ISBA Mutual Insurance Company

06/15/2026

06/12/2026

ISBA Mutual Insurance Company is proud to congratulate Sarah Toney and Heather McPherson on their installation as Illinois State Bar Association Executive Officers! Not only are they both ISBA Mutual Board Members, they are also wonderful reflections of the Illinois legal community.

Sarah Toney was sworn in as the ISBA's President-Elect. In addition to being a respected criminal defense attorney at The Toney Law Firm, LLC, Sarah is an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a dedicated voice for Illinois attorneys across the state.

At the same ceremony, Heather McPherson was sworn in as 2nd Vice President of the Illinois State Bar Association. Heather is a highly accomplished estate planning and trust attorney at McPherson Law Offices. She brings an extraordinary record of ISBA leadership, ARDC Hearing Board service, and community involvement to her new role.

We are so proud to have Heather and Sarah on the ISBA Mutual Board of Directors. Their commitment to the legal profession reflects exactly what this organization stands for.

Congratulations to both of them, and to all of the newly installed ISBA 2026-27 Executive Officers!

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Photo credit to the Illinois State Bar Association

06/10/2026

Ahead of next week's "Tips for Effective Delegation & Feedback" MCLE program on June 16th, ISBA Mutual Insurance Company has put together a collection of resources to help Illinois attorneys prepare.

We have included insights from the Kellogg School of Management and Harvard Business Review, articles from Adam Grant and SHRM, and tools from the TED Fixable program.

Join presenter Sarah J. Taylor, JD, on Tuesday for a one-hour interactive session designed to strengthen your supervision approach and reduce risk across your firm.

Sign up today: https://qrcode.isbamutual.com/june-2026-cle

06/08/2026

⏰ Illinois attorneys: the June 30th MCLE deadline is coming up fast, and if your last name falls between A and M, the clock is ticking.

Still need hours? Not sure why a recent course hasn't shown up on your transcript?

We put together a resource guide covering everything A–M attorneys need to know right now, including free last-minute CLE options from the ARDC, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, the Illinois Lawyers' Assistance Program, and the Illinois State Bar Association. 📋

Don't wait until the final week to find out you have a problem. Check your transcript and get ahead of it today: https://qrcode.isbamutual.com/2026-illinois-mcle-deadline

For Illinois lawyers whose last names fall between A and M, the 2026 Illinois MCLE deadline is weeks away. June 30th is the credit completion deadline, whereas July 311st is the reporting deadline.

06/05/2026

ISBA Mutual was proud to be part of last month's 19th Annual Joint CLE Conference at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School and to sponsor the conference lunch for a room full of dedicated legal professionals.

Pictured left to right: Garrett P. Kern, Esq. (Chief Claims and Risk Management Officer), Sarah J. Taylor (Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP), and Scott Dutton (Chief Relationship Officer).

Sarah also presented at the conference alongside Hon. Michael A. Fiello and ASL Interpreter Kimberly Heibner on working effectively with sign language interpreters.

If you missed her at the conference, you will have another chance to learn from her on June 16th (https://qrcode.isbamutual.com/june-2026-cle).

Thank you to SIU Simmons Law School, the Jackson County Bar Association, and the Williamson County Bar Association for putting together another outstanding program!

06/03/2026

A big thank you to Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, the Jackson County Bar Association, and the Williamson County Bar Association for hosting the 19th Annual Joint CLE Conference last month in Carbondale.

ISBA Mutual's Garrett Kern took the stage to present "Claims We See That Lawyers Never Expected", a session drawn directly from real Illinois claims cases.

As Chief Claims and Risk Management Officer at ISBA Mutual, Garrett brings a front-row perspective on the situations practitioners most often overlook and the practice habits that make the biggest difference.

It was a full day of substantive programming, and we were glad to be part of it.

05/29/2026

Strong supervision and communication systems are essential parts of effective law-firm management.

Join ISBA Mutual on June 16 for Tips for Effective Delegation & Feedback, a practical MCLE program focused on improving delegation, supervision, workflow quality, and staff communication inside Illinois law firms.

Presented by Sarah J. Taylor of Barrett, Twomey, Broom, Hughes & Hoke, LLP, this session will cover:
• Delegation strategies that improve accountability
• Matching assignments to staff strengths
• Setting clear expectations and deadlines
• Delivering constructive feedback
• Common supervision pitfalls that create risk
• Management practices that support stronger client service

Whether you manage a solo practice or a growing firm, this program offers practical tools attorneys can apply immediately.

Learn more and register: https://qrcode.isbamutual.com/june-2026-cle

05/27/2026

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how legal information is created, shared, and consumed. A newly filed federal lawsuit against OpenAI is now raising major questions about where the boundaries of AI-generated legal guidance actually sit.

The complaint alleges ChatGPT contributed to frivolous litigation filings, interfered with an existing settlement agreement, and crossed into the unlicensed practice of law after a user relied on chatbot-generated legal advice instead of counsel.

For attorneys, the case highlights growing concerns surrounding:
• AI-generated legal research and drafting
• Client confidentiality and privilege risks
• Ethical supervision obligations
• Malpractice exposure tied to AI misuse
• Consumer reliance on public AI platforms during active legal disputes

As courts continue addressing AI-related legal issues in real time, Illinois lawyers should be thinking carefully about how these tools intersect with professional responsibility, client counseling, and risk management practices.

Read the latest Liability Minute from ISBA Mutual Insurance Company: https://www.isbamutual.com/liability-minute/openai-product-liability-case-chatgpt-accused-unlicensed-practice-law

Filed in March 2026, the OpenAI product liability case is a federal lawsuit that accuses ChatGPT of unlicensed practice of law after a claimant fired her attorney based on AI advice.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor the service members who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice continues to shape the freedoms and institutions we rely on every day.

From all of us at ISBA Mutual, thank you to those who served and to the families who continue to carry their legacy forward.

05/22/2026

Last year, 65% of approved malpractice claims against Illinois attorneys involved the failure to return unearned fees.

Fee disputes continue to be one of the most common sources of professional liability exposure for law firms.

Clear engagement letters, consistent billing practices, accurate trust accounting, and prompt communication around retainers and refunds all play a major role in reducing risk.

Administrative issues may seem minor in the moment, but they often become much larger problems when documentation and client communication break down. https://qrcode.isbamutual.com/isbamutual