Notice to Clients: Illinois lawyers are no longer tied to hiring a messenger or standing in line at the post office in order to affect service of a notice to withdraw from representation on a client. An amendment to Supreme Court Rule 13 allows attorneys to deliver notice to withdraw by third party carriers such as Fed Ex, UPS, or any other more commonly-used and recognized service. Use of a third party carrier also makes more sense for the client who would pay attention to a delivery in an envelope from these carriers rather than having a regular envelope dropped in with the regular mail by a messenger or postal worker who the client may never see.
Electronic Depositions: Today’s economic constraints dictate that attorneys use all reasonable efforts to keep costs to their client in check. Twenty-first century technology gives us the means to do this effectively. With that in mind, a change to Supreme Court Rule 206 permits an attorney to take a deposition by electronic means such as phone, videoconference, SKYPE, etc., by simply stating in the Notice of Deposition that he or she is doing so. By eliminating the requirement under the prior rule to obtain court approval or the assent of opposing counsel who may withhold assent for strategic reasons, the Court is promoting the use of inexpensive technological means and reducing the costs expended to achieve it. These actions by the Court present a win-win situation for both attorneys and their clients.
Both Illinois Supreme Court Rule amendments were effective immediately on February 16, 2011 and are available here.
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