In furtherance of the ARDC’s mission to educate lawyers to help them serve their clients effectively and professionally within the bounds of the rules of conduct, ARDC staff conduct onsite seminars, speak and facilitate at external presentations and participate in regional workshops. If you wish to request a speaker or to attend an ARDC seminar or workshop, please see the information below.

Speaker Requests

The ARDC has staff available to speak on a number of topics related to professional responsibility, ethics, civility, wellness and diversity and inclusion. To request a speaker for your organization or event, complete the Speaker Request Form and provide as much information as possible regarding the event. Email your request to: [email protected]. Your request will be reviewed to determine speaker availability and you will be notified regarding the status of your request.

Please note that speaker availability is sometimes limited and not all requests can be fulfilled. Prior to requesting a speaker for your event, we ask you to consult the ARDC’s Online Learning Portal to determine if your CLE request can be fulfilled via one of our many e-learning opportunities. During those times when speaker availability is limited, preference will be given to non-profit, pro bono or other similar legal service organizations. Please contact the ARDC’s Education Department at: [email protected] with questions.

Additionally, please note that pursuant to the MCLE Rules, the event sponsor is responsible for seeking course accreditation and complying with the requirements of a CLE course provider or an Accredited CLE Provider. If you have any questions about how to obtain accreditation for your program, please consult the MCLE Board website at www.mcleboard.org.

In-Person Presentations

The ARDC frequently sponsors and participates in educational events and presentations on topics relating to legal ethics and the practice of law. See our News & Events page for a listing of upcoming events.

Professionalism Seminar

The ARDC’s Professionalism Seminar addresses law office management issues and ethical obligations of lawyers. The Seminar focuses on the Rules of Professional Conduct and practical day-to-day application of the rules in operating a law office and in resolving common ethical dilemmas. The seminar is free and accredited for 4.0 hours of MCLE/PRCLE credit in Illinois.

The Professionalism Seminar is limited to Illinois lawyers who are required to fulfill a disciplinary or diversion requirement. For all other lawyers, excerpts from past Professionalism Seminars are often available as on-demand, recorded webcasts on the ARDC’s Online Learning Portal.

Lawyers required to attend the Professionalism Seminar can register by e-mail at: [email protected] or by calling Mary Andreoni, Senior Education Counsel, ARDC Chicago office at (312) 565-2600 or (800) 826-8625.