"On June 16, 1858, Lincoln began his campaign for the U.S. Senate against Stephen Douglas by delivering his memorable 'House Divided' speech to the Republican State Convention meeting in Representatives Hall from this podium.
"He lost that election, but the speech and campaign attracted national attention, helping to set the stage for his 1860 presidential election.
"Following his nomination as a presidential candidate in May 1860, Lincoln moved into the governor's office here on the second floor. There he received a steady stream of well-wishers throughout the campaign and in the weeks following his election.
"The morning of Feb. 11, 1861, was the time of departure. Lincoln and his family arrives early at the little brick station, where a throng of at least a thousand of his neighbors and friends had gathered to bid him goodbye. It was a cloudy, stormy morning, with a cold drizzle of rain falling.
"The bell gave the signal, but as the conductor paused with his hand lifted to the bell-rope, Lincoln appeared on the back platform of the car and raised his hand for silence. The people bared their heads to the soft drizzle of rain, and standing thus, his friends and neighbors heard his voice for the last time:
"'My friends, no one not in my situation can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried.
"'I now leave, not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that divine being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail. . .'
"The train started, rolled away, and the mist closed about it, hiding him from the sight of his weeping fellow townsmen. The years of preparation were ended; the time of fulfillment had come.
"Abraham Lincoln, as commander-in-chief, then guided this nation through four terrible years, held the union intact, and then paid the supreme sacrifice. . .
"We are here now 136 years and six wars later in the shadow of his tomb, close by the only home he ever owned and in his constant presence to welcome 75 new citizens to our country.
"Our nation is nothing more than the sum total of our own decency and our own love for it. As we welcome you to our midst, we should all remember Mr. Lincoln's words when he said: 'Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal feeling.'"
The special showing will be part of the traveling exhibit, "American Originals: Treasures from the National Archives," that will be on display in the museum from Feb. 8 to April 28. Call (773) 755-5100 for details.
Safe, affordable housing is LCBH goal
With Bar Foundation support of $2,500, the organization plans to have a law student intern perform research for staff and volunteer attorneys who provide legal services for its clients.
The LCBH also conducts community education programs and has published a Renters' Resource Guide. It is a partner with the Metropolitan Tenants' Organization in a hotline service that helps resolve housing problems for about 12,000 callers each year.
"LCBH relies on 26 volunteer attorneys to handle up to 400 tenant cases in Cook County Forcible Entry and Detainer Court each year," said IBF board member Meredith E. Ritchie, who investigated the grant application.
In recommending the grant, Ritchie said the LCBH "cause is consistent with our goal of improving and facilitating the administration of justice, as well as promoting the study, research and continuing education of law."
Founded in 1980 by lawyers concerned with deteriorating and abandoned buildings in the Rogers Park neighborhood, the Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing now advocates throughout the city.
Executive director Kathleen K. Clark head a full-time staff of three lawyers, and coordinates the pro bono work of more than 50 attorney and non-attorney volunteers. Primary funding comes from the City of Chicago and the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. Call (312) 347-7600, ext. 13, for information.
"With a dynamic, forward-thinking executive director and an impressive board of directors, I think this organization will continue to thrive and provide Cook County with quality legal representation," Ritchie said, "for cases that private attorneys could not afford to handle."
The two major volunteer initiatives of the LCBH are the Attorney of the Day Eviction Defense Project and the Housing Preservation Project, which combines legal services with community education.
The organization also participates in the Community Coalition for Housing Court Reform, which meets with county judges, city lawyers and building department representatives to resolve issues and strengthen the receivership program to save affordable housing units.
Appellate practice luminaries to apply nuts, bolts
ISBA President Tim Eaton appointed a Special Committee on Appellate Practice, sponsor of the seminars, as part of his focus for the year on the Illinois court system and an adjunct to the Future of the Courts Conference that will be conducted April 11 to 13 at the Oakbrook Hills Conference Center.
The appellate practice seminars will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office, and Monday, Feb. 18, at the Radisson Hotel, Bloomington. The ALA is a co-sponsor, and assistance has been provided by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Coordinated by Rosalyn B. Kaplan of Chicago, manager of the Appellate Division of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and an ALA past president, the programs will begin at 9 a.m. with discussions of the appeals process, as follows:
Introduction (Chicago) Jonathan L. Loew of Katz, Randall, Weinberg & Richmond, Chicago; (Bloomington) Karen L. Kendall of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, Peoria, an ALA past president and member of the special committee.
Finality of Order for Purposes of Appeal and Notices of Appeal (Chicago) Ruth E. Van Demark of Chicago, an ALA past president; (Bloomington) Robert G. Black of Naperville, an ALA past president.
Perfecting the Appeal and Motion Practice (Chicago) Steven M. Ravid, clerk of the Appellate Court, 1st District, Chicago,; (Bloomington) Darryl D. Pratscher, clerk of the Appellate Court, 4th District, Springfield. Both serve on the special committee.
Briefing the Case (Chicago) Jonathan Loew and assistant Illinois attorney general A. Benjamin Goldgar of the Civil Appeals Division, Chicago, president of the Appellate Lawyers Association and member of the special committee; (Bloomington) Robert M. Dow Jr. of Mayer, Brown & Platt, Chicago.
