February 19: From the War-Room to the Bench: Navigating AI in the New Legal Frontier

This two-hour program is meant to provide the latest developments in artificial intelligence and how lawyers can use AI responsibly in their law practices. Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the world, and the legal profession is no exception. Its rapid adoption is reshaping one’s legal practice, which presents both ethical dilemmas and significant litigation risks. On one hand, lawyers must ensure compliance with professional responsibility rules when using AI in their practices. On the other hand, courts are increasingly grappling with AI-driven disputes, ranging from privacy concerns to AI-generated bias. This webinar will examine both sides of the AI legal landscape – how to use generative AI responsibly to increase efficiency for the client while preparing for the litigation trends shaping its future. Attendees will gain insight into how generative AI is creating both opportunities and challenges, and how legal professionals can mitigate risks while leveraging AI’s transformative potential. And AI did not write this program description.

Description:

Title:
From the War-Room to the Bench: Navigating AI in the New Legal Frontier
Date+Time:
February 19, 2026
2:30 PM CDT •1:30 PM MDT • 12:30 PM PDT • 3:30 PM EDT 

Register Now For This Free Continuing Legal Education Webinar!
Speakers:

• Moderator: Robert A. Clifford is the founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, Chicago’s premier personal injury law firm, recognized globally for its depth of talent, record results, and decades of experience in complex personal injury and wrongful death case litigation. Widely regarded as a global leader in aviation litigation, Mr. Clifford has represented families in every domestic commercial crash since 1979. His involvement in the litigation of cases stemming from major historical events, including the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, demonstrates his unprecedented international reputation. Mr. Clifford currently serves as Lead Counsel in the ongoing federal litigation for families of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-8 crash victims that took 157 lives from 35 countries. Together, the Clifford Law Offices aviation practice group is highly respected for its excellence in handling high-profile catastrophic events, often obtaining record results, influencing public policy changes, and safeguarding the rights of individuals, families, and the flying public through strategic legal action. Among his many accolades, Mr. Clifford has been ranked the #1 lawyer in the state of Illinois by Super Lawyers® in 2025, a title he has held for a record 12 years. That same year, he was also selected for inclusion in Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys. Honorees are selected through a peer nomination and editorial review process, and recognizes outstanding litigators and trial attorneys for their remarkable achievements over the past 18 months. In 2024, he was named to Forbes’ America’s Top 200 Lawyers list and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The National Law Journal. Clifford Law Offices has been routinely ranked as one of the top law firms in Chicago, ranked nationally and locally on Best Law Firms® in several practice areas, including aviation, and called one of the “50 Elite Firms in the Country” by the National Law Journal. Under Mr. Clifford’s leadership, his firm has made an immeasurable impact on the lives of individual clients and their families, recovering more than $5 billion in judgments and settlements for victims and families struggling with the burdens and injustices of major injuries or the loss of a loved one due to the wrongful conduct of others.
• Presenters:
• Hon. Michael J. Chmiel Co-Chair of Illinois State Bar Association AI Committee Circuit Court of McHenry County Effective January 1, 2005, Chmiel was appointed to the 19th Judicial Circuit, which became the 22nd Judicial Circuit in 2006. He filled a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ward Arnold and took over his Traffic Division call, then served as the Juvenile Court judge for McHenry County from May 2, 2005, through September 14, 2009, when he was assigned to a family law call. He was elected in 2006 and became the new circuit’s first presiding judge of its new Family Division in 2007. On January 3, 2012, Chmiel was assigned to the circuit’s Civil Division, became supervising judge of arbitration, and was assigned the circuit’s chancery (other than foreclosure) and probate calls. He served as the Civil Division presiding judge from 2018-21. In June, 2022, Chmiel was elected to serve a two-year term as Chief Judge, replacing Judge James S. Cowlin who had held the role since 2018. He served as chief judge from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2024. He was succeeded in that role by Judge Michael W. Feetterer. Chmiel was retained for additional six-year terms in the November 2012, 2018, and 2024 elections. Effective January 2, 2025, Chmiel was assigned to a civil call, hearing all arbitration, all small claims, and civil collection cases relating to closed criminal and traffic cases. He also serves as Alternate Dispute Resolution Supervising Judge. In November 2005, Chmiel was appointed to the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board by the Supreme Court and served as its first treasurer through 2010. In 2011, he was appointed to the Judicial Faculty for the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. He also serves on various committees of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, including the Public Relations committee, which he chairs. Effective April 12, 2022, Chmiel was appointed a member of the Supreme Court Commission on Elder Law, for a term expiring December 31, 2025. Admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1990, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin 1997, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court 1999, and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois 2004. Chmiel began his legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. Richard N. DeGunther of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1990-92). He worked for the law firm of Barrick, Switzer, Long, Balsley & Van Evera as well as Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle. Immediately prior to joining the bench, he was in private practice with the firm of Chmiel & Matuszewich in Crystal Lake.
