Friday, December 1, 2023
Live at UBS Tower, Chicago and via Webcast
8:00 – 8:55 Registration Opens or Log into the webcast via your account at www.iicle.com
8:55 – 9:00 Welcome & Announcements – Program Moderators
Steven M. Elrod, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago
Peter M. Friedman, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago
9:00 – 9:45 Caselaw and Legislative Update
The Courts, the Illinois General Assembly, and the US Congress have been very busy in 2023 on multiple critically important matters related to governmental bodies at all levels. We’ll cover the most important judicial and legislative activities from 2023 and their impacts on Illinois local government.
Peter Friedman, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago
9:45 – 10:30 The First Amendment & Government Social Media Activities
In this session, Steve and Julie will discuss the potential legal pitfalls in government social media. They will summarize recent court decisions (1) holding that a government social media account or page is a designated or limited public forum, (2) finding governments in violation of the First Amendment for removing comments that constitute protected speech, and (3) analyzing when an elected official’s personal social media page becomes so entangled with their government duties that it becomes a public forum. They will also provide tips for advising local governments on legally defensible social media comment policies.
Steven M. Elrod, Elrod Friedman LLP, Chicago
Julie A. Tappendorf, Ancel Glink, PC, Chicago
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Civil Rights: Supreme Court Shockwaves – 6 Months Later
In the wake of a tumultuous term, this session will analyze recent Supreme Court civil rights decisions and their impact on local government operations in several areas:
- First Amendment Free Speech
- First Amendment Free Exercise
- Land Use and Fifth Amendment Takings Claims
- Qualified Immunity
- Students for Fair Admissions and local government employment, contracting, and diversity initiatives.
John Murphey, Odelson, Murphey, Frazier & McGrath, Ltd., Evergreen Park
11:30 – 12:15 Avoiding the Quagmire of Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans with Disabilities Act: Municipal Best Practices
A discussion of the reasonable accommodation mandate under the ADA and its effect on a municipality’s ability to regulate and enforce zoning and building code requirements. Preventative legislative steps to avoid federal scrutiny, best practices in dealing with accommodation requests, and dealing with litigation, if it arises, will be covered.
James V. Ferolo, Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., Chicago
Lance C. Malina, Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., Chicago
12:15 – 12:30 Grab a quick sack lunch (included for in-person attendees)
12:30 – 1:15 Lunch Panel: Advising Clients on Conflicts Issues
Faculty and attendees will share experiences and tips on advising clients
1:15 – 2:00 A Chat with the PAC
Public Access Bureau attorneys will discuss recent binding and non-binding opinions on challenging FOIA and Open Meetings Act issues.
Moderator: Ruth A. Schlossberg, Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle, Crystal Lake
Leah Bartelt, Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General, Springfield
Christopher Boggs, Deputy Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General, Springfield
2:00 – 2:15 Break
2:15 – 3:00 County Issues
Melanie K. Nelson, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, Waukegan
3:00 – 4:00 Conflicts of Interest in Municipal Law
(1.0 Professional Responsibility CLE)
Municipal law by its very nature is more prone to conflicts of interest than other areas of the law. Richard Gleason of the ARDC will break down the rules around conflicts of interest, as well as how they apply specifically to government law attorneys. Learn how to most effectively serve your clients while also staying on the good side of the ARDC.
Richard Gleason, IL ARDC, Chicago
4:00 Adjourn - to the Cocktail Reception!
Please join us for networking with drinks and appetizers at the conclusion of the program.
Many thanks to our Planning Committee/Faculty