After a 10:25 a.m. break, the program will resume at 10:35 a.m. with perspectives on presenting the appeals, as follows:
Arguing the Case (Chicago) Rosalyn Kaplan and Michael W. Rathsack of Chicago, an ALA past president and member of the special committee; (Bloomington) Karen Kendall.
Comments from the Court - (Chicago) Justices Joseph Gordon, Jill K. McNulty and Patrick J. Quinn of the 1st District; (Bloomington) Justices Sue E. Myerscough and James A. Knecht of the 4th District, and Mary W. McDade of the 3rd District.
A 12 noon luncheon period will be followed at 1 p.m. by the following presentations:
Bonds and Stays (Chicago) Michael A. Pollard of Baker & McKenzie, Chicago, an ALA past president; (Bloomington) Gregory C. Ray of Craig & Craig, Mattoon. Both serve on the special committee.
Interlocutory Appeals, as of Right and by Permission (Chicago) Justice Thomas E. Hoffman of the 1st District; (Bloomington) Brad A. Elward of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, Peoria.
Supreme Court Practice, Petitions for Leave to Appeal and Original Actions (Chicago) Supreme Court Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald of Chicago, and Carolyn G. Quinn of Hubert, Fowler & Quinn, Chicago; (Bloomington) Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman of Danville, and Hugh C. Griffin of Lord, Bissell & Brook, Chicago, an ALA past president.
Seventh Circuit Practice (Chicago) Mardell Nereim, senior counsel of the City of Chicago Appeals and Constitutional Issues Division; (Bloomington) Craig L. Unrath of Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, Peoria.
Trial skills series start is postponed to Feb. 19
The current series will not be completed until Feb. 5, and there will be a one-week break due to observance of Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12.
Prospective students may attend the opening class on Feb. 19 at no charge, when Fred Lane opens the spring sessions. The weekly 90-minute classes starts at 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office, suite 900, 20 S. Clark St.
The full course covers nine months, totaling 54 hours of instruction. Participants learn and practice the fine points of jury selection, opening statements, closing arguments and other essentials of successful trial practice.
Each session is videotaped and archived for review of each student's progress in voice and manner, and for subsequent viewing by those who may have been absent.
ISBA past president Lane donated the Trial Techniques Institute to the state bar association several years ago. He remains its co-director with law partner Scott D. Lane. They and some distinguished guest faculty members conduct each class.
Call (312) 726-8775 to register for the Feb. 19 class or the entire curriculum. Tuition is $875 for ISBA members and $925 for non-members. For more information, see the advertisement on page 7.
Herb Franks, Leslie Hairston are elected LAWPAC trustees
The ISBA Assembly on Dec. 15 approved the recommendation by President Tim Eaton that they succeed the three retiring trustees: George J. Cullen of Chicago, David A. Decker of Waukegan and Ole Bly Pace III of Sterling.
A partner in Brown, Hawkins, Basola & Mattingley, Brown is an ISBA Assembly member who chairs the Committee on Delivery of Legal Services and serves on the Committee on Bar Services and Activities.
Hairston, a Chicago alderman, is secretary of the Local Government Law Section Council and past chair of the Committee on Minority and Women Participation. She also serves on the Committee on Continuing Legal Education and the Special Committee on Appellate Practice.
LAWPAC trustees will meet at 12 noon Friday, Jan. 25, in the ISBA Chicago Regional Office. Other members are Thomas A. Clancy, Joseph A. Power and Paula Hudson Holderman of Chicago, Michael D. Block of Joliet and J. William Roberts of Springfield.
The annual celebration on May 1 of the importance to society of the rule of law was established by presidential proclamation in 1958 and by a joint resolution of Congress in 1961. The theme of Law Day 2002 is "Celebrate Your Freedom: Assuring Equal Justice for All."
Among the Law Day-related events that generate the most publicity for the organized bar is the annual "Ask-a-Lawyer Day" telephone call-in program, coordinated by the ISBA and several associations throughout the state. This year's date is Saturday, April 27.
To obtain a Law Day planning packet, write to the ISBA Public Affairs Department, Illinois Bar Center, 424 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701-1779, or send a facsimile to (217) 525-0420. Include the name and address of your Law Day activities coordinator.
9th, 10th Circuits to hold child rep training Feb. 21
The program will be conducted with the cooperation of chief judges of the 9th and 10th Circuits from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Holiday Inn City Centre, Peoria.
Lawyers who participate may be certified as child representatives for court appearances on behalf of minor children, pursuant to amendments of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act that give chief judges the authority to make appointments.
Reciprocity also will be granted for appearances in the 3rd, 7th, 11th, 13th and 20th Circuits, where previous certification programs have been held.
Speakers in the Peoria presentation are 10th Circuit Associate Judge Brian M. Nemenoff of Pekin; Peoria attorney Richard W. Zuckerman, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors, and Family Law Section Council members Anthony P. Corsentino of Pekin and Roza B. Gossage of Belleville.
The registration fee of $35 may be made by check payable to the Illinois State Bar Association and mailed to Becky Havrilka, Illinois Bar Center, 424 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701.
Registration by MasterCard or Visa may be made via facsimile to Havrilka at (217) 525-0712.
Teams of Illinois high school students, some of whom may become inspired to pursue legal professions, are preparing for the annual ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational.