Presented by:

Clifford Law Offices

Moderated by Robert A. Clifford,
Founder and Senior Partner at Clifford Law Offices

Program Information:

Refresher on Ethics of Trial Work in a Courtroom

Time: 2:30-4:30 p.m. CST

As health officials continue to try to get the pandemic under control, the legal community is trying to get back to business as usual. But is it? Lawyers’ skills and knowledge of courtroom practice and procedure may need a bit of sharpening. It is time for lawyers to brush up on the ethical rules that are in place when handling trials. Through hypotheticals, this two-hour program will deal with areas of concern that lawyers come across every day. A panel will answer questions on how best to handle and diffuse what could turn into unnecessary confrontational situations. From discovery issues to closing arguments, hypotheticals will be presented at various trial stages with attendees answering polling questions on best practices. It should also be noted that effective Jan. 1, 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court has enacted an updated Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct for the first time in almost two decades, bringing it in line with national standards by addressing the use of social media and other technology that didn’t exist at the code’s last major update in 1993. How some of these Rules dovetail with trial lawyers in a courtroom will be discussed as well.

Robert A. Clifford will moderate with ethics experts in the field including James Grogan, Adjunct Ethics Professor, Loyola College of Law, and former ARDC Deputy Administrator and Chief Counsel; Christopher Heredia, CNA Risk Control Consulting Director, Global Specialty, Lawyers Professional Liability; and Circuit Court Judge, Seventh Judicial Circuit at Macoupin County and Member, Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (IJEC).