Ronette McCarthy, Attorney

09/28/2026

Parents and schools … cell phone rules are changing in Illinois.

Illinois public school districts will be required to have policies restricting student use of cell phones and other wireless devices during the school day.

And it’s not just about phones.

Smart watches, tablets and other connected devices can be part of the conversation too.

So, as schools begin looking at their policies, there are some practical questions worth asking:

📱 Where will students keep their phones during the day?

⌚ What about smart watches?

🏫 Will the rules be the same from classroom to classroom?

📚 What exceptions are required for students with IEPs or 504 Plans?

❤️ What about students who need a device for medical reasons?

And for parents: Do you know what your child’s school currently requires and what may be changing?

There is still time before the new requirements take effect, but these are conversations worth having now.

Ancel Glink, P.C.

08/07/2026

A great evening talking about something I care a lot about, public service and running for local office.

I joined my Ancel Glink, P.C. colleague Tyler Smith at the La Grange Public Library for the League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area’s program, “The Basics of Running for Public Office.” Thank you to the League’s co-presidents for inviting us and for creating such a thoughtful program for people interested in serving their communities.

We were also joined by a terrific panel of elected officials from the Lyons Township High School District 204 Board of Education, Village of La Grange, Village of Brookfield, and Village of Western Springs, who shared their own experiences and perspectives on public office.

There is something especially encouraging about seeing a room full of people who want to learn more about how local government works, and who may be thinking about stepping forward to serve.

Thinking about running for local office? Feel free to reach out if you have questions about the process or where to start. Always here to chat with you.

League of Women Voters of IL Lyons Township High School Village of Brookfield Village of La Grange Village of Western Springs League of Women Voters of the US La Grange Public Library

08/05/2026

Does your school district have an artificial intelligence policy? Or a collection of practices that are not yet quite policy?

Illinois State Board of Education has published its statewide guidance on artificial intelligence use in schools. This guidance hands schools a toolbox of instructional use rubrics, model policies and implementation checklists. However, what it does not hand them is a single, uniform Illinois model policy ready to adopt.

This guidance was developed in response to Public Act 104-0399, which in 2025 charged the Illinois State Board of Education with “develop[ing] statewide guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education.”

Districts are directed to model templates and policies that Illinois districts can use as “starting points.” Those resources are organized into three distinct policies: a district-wide policy, an Acceptable Use Policy, and an Informed Use Policy. ISBE provides model template resources from other states and districts to support drafting, review, legal/compliance checks, and board adoption processes.

The guidance also flags that “trust but verify” should govern all AI use where it “should not independently determine special education eligibility, student discipline outcomes, teacher evaluations, hiring decision, or other high-stake determinations without documented human review and district accountability processes.”

ISBE indicates it will release additional tailored guidance and no-cost professional learning during the 2026-27 school year.

In the meantime, school districts with questions about implementing AI policies or evaluating their current procedures should contract their legal counsel for assistance.

Illinois State Board of Education

08/03/2026

When all worlds collide … Class Room Teacher > Curriculum Developer > Attorney at Ancel Glink > Staff Member to Deputy Governor of Education > Private Practice working with families of Special Education Students >>>>>>

>>>>> return to Ancel Glink, P.C. and prepping to present on Special Education Discipline to a group of Administrators.

Life does come full circle and as I’ve always said …

once a Teacher Always a Teacher!!

It seemed right to use one of my favorite mugs from my Husband’s Dad who gifted to me when I became an Elementary School Teacher.

08/01/2026

And yes … we are still rocking with Real Estate Closings. I love them as I get to meet some of the best people ever!

The property itself is just the vehicle to allow me to experience the amazing life stories behind it, meet people who will remain part of my life for the future and it allows me to share my blessing as an attorney to help my clients meet their goals.

Thanks to this awesome group for teaching me a lot too!! And many words of appreciation to Katie O’Brien 🌞 RADIANT R3ALTOR ™ for trusting me with your own. Look forward to many more experiences (and stories) in the future!!!

07/29/2026

Who said there were only 4 seasons … we love a 5th and it’s called “Election Season”. Nothing better than kicking off the election speaking circuit by helping train Municipal Clerks so they are ready for their individual community elections.

Honored to be part of the Election Team at Ancel Glink, P.C.!!

It was our pleasure to join the Municipal Clerks of Lake and McHenry Counties at the Village of Gurnee for a timely discussion on “Surviving the 2027 Elections!”

Ancel Glink attorneys Keri-Lyn Krafthefer, Ronette Leal McCarthy and Tyler Smith, together with Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega, discussed the upcoming election cycle and the legal and practical issues municipal clerks will be navigating along the way.

Thank you to the Municipal Clerks of Lake and McHenry County who attended and brought so many thoughtful questions. We always value the opportunity to work with the officials whose preparation and attention to detail help keep local elections running smoothly.

07/26/2026

Looking forward to our upcoming presentation with the League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area on August 6th in “Running for Public Office”.

It’s open to the General Public. You can register at the La Grange Public Library Events Calendar or by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/4fUvu7M or by calling the number in the photo.

Presentation by: Ronette McCarthy & Tyler Smith with Ancel Glink, P.C.

07/06/2026

Own a Business, think your name is protected from others using it … it may not be. Indie Law, A Trademark Law Firm is offering a free webinar to learn about how to protect your name!! Take a listen from Joey … he’s the trademark guy!

A business owner spends years building their brand. Then one day, a cease-and-desist letter shows up — because someone else trademarked the name first.

Now they're stuck choosing between rebranding everything or fighting a legal battle they never saw coming.

Here's the part that gets me: it's almost always avoidable. 😮‍💨

An LLC doesn't protect your name. Neither does your domain, your social handles, or the fact that you used the name first. In the U.S., whoever files for the trademark usually has the stronger legal claim.

I'm running a free webinar walking through exactly how to protect your brand before you're in that position — not after. 🗓️

Details are in the first comment.

07/04/2026

Our an entire area has received heavy rainfall over the past few days. Here’s a bit of information about how Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago helps throughout Cook County. Thanks for sharing MWRD Commissioner Beth McElroy Kirkwood.

Sign Up Here!

05/05/2026

We are a PROUD SPONSOR of the 4th Annual Mother’s Day Walk!!! It’s going to be a fabulous Saturday (5/9) morning … sunny ☀️ and 70s for the walk!! Join us at !!

It’s not too late to register!!!! I have a code to give you $5 off too!!! Code = SPONSOR

See you all there!!!!!