faculty:

Michele M. Jochner, Esq.
Judicial Law Clerk
Illinois Supreme Court

Ms. Jochner currently serves as a judicial law clerk to Justice Charles E. Freeman of the Illinois Supreme Court.  Ms. Jochner formerly served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1987 until Justice McMorrow’s retirement in July, 2006.              

Ms. Jochner has served as an adjunct professor at The John Marshall Law School and at DePaul University College of Law.   She has authored over 70 articles on a wide array of legal topics appearing in publications nationwide.  Her most recent law review article, Survey of Illinois Law: Search & Seizure Decisions, appeared in the summer 2006 edition of the Southern Illinois University Law Journal.  She has also extensively lectured on legal topics across the state, and has appeared on several cable television programs discussing law-related issues. In addition, Ms. Jochner is listed in several Who’s Who publications, and was recognized in 2004 as one of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch” by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.                                               

Throughout her career, Ms. Jochner has also been actively involved in numerous bar association activities and has served in several leadership roles.  She has just completed a six-year term as an elected member of the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), and was Secretary of the ISBA for 2006-2007.  Ms. Jochner has also been very active in planning and coordinating various continuing legal education programs for the ISBA, and, most recently, has been involved with the ISBA’s Solo and Small Firm Conference.  Ms. Jochner chaired the inaugural planning committee for the Conference in 2005, and continued in that capacity in 2006.  She is a former chair of the ISBA’s General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Council, a co-editor of the ISBA’s Bench & Bar Newsletter, and has been active in a number of other ISBA committees, including the Board’s Committee on Scope and Correlation, the Budget & Audit Committee, the Judicial Evaluations Committee and the Special Committee for Minority Outreach.  Ms. Jochner is also a record-holding seven-time recipient of the ISBA’s Lincoln Award for Legal Writing, and is a Fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation.              

Ms. Jochner is also active with the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), where she serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the CBA’s Alliance for Women, and is a member of the Editorial Board of the CBA Record.  She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, where she was recently elected to the officer position of Recording Secretary.  In addition, Ms. Jochner is a member of the DePaul University College of Law Alumni Board, as well as of the Boards of Directors for the “Women Everywhere: Partners in Service Project” and the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network.  She serves as a member of the Leader Council for Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and is the Vice-Justice of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Chicago Alumni Chapter.  

Ms. Jochner received her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Mundelein College in 1987, and is a 1990 graduate of DePaul University College of Law, where she received her J.D. with Honors and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  In 1992, she also earned an L.LM degree from DePaul.                                                                           

Stacey M. Shonkwiler
Career Judicial Law Clerk
Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District

Stacey Shonkwiler has been a career law clerk for Justice Robert Cahill, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Chicago for five years. Prior to joining Justice Cahill, Ms. Shonkwiler served as a Research Staff Attorney for the same court. Prior to that, Ms. Shonkwiler served as a Research Staff Attorney for the Supreme Court of Illinois for two years. Ms. Shonkwiler has also taught an advanced course on appellate brief writing for the DePaul University Colleage of Law. Before joining the courts, Ms. Shonkwiler litigated for McDermott & McDermott. Ms. Shonkwiler received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law, Cum Laude, with Honors Distinction in Legal Research and Writing

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What attendees have said about this seminar:


"This is a fabulous primer for those with little appellate experience!"

"Very good explanations of process and motions."

"Dynamic speakers - great presentation!"

"Good information. [They] handled the many questions well, and provided concise answers."

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Terms & Policies

Seminar, Webinar, Webcast Registration and Attendance Terms & Policies

Reminder: The room temperature at hotels and other seminar locations are notoriously hard to control. Please bring a sweater or jacket in case it gets cold and/or layer as if you are going to the movies so you are comfortable.

Recording policy: No audio or video recording of any program is permitted.

Seminar Cancellations: Should you be unable to attend for any reason, please inform us in writing no later than 14 days prior to the event and a credit voucher will be issued. If you prefer, a refund, less a $50 non-refundable deposit, will be issued. No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received within 14 days of an event.

Substitutions may be made at any time.

Webinars, Tele-seminars and Webcast Cancellations: Once log-in codes and passwords are issued for a webinar, tele-seminars or webcasts, a refund is not possible. If for any reason you cannot attend the event after you have received the codes, we will automatically convert your registration to an instant streaming/instant download or CD format and provide you with the information you need to access the recording after the program concludes and the recording is available.

Return/Refund Policy for Tapes/CDs/DVDs:

Tapes, CDs and DVDs are returnable for a full refund or replacement if defective, within 90 days of purchase.

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