19th Annual Joint CLE Conference
This free program is a joint project of Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, the Jackson County Bar Association, and the Williamson County Bar Association.
The deadline to sign up is May 1, 2026.
Illinois attorneys have a free opportunity to earn 6.0 MCLE hours, including 3.0 professionalism credits (to be applied for) at the 19th Annual Joint CLE Conference on Friday, May 15, 2026. Hosted at the SIU Simmons Law School Auditorium in Carbondale, the program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is free for all registrants. ISBA Mutual Insurance Company is proud to sponsor the conference lunch and support a program that strengthens legal practice across Southern Illinois.
The Joint CLE Conference is a collaborative effort between SIU Simmons Law School and the Jackson and Williamson County Bar Associations. Now in its 19th year, the program brings together practitioners, judges, and legal educators for a full day of substantive continuing education.
Notably, this year's agenda includes "Claims We See That Lawyers Never Expected", a featured session from Garrett P. Kern, Esq., Chief Claims and Risk Management Officer at ISBA Mutual. This professionalism-eligible hour draws directly from real Illinois malpractice claims to surface the exposures practitioners most often miss.
Event Details
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Location: SIU Simmons Law School Auditorium, Carbondale, IL
Cost: Free
MCLE Credit: 6.0 hours (including 3.0 professionalism hours, to be applied for)
Registration Deadline: May 1, 2026
Questions:JointCLEConference@gmail.com
Event Agenda
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. | Registration & Breakfast (sponsored by Life's Plan, Inc.)
8:45 – 9:00 a.m. | Welcome & Announcements
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Working Effectively with Sign Language Interpreters (1.0 MCLE, 1.0 PMCLE) — Hon. Michael A. Fiello, 1st Judicial Circuit; Sarah J. Taylor, Barrett, Twomey, Broom, Hughes & Hoke, LLP; Kimberly Heibner, ASL Interpreter for the Deaf
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | Break
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | eDiscovery: Fact or Fiction? (1.0 MCLE) — Andrew Pardieck, Professor of Law, SIU Simmons Law School
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | When the Bet Goes Wrong… (1.0 MCLE, 1.0 PMCLE) — Jeremiah Weinstock, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, St. Louis University
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. | Lunch (sponsored by ISBA Mutual Insurance Company)
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. | Parenting Plans: Practice Tips from the Bench (1.0 MCLE) — Hon. Michael A. Fiello, 1st Judicial Circuit; Hon. Lucas H. Liefer, 24th Judicial Circuit; Hon. Tara R. Cook, 2nd Judicial Circuit; Letitia B. Wiggins, Wiggins Law, LLC
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | Break
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions
Session A: A Comprehensive Look at Illinois Land Trusts (1.0 MCLE) — Kelli A. Beyer, Vice President & Trust Counsel, The Land Trust Company
Session B: Guidelines for General Practitioners in Representing Noncitizen Clients (1.0 MCLE) — Cindy G. Buys, Professor of Law, SIU Simmons Law School; Maria Baldini-Potermin, JD; Joseph Moravec, JD; Diane M. Speir, JD
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Claims We See That Lawyers Never Expected (1.0 MCLE, 1.0 PMCLE) — Garrett P. Kern, Esq., Chief Claims & Risk Management Officer, ISBA Mutual Insurance Company
4:40 – 6:00 p.m. | Reception (sponsored by The Land Trust Company)
Registration closes May 1, 2026. Attendance is free, and 6.0 MCLE hours, including 3.0 professionalism credits (to be applied for) are available for a full day of programming at SIU Simmons Law School Auditorium in Carbondale.