Amata Law Offices – Page 27

Tips for July 2018 Mandatory E-Filing – Circuit Court of Cook County

June 18, 2025August 27, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Remember how everyone thought the world was going to end on January 1st, 2000? Well, it’s 2018 and we are still here. Just like that daunting day, July 1st, 2018 has come and gone, and everyone is getting used to the Circuit Court of Cook County’s mandatory e-filing system. All jokes aside, after working with Amata members on their e-filing, and thanks to the assistance of various clerks offices, I have gathered some e-filing tips and tricks.

What you need to know before e-filing for the first time.

The Basics

Each Division has free stations with computers & scanners available to assist with e-filing. My favorite is Law Division.
All files must be in PDF format. Most documents can be saved in a PDF format from Microsoft word.
For those who do not have access to Word, visit www.freepdfconvert.com. The site can convert text or image documents for free.
Many easy to use court forms are also available in PDF at www.illinoiscourts.gov/Forms/approved
Save changes after each section you enter information.
If you are trying to print case files from a docket but the clerk’s printer is down, check with another division or even a different floor; they may be able to print the same documents.

Small tricks that will help you e-file with ease

The Nitty-Gritty

When searching for a case to file into, use the full year. For example: 17 CH 12345 should be searched as 2017CH12345.
The case number you are filing into should match the case number on the documents you are e-filing.
Your attorney code should be entered in Case Cross Reference Number.
If you know there is a fee for your e-filing make sure it says, fee populates at the bottom of your screen.
All documents should be filed “non-confidential” unless filed under seal.
If filing under seal, your 1st lead document should be an agreed order from the Judge on the case granting leave to file under seal.

Diana Garcia, Paralegal with Amata Law Office Suites

Diana began with the company in 2010 as a Client Consultant and moved up to Paralegal in 2016 after attending DePaul University’s Paralegal Studies Certificate Program. In addition to being a Paralegal, she works as a translator for Amata members working with Spanish-speaking clients. Diana holds a BA in Public Relations also from DePaul University.

Discover our legal support staff for lawyers in Chicago.

77 West Wacker’s Latest Shared Office Space Caters to Chicago’s Attorneys

June 9, 2025August 20, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Amata Law Office Suites’ newest attorney office space location at 77 W Wacker in downtown Chicago offers premium space for your firm in a prestigious setting. Featuring private offices as well as coworking and virtual space on the 45th floor in Chicago’s Legal District, it’s the perfect location for your firm.

Housing your practice on the 45th floor of this incredible building will bring you the big clients you’ve been looking to land. Top-paying clients will be impressed and feel an immediate sense of trust when they step through the doors.

In addition to the opportunity for increasing your firm’s revenue by relocating to this premium locale, there are exclusive perks for attorneys at this location through Amata Law Office Suites.

Vast Parking Options for You and Your Clients

One of the incredible advantages of choosing to house your Chicago law firm at our spaces at 77 W Wacker is the vast parking availability for yourself and your clients. This location boasts a lower-level parking garage as well as 1,200 additional parking spots you can gain access to via a skybridge and easy access to the Pedway.

When parking is convenient for your clients, you open up the doors to that many more choosing your firm over others that don’t include ease-of-access.

Amenities Designed to Impress Your Clients

Treat your clients and guests to a meal at the Early Society Restaurant or take advantage of their catering for your next meeting. Provide more ease-of-access to visitors with the on-site concierge services and cab stand located at the entrance of the building. In need of a notary or umbrella loan? Those services are both offered for your convenience at this location as well.

Luxuries that Amplify Your Life

The fitness center located at 77 W Wacker is incredible and features several wellness programs, a basketball court, yoga, massage therapy, and more. There are over 100 different services offered in total, including educational seminars that address common issues for attorneys such as stress management, fitness on the fly, and blood pressure.

Services that Increase Your Bottom Line

Amata Law Office Suites sets our Chicago attorney office spaces apart from the rest by offering unique services that are focused solely on increasing your productivity and therefore, your bottom line.

We offer conference room bookings that include catering services so you don’t have to take time to figure out all the details, and our state-of-the-art video conferencing technology means you can conduct your meetings when it works best for you and your clients. Our reception and phone answering services come complete with calendar scheduling and thorough new client intake. Amata Law Office Suites has professional staff on hand to provide expert deposition support right when you need it.

If you’ve been looking for the office space for your Chicago firm that will yield the high-paying clients you’ve been vying for, look no further. Schedule your tour of our law office spaces on the 45th floor at 77 W Wacker today.

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The Benefits of Amata’s Community, Amatanet

June 18, 2025July 24, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Amata Law Office Suites understands that social networking isn’t just for college kids anymore. Instead of your run-of-the-mill platforms that encompass many diverse industries over a large spread of various regions, Amata focuses its community, Amatanet, specifically on its members – those that hold virtual, coworking, or private office space.

Amatanet allows our members to partake in a private community where they may network with one another as well as establish and build personal and professional relationships, co-counsel opportunities, and so much more.

Search for Colleagues. RSVP to Events. Build Your Community.

While the business benefits of social networking are becoming more and more obvious, it is really the cocktail party atmosphere in which you are engaging with that provides new colleagues who are more than willing to share information, tools, resources, opinions, knowledge and support.

By actively involving yourself in the Amatanet community, you’re able to demonstrate your expertise, engage with your fellow Amata members, and present yourself as a leader. All of these things combined will give you ROI – return on investment as well as Return On Influence.

Connections Matter

Amatanet is a perfect hub for networking, building connections, and staying on top of what’s happening in the legal community. Being an Amata member truly means being part of a community.

At Amata Law Office Suites, we realize that networking doesn’t always come naturally. It takes work, and that’s why we’re here to help you succeed.

Discover How Amatanet Helps Set You Apart

We all know networking matters, and as a part of the community at Amata Law Office Suites, you have the opportunity to connect with other members and enjoy the following benefits:

Receive the very latest on upcoming events, RSVP, and find out who in your community is attending.
Create valuable connections with our Water Cooler forum. This platform allows Amata members to post questions, seek assistance, post jobs, share events, introduce themselves to potential colleagues, and spark discussions. What’s more, every week, members receive emails recapping the very latest Water Cooler posts, as well as highlighting upcoming events. In essence, it’s a perfect, all-around way to network, stay informed, and build your professional community base.
Access our Amata Law Office Suites member directory to connect with other members, search by locations, profession, and even language. Members find this extremely helpful, especially when they are looking for someone with specific services such as translation.
Review benefits and special discounts exclusively for Amata members.
Monitor your upcoming meetings, reserve conference rooms, and even manage account billing.

Get Connected and Stay Informed as an Amata Member

If you want to succeed as an attorney, networking and professional development are key. When you create valuable connections with fellow attorneys, you establish a go-to for someone to bounce ideas off of, refer clients to, and even be referred in return.

Let Amata Law Office Suites member community, Amatanet, help you cultivate these important connections and stay informed with the latest events and industry updates.

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.

Proof You Only Bill 2 Hours a Day, and How Data Collection Can Help

June 18, 2025July 9, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

You’re not a scientist or an analyst, so you may be doubtful that data collection can do anything for your firm. You are not alone. Since the orators of Greece till modern day, we have had little legal industry data to look at. However, with the shift in technology in the legal profession, data has begun to appear. And the discoveries are shocking.

The Truth About Tracking Billable Hours

Clio, a technological software built to help lawyers with time management and organization, released their first “Legal Trends” report in 2016, with a second released in the fall of last year. These two reports contain an analysis of data collected from their 40,000+ attorney clients. While their reports are thick one-inch print outs – yes, I printed them both, I am no friend of the forests now – one piece of information sticks out as especially disconcerting.

In 2016, lawyers only logged an average of 2.2 hours of billable time per day, and only billed 1.8. This result is supported in their second legal trends report, which collected data from an additional 20,000 lawyers.

Right now you may be saying ‘Not me. I’m different.’ To which I need to ask, how do you know?

As a lawyer, you understand that you cannot solely trust a person’s self-reported version of events due to bias. And our ability to not trust lawyers on their billable hours is proven. In 2012, lawyers were self-reporting numbers closer to 6.9 for an average 8.9 hour workday. Studying the quantitative numbers, such as Clio did, removes this bias. If you don’t have the numbers, you cannot be certain that a large portion of your day is not spent on non-billable work.

Scrutinizing minds may be wary of how Clio can benefit from releasing this report. Obviously, they are using this example of non-billable hours to prove to potential clients that time management is key, and, how convenient, Clio is there to help. However, don’t forget that all the lawyers included in this study are already using Clio.

One can infer most of these lawyers also take care to control their time, stay organized, etc. That’s why they turned to Clio in the first place. Which makes me wonder, how bad are the numbers for those who don’t have a clue?

How do lawyers track billable hours?

We suggest you start collecting the data yourself to learn just how productive you truly are. You can sign up for a program such as Clio or go the traditional route and use pen and paper.

Mark the time you start
Note what case you are working on
Note specifics on the work – document review, research, memos, etc.
Mark the time you stop, – and why you stopped. Was it a phone call? An issue with your printer? Another case at the back of your mind?

Interruptions are often the culprit of lost work time, so once you know the reasons you stopped working, you can work towards solutions to fixing them. Set specific hours where you answer calls and speak to clients. Go paperless. Practice your focus techniques through meditation.

But to refine your processes, it all starts with collecting that data.

See how Amata Law Office Suites can help you become more efficient in your day-to-day. With access to more than just office space, you can finally focus on what you need to – billable hours.

Kirsten Mayfield, Director of First Impressions with Amata Office Solutions

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Guitar Chicago: Relieving Stress & Providing Outlets for Busy Chicago Attorneys & Other Professionals

June 18, 2025June 29, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Amata Law Office Suites’ member James Lenger of Guitar Chicago is bringing stress relief and renewed focus to attorneys, IT professionals, those in the finance industry, and more with guitar lessons – and all for an impressively low cost.

Low Cost, High Reward

Typical lessons run between $80-90 for an hour and offer a form of therapy that allows busy minds to settle, anxiety to abate, and an overall positive demeanor to flourish in spite of the daunting, and oftentimes highly stressful, work environments the professionals that he teaches experience.

Guitar Lessons Provide Far-Reaching Benefits

In fact, Lenger’s approach has been so successful that fellow Amata member and clinical psychologist, Stacey Willard, is now referring her clients to Guitar Chicago as a way to manage their anxiety.

Music Therapy Brings Newfound Fulfillment for Busy Attorneys

For those that are less concerned about stress and more about ways to find enjoyable time for themselves and a creative outlet to devote to, lessons from Lenger are the perfect solution.

As partner at Kirkland and Ellis, LLP, Ralph Dado III, can attest to this very sentiment. During his sometimes 100-hour work weeks, he’s still able to find fulfillment in learning something new with guitar lessons at Guitar Chicago.

These lessons offer an enjoyable way for attorneys and professionals alike to focus their time and attention, even if just for an hour, in another area outside of their daily work environment. By doing so, it opens up new avenues of finding joy, fulfillment, and fun.

Don’t miss the featured article on James Lenger and Guitar Chicago by the Chicago Tribune.

If you’d like to experience the benefits of guitar or other related lessons, give James a call at 312.863.8588, or head to the Guitar Chicago website today!

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There is No Turning Back, Mandatory E-Filing is Here July 1st, 2018

June 9, 2025June 27, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

The Illinois courts have been moving towards e-filing – albeit slowly. The original date of January 1st, 2018 was pushed back after Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, Dorothy Brown, and Chief Judge, Tim Evans, filed a joint request to push back the start date a full year. They were granted six months and as of this Sunday, July 1st, the six month extension will have come to a close.

Which means when you come into work on Monday morning, e-filing will be mandatory.

I had the chance to attend a seminar on how to avoid the pitfalls of e-filing back in the winter of 2017, and while I am not an expert on this yet, I collected some quick tips & links for those out there plunging into this sometimes-daunting task.

First let’s start with the good news: Not everything will need to be e-filed.

Below are the four (4) exceptions:

Documents filed by an incarcerated self-represented litigant in jail or correctional facility
Wills
Documents under the Juvenile Court Acts of 1987; and
Document in a specific case by court order

If you didn’t catch a lucky break Monday morning, and your documents do not fall under these exceptions, then you will need to create a username and password on the Illinois e-filing site to get started.

The next step will be to upload a PDF version of your document onto the site.

The size of the document you can upload varies by county and site, so first check with the clerk’s office for size requirements. If your document is too large, don’t fret! You can compress it using this free site.

It is important to have a standard naming convention when e-filing as this helps keep you and the courts organized.

Example: Type-> Description-> Client -> Date
MOT-Extension of Time- Rabiela -091417.doc
LTR-to client re status hearing-Munoz-052317.pdf

Want to make your life easy? There are several service providers that can assist with the e-file process. Attorneys are not required to use a service provider, but there are fees associated with add-on services.

There are strict guidelines on this mandatory process, and by no means is this all you need to know about e-filing. For a more in-depth look at e-filing, visit the Illinois courts site. If you are an Amata member, you can always ask our on-staff paralegals for assistance. Just shoot us an email at [email protected].

Stay tuned as we help guide you through this first month of e-filing. We will be posting quick tips to our Twitter and Facebook throughout the month of July.

Diana Garcia, Paralegal with Amata Office Solutions

She began with the company in 2010 as a Client Consultant and moved up to Paralegal in 2016 after attending DePaul University’s Paralegal Studies Certificate Program. In addition to being a Paralegal, Diana is fluent in Spanish and hold a BA in Public Relations also from DePaul University.

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3 Reasons You Should Use On-Demand Paralegals

June 18, 2025June 20, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Work-load fluctuation is often the most frustrating aspect of running a law firm. It makes it impossible to project profits, and should you experience a large influx of work, it can be stressful. On one hand you want to be able to accept all clients that come your way, on the other, you can’t take on more than the work week allows.

People who are not in law may say “just hire more staff.” But an occasional need for support does not often justify the cost of a full-time hire. The paralegal you take on during a period of heavy casework may be eating into your profits the next quarter, when cases finish and incoming work slows.

Here are our reasons why hiring a paralegal on-demand is more than just an obvious solution, but a valuable asset to your firm.

1. Temporarily bolster the size of your firm.
Clients want to be number one on your priority list. That’s why they choose a small firm lawyer over a large firm. But if you are too small, they may not believe your firm can handle their case and another. On-demand paralegals can help bolster the apparent size of your firm. Allowing potential clients to feel at ease hiring you, no matter how particular they may be.

2. Double your firm’s working hours.
24/7. That’s all the time you have as a single lawyer each week. But with a paralegal that becomes 48/7, doubling the potential hours you can be paid. And because your paralegal works at a cheaper hourly rate for you – but not your client – you can increase your profit margin for every task you assign them versus yourself.

3. Take on more cases and keep overhead steady.
The pricing of the future is not hourly but fixed. And if you are one of the small law firms who have adopted this modern model, then you know the importance of being able to take on more work. On-demand paralegals allow this in the simplest way. When multiple cases come in, you don’t have to turn them down due to lack of help.

With the increasing popularity of small law firms, companies are popping up left and right with the sole focus on providing firms with on-demand legal support staff. If you are an Amata member, chances are you have already enlisted the help of our in-house paralegal staff in downtown Chicago. A quick search will also give you plenty of options no matter where you live, or how you choose to work. This hired help will be representing you at every turn, so be diligent in who you hire, but don’t hinder the potential of your firm by not hiring anyone at all.

Want more details on our in-house paralegal team? Contact us and see how we can help you, or ask for a pricing sheet at [email protected].

Kirsten Mayfield, Director of First Impressions with Amata Office Solutions

Discover our paralegal services in Chicago.

The Ethics and Practicality of Shared Office Space

June 18, 2025May 22, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Last Thursday, Amata Law Office Suites’ co-founder and CEO, Ron Bockstahler, attended an event hosted by The Chicago Bar Association where he spoke about the ethics and practicality of shared office space.

As a consultant to law firms for over 20 years and having witnessed first-hand how positively attorneys have been impacted through spaces that Amata provides for them, Ron shared his knowledge of the benefits and feasibility that shared office spaces bring to the table.

If you are a member of The Chicago Bar Association and would like to view a video replay of the meeting, you may watch it by clicking this link: http://www.chicagobar.org/am/mediaplayer/player.aspx?code=LAWPR0518W

Also, please note that watching the video replay will not count toward your CLE credit.

The Chicago Bar Association primarily consists of judges and attorneys from Cook County and the State of Illinois and is one of the oldest and most active metropolitan bar associations in the United States. The CBA is proud to sponsor and support continuing legal education programs and cultivate social relationships among its members.

To attend opportunities like this in the future, check out all of Amata’s attorney networking opportunities on our events page.

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Law School Students Get Exclusive Treatment at Amata

June 18, 2025May 22, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

Amata is aware of how hard and costly it can be to get your law firm up and running. And for law students, if you want to be successful in the legal world, you need more than stellar grades and an innate knowledge of law.

The increasingly competitive nature of the legal marketplace has meant that attorneys need to make sure that all aspects of their business are flawless. And your physical workspace can’t be overlooked. In fact, it has become more important than ever before. After all, it can make a meaningful difference in your productivity and longevity.

Discover How Amata Can Help

Starting a law firm, particularly in today’s aggressive market, is no easy task. But Amata Law Office Suites is making it our business to help law students’ transitions to the legal marketplace easier than ever before. For any startup law firm that’s looking to grow, Amata can provide credibility and a more professional image, both of which are key to selling legal services.

Qualified participants in the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law’s Solo & Small Practice Incubator program are able to receive many of Amata Law Office Suites’ services at no charge. With our assistance, you can maximize your chances of success.

Instantly Jump Start Your Law Practice

We also offer a program available exclusively to attorneys – both those that are leaving the Chicago-Kent Incubator program and those in their first year of practice – specifically designed to financially assist new attorneys in getting started with their solo law practice.

Amata knows that the environment you choose to work from can have an instrumental impact on your success. Establishing a strong network is one of the most important steps to starting a law practice. Word of mouth will always be a key driver of law firm growth, so building up a network of attorneys, as well as other professionals, can help generate business.

Enjoy Immediate Access To The Features And Services You Want and Need For Your Firm

The legal profession is one that involves great responsibility in the handling and resolution of important matters in our clients’ lives. Trustworthiness and professionalism are a necessity for any attorney to be successful at landing clients and growing their firm.

Perhaps even more crucial is the workspace environment and staff on hand.

Take Advantage of Amata’s Highly Trained Staff With A Personal Receptionist

Having a polished office space with high-end finishes is an easy way to exude professionalism. Amata comes complete with luxury finishes and even a highly-trained receptionist to greet your prospective clients. We provide these professional reception services at no charge, so you can concentrate on what’s truly important.

Incoming calls are handled by a professional receptionist
Assistance is provided with any new client intake
Receptionist greets visiting clients and announces them upon arrival

Daily Task Assistance Made Easy

The daily tasks of a burgeoning attorney can stack up very quickly, and when you’re still burdened with finishing law school, coming up with the funds to pay for these services can seem overwhelming.

Custom call answering based on your requests
Personal phone number with voice messaging
All assigned phone numbers are owned by you and easily portable
Free document scanning at all Amata locations

Grow Your Practice With Exclusive Networking

Attorney networking opportunities can be the platform for taking your law firm to the next level. Working at Amata Law Office Suites with other attorneys is an excellent way to form strong relationships early on. You can establish mutual referral arrangements, share resources and information, and learn valuable lessons about marketing and running a business from other attorneys who are in a similar position.

