President Monico's Welcome!     (continued)

I would like to provide everyone a little update on some of the work going on for the year 2009-10. But first, we all should extend congratulations to our immediate past-President, Brad Williams, for his outstanding work in 2008-09, which culminated last May with an exceptional Annual Meeting and Judicial Conference.

Held in the shadow of the famous Speedway in Indianapolis, the meeting attracted a large number of attendees. Programs were well presented and well received. We viewed the magnificent federal courtrooms and heard of their history. In many ways, our Indianapolis meeting epitomized all that our Association stands for: fellowship, congeniality, scholarship and practical assistance.

To continue the momentum of Brad and our recent past-Presidents, we have already begun to implement some exciting new programs for the upcoming year. Among the topical and new issues being reviewed are the extraordinary costs in terms of dollars, time and man-hours associated with electronic discovery. It was widely anticipated that the advance of electronic files would enhance the production and review of discovery materials, but it seems that the opposite has proven to be true. Instead, the search for electronic records has driven up the costs and burdens of civil discovery, and has inhibited even the most well-financed defense in complex White Collar criminal cases.

We have formed a committee that is working closely with Chief Judge James Holderman of the Northern District of Illinois to examine and propose ways to improve the situation. Our committee is chaired by Jim Montana of Vedder Price and he is assisted by Marie Halpin of McDermott, Will & Emery and Art Gollwitzer of Michael Best & Friedrich. They and other committee members have been working earnestly on the problem and exploring possible solutions. Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan is acting as the Chair of Judge Holderman’s group in exploring solutions from the judicial point of view. The plan is that participating Judges will employ the recommendations presented by the committees. We will report on the status of these efforts at the 2010 Annual Meeting and Judicial Conference in May.

On another subject, we will continue the work begun recently under the leadership of Brad Williams and Andy Langan to review nominees for federal judgeships, and submit reports of our findings. This is an area in which our Association is uniquely qualified. We look forward to continuing this effort.

Providing our membership with top quality continuing education also remains a high priority. I am pleased to report that Tim Eaton of Ungaretti & Harris will return as Chair for the Programs Committee. This year he will be aided by State Chairs Frank Pasqusi of Foley & Lardner, Bill Marsh of the Indiana Federal Community Defender, and Elizabeth Perkins of Quarles & Brady.

One of the past highlights of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association CLE efforts was a program on cross-examination led by Jim Figliulo and Steve Molo. Several members contributed to the initial program and after much work Jim and Steve turned the project into a book that compiles strategies and entertaining stories from fifty Chicago trial lawyers, called  “Your Witness . . .”   

I cannot conclude without noting the fine work being performed by Magistrate Judge Jeffery Cole and his committee on the “Circuit Rider.” The articles, interviews, and first person essays have been outstanding and future editions promise to continue that tradition. The “Circuit Rider” is available on line at our website and I encourage all of our members to take advantage of this excellent journal.

Our present year will culminate in May 2010 with the scholarly discourse and engaging discussion presented at our next Annual Meeting and Judicial Conference, led by the Chief Judge of the Seventh Circuit, Frank Easterbrook. Chief Judge Easterbrook will address important legal issues facing our members, and his thoughts and comments are highly anticipated and often prove to be the high point of the meeting.

Planning for the next Annual Meeting is already underway, spearheaded by General Chair Mike Brody of Jenner and Block and Program Co-Chairs Tim Wiegand of Winston & Strawn and Elizabeth Herrington of McDermott, Will & Emery. The specific dates are Sunday May 2nd through Tuesday May 4th. The Opening Reception on Sunday night will be held in the Signature Room on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Building, and our Annual Dinner will be held on Monday May 3rd in the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Hotel. All members are invited to join us for what promises to be another informative, collegial, and lively opportunity to discuss and debate issues facing the Seventh Circuit – and all lawyers – as we move forward into the next decade.   (to top)

President:

Michael D. Monico
Monico, Pavich & Spevack