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Conversation, connection may be antidotes for incivility in law

Conversation, connection may be antidotes for incivility in law

Shielded behind computer screens, some people behave in ways that are downright rude — or worse. As the practice of law moved online with the COVID-19 pandemic, those familiar hazards to civility arose in the legal profession as well.
The incivility monster: Why being bad feels good

The incivility monster: Why being bad feels good

Practicing attorneys are acutely aware of the potential consequences of incivility. And yet, incivility persists. Could it be that attorneys are hard-wired to lose their cool? Does it pay to be belligerent? And how do the pandemic and other stressors contribute?
Zealous advocacy and beyond: Leaders share views on civility

Zealous advocacy and beyond: Leaders share views on civility

Terry A. Fox of the Illinois Defense Counsel, Patrick A. Salvi II of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and Stephanie Villinski of the Illinois Commission on Professionalism contemplated our questions on what’s going right — and wrong — with how attorneys act.
Collaborative conversations require a mindful approach

Collaborative conversations require a mindful approach

Contributors Dan Cotter and Pat Eckler reflected on how they behave as media partners — and why civility is the necessary foundation of the conversations about the law they want to convene.

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Law Day Letters

Jennifer Rosato Perea

Character of next generation brings hope for civility

The 2021 Illinois Lawyers Survey on Professionalism includes the encouraging finding that most lawyers (88.7%) find their colleagues civil/professional, but also the more discouraging finding that the majority of lawyers (54%) had experienced uncivil/unprofessional behavior in the preceding six months.
Julie Beyers

A spirit of collaboration

The Illinois Creditors Bar Association is the largest organization of its kind in the state, representing attorneys practicing in all areas of creditors’ rights, including collections, foreclosure, bankruptcy and eviction. The practice of creditors’ rights is unique because attorneys and their clients are subject to federal regulations and protections and frequently work directly with unrepresented litigants.
Peter Mierzwa

Civility requires more than ‘golden rule’

When the American Bar Association announced that civility would be one of this year’s subjects for Law Day, I was excited because we have covered this topic in our news and seminars for decades. Over the years, what has become clear is that incivility, like beauty, often lies in the eye of the beholder.
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