What’s more, Amata offers exclusive networking events tailored specifically for attorneys like yourself.

Membership with 800+ Chicago-based attorneys
Social activities designed with lawyers in mind
Networking events and speaker series for professional development

Make It Professional With Bonus Access To Many Amenities

The daily needs of a law student preparing to start their own firm extend far beyond routine services. You need a place for working and meeting clients, as well as a collaborative and vibrant workspace. Amata has all your bases covered.

Access to all of Amata’s open work areas
Private huddle room and client intake room access
Free access to WiFi at all of Amata’s locations

A La Carte – Member Rate Services

When you need to go beyond the routine services and are looking for access to specific needs, Amata is your complete source. Amata Law Office Suites offers law school students the ability to gain access at member discounts.

Copier and mail machine use when you need it
Utilization of our paralegal and administrative team and court filing services
Access to our network of business partners and discounted rates

Starting a law firm is no easy feat. There’s a lot to consider, including your potential revenue and expenses, as well as the environment from which you work.

For your workspace needs, let Amata Law Office Suites be your ultimate solution. You can customize your plan today, and take advantage of all Amata has to offer. As a law student, it could be just what you need to get your firm up and running.

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American Bar Association Chicago 2018 Annual Meeting

June 18, 2025May 10, 2018 by Amata Law Offices

ABA’s 2018 ANNUAL MEETING LOCATED IN CHICAGO

Is it summer yet? If you are like me, you are chomping at the bit to kick off your winter shoes for a pair of flip flops & hang out at one of Chicago beautiful roof top restaurants. It’s no wonder Chicago was named ‘2017’s Restaurant City of the Year’ by Bon Appetit & ‘Top City’ in Conde Nast’s “Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.”

As your calendar fills up for the summer do not forget to save the dates of August 2-7 for the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting. Open Enrollment has begun, and you don’t want to miss some of the cool sessions they have scheduled for our fabulous city. This week-long event of CLE seminars, networking events & more starts August 2, 2018 and continues through August 7th.

The meetings will take place in nine of Chicago’s prestigious downtown hotels, with Hyatt Regency as headquarters. Registration packages range from an all access pass at $495 for ABA members ($695 for non-members) to an ABA Limited Registration at $95 for members ($295 for non-members).

A few sessions included in this year’s ABA annual meeting

Aug 4
Dispute Resolution @ Marriott 540 North Michigan Ave P 312.836.3010

Aug 2-4
Family Law InterContinental @ InterContinental 505 North Michigan Ave P 312.944.4100

Aug 3-4
Labor & Employment Law @ Swissotel 323 E Upper Wacker Dr P 312.565.0565

Aug 2-5
Solo, Small Firm, General Practice Division @ Swissotel 323 E Upper Wacker Dr P

Aug 2-4
Litigation @ Swissotel 200 North Columbus Dr P 312.565.8000

Aug 3-4
Real Property, Trust & Estate Law @ Fairmont Millennium Park 200 North Columbus Dr P 312.565.8000

Experience what the ABA Annual Meeting has to offer and save money by checking out CLE in the City – Chicago

Not interested in spending that much money? Check out CLE in the City where Chicago Law Firms open their doors for CLE courses on 8 specialty tracks. Earn 3.0 CLE credits during 16 CLE sessions while networking at Chicago area law firms. Sessions begin at $35 and include topic such as Cybersecurity Law (presented by Locke Lord LLP), Family Law (presented by Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP) & Litigation (presented by Jenner & Block LLP).

If you are interested in attending please see below for a few handy links for you to find what you need.

After you done feeding your brain, feed your stomach for lunch or dinner at rooftops of Raised or London House all while enjoying some breath-taking views of this city we love so much!

Diana Garcia, Paralegal with Amata Office Solutions

Discover our networking events for Chicago lawyers.