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.

During a case Resources
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 discovery practice
A lawyer resource on discovery, including rules, limitations, interrogatories, document requests, depositions, exams, and remedies for noncompliance in special cases.
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
Civil Practice: Trying the Case
A lawyer resource on handling trials, covering jury selection, opening and closing statements, testimony, record preservation, motions, verdicts, judgments, and post-trial motions.
IICLE
Civil Trial Evidence (Illinois)
A lawyer resource on evidence at trial, including sufficiency of proof, objections, hearsay, privileges, physical and demonstrative evidence, motions, and misconduct.
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
Contempt of court
A video by Chicago Volunteer Legal Services about the power of the court to punish someone for interfering with the court process.
Video
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
Laying Foundations for Introducing Evidence
A lawyer resource on introducing trial evidence, including how to lay proper foundations, handle objections, preserve the record, and best practices from judges and litigators.
IICLE
Perils of voluntarily dismissing without prejudice
A video for attorneys by the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services about the issues you might have to overcome if you voluntarily dismiss a case.
Video
Planning the substance of your case
The American College of Trial Lawyers give advice to attorneys on how to build your argument in a case so that it is most persuasive.
Video