Practice resources

These resources are written for legal professionals doing legal aid or pro bono work. If you do not have legal training, they may be difficult to understand. Visit resources from the main menu for legal information written and designed for the public. Note: IICLE resources are only available to legal aid employees.

Starting a new case Resources
Business Law: Choice of Entity
A lawyer resource on business law that guides attorneys in selecting the appropriate entity type for clients, including tax considerations, fiduciary duties, and formation of Illinois corporations.
IICLE
Causes of action: Common considerations
A lawyer resource on starting a cause of action, including petitions to perpetuate testimony, discovery to identify parties, adding respondents in discovery, class actions, and more.
IICLE
Chancery and Special Remedies
A handbook for lawyers on special remedies, covering rescission, reformation, injunctions, interpleader, constructive trusts, subrogation, and contempt, with sample petitions, orders, and forms.
IICLE
Civil practice: Opening the case
A lawyer resource on attorney-client relationships, including case development, settlement, jurisdiction, venue, pleadings, affidavits, and related procedures.
IICLE
Civil Practice: Preparing for Trial
A lawyer resource on civil litigation, covering discovery, litigation rights, tax aspects, injunctions, declaratory relief, dismissals, summary judgment, pretrial conferences, and trial preparation.
IICLE
Class actions
A lawyer resource on Rule 23 and class actions, covering investigation, discovery, notice, pleadings, motions, settlements, derivative suits, and attorneys’ fees.
IICLE
Employment Termination: Procedures, Grounds, and Challenges
A lawyer resource about the procedures, grounds, and challenges with employment termination, including severance pay, employment discrimination, retaliatory discharge, and reductions in force.
IICLE
Federal civil practice
A lawyer resource on federal civil practice, covering jurisdiction, pleadings, motions, discovery, pretrial, magistrate judges, trial, appeals, and more.
IICLE
Illinois civil practice
Advanced content for lawyers. Information on Illinois Civil Procedure, from filing a complaint to post-trial motions to enforcement of judgments.
Text article
Inside and outside the jury box: Effective trial strategies
A manual for lawyers on trial strategy, covering trial psychology, community attitude surveys, change of venue studies, jury selection, witness preparation, demonstrative evidence, trial consultants, and post-verdict interviews.
IICLE
Tort Actions
A handbook for lawyers on tort law, covering pleadings, intentional torts, personal injury, federal claims, and injunctions, with over 30 causes of action, including medical battery, aviation, alcohol liability, premises, and professional negligence.
IICLE