• Daniel W. Linna, Jr. Senior Lecturer & Director of Law and Technology Initiatives Northwestern Pritzker School of Law & McCormick School of Engineering For more than a decade Dan has focused his work on applications of artificial intelligence and data analytics for legal-services delivery. Currently, Dan has a joint appointment at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and in the Computer Science Department of Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering as a Senior Lecturer and the Director of Law and Technology Initiatives. Dan’s teaching and research focus on innovation and technology, including the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics to improve legal-services delivery as well as the law, regulation, and governance of computational technologies.Dan is also an affiliated faculty member at CodeX - The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics. Dan received his BA from the University of Michigan, received a second BA and an MA in public policy and administration from Michigan State University, and graduated magna cum laude, Order of the Coif from the University of Michigan Law School. Dan began his legal career with a one-year judicial clerkship for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James L. Ryan. After his clerkship, he joined Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, where he was elected equity partner in 2013. Before law school, Dan was an information technology manager, developer, and consultant.
• Mark C Palmer Chief Counsel Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism Mark C. Palmer has served as Chief Counsel of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism since 2015, always dedicated to advancing the quality of justice and upholding the rule of law across Illinois. In this role, Mark supports efforts to promote professionalism, civility, and integrity within the legal and judicial systems. His work includes spearheading statewide initiatives such a statewide lawyer mentoring program, courthouse professionalism trainings, and other educational programming for lawyers, judges, and law students. Mark’s commitment to innovation in the legal profession extends to serving on the Illinois Supreme Court’s E-Business Policy Board and Illinois Judicial Conference’s AI Task Force. His thought leadership in legal technology areas earned him recognition as a 2023 vLex Fastcase 50 honoree for his contributions as one of “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, lawyers, and leaders.” Before joining the Commission, Mark was in private practice at Evans, Froehlich, Beth & Chamley in Champaign. His practice spanned litigation and transactional matters with a focus on commercial disputes, banking law, municipal law, and appellate advocacy in state and federal courts. He also served on the federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel, representing indigent defendants in federal courts. Mark has always been actively engaged in professional and civic service. He served on the Illinois State Bar Association’s Board of Governors (2019–2025) and Assembly (2013-present), and has chaired the Public Interest Law Initiative’s (PILI) 6th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee for over a decade. He serves on the Advisory Council of the National Legal Mentoring Consortium while mentoring undergraduate and law students. Mark has been an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Law since 2009 where he’s taught advanced trial advocacy and continues to guest lecture on ethics, professionalism, and legal technology.
• Hon. Thaddeus L. Wilson Illinois Supreme Court e-Business Policy Advisory Board Circuit Court of Cook County Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court as a judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County on August 31, 2007, and elected in 2010. He was retained in 2016 and 2022. Judge Wilson is currently assigned to the Chancery Division – General Section. Before that, he was assigned to the Criminal Division, where he served as a supervising judge responsible for handling administrative motions and resources for a team of judges in addition to hearing his own felony trial call. In 2021, Judge Wilson was appointed to the newly formed Court Technology Modernization Steering Committee of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. The committee was tasked with assessing the current state of court technology in each of the 24 circuit courts and providing recommendations for improvement and change. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Wilson was the managing attorney of the Law Office of Brookins & Wilson (A Partnership of Professional Corporations). He practiced in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, general civil litigation, civil rights/police misconduct, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and election law. As part of this multifaceted litigation practice, he represented corporations, banks, municipalities, insurance companies, and individuals. 

By:
Clifford Law Offices.
Credit:

• Illinois: CLE credit, listed below, is available to those who attend the webinar during its live broadcast on Feburary 19, 2026, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. CDT. Illinois: Approved for 2.0 hours of Professional Responsibility/Ethics by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism
• Indiana: Approved for 2 total hours in DE and Ethics by the Indiana Office of Admissions & Continuing Education
• Iowa: Approved for 2 total hours in Ethics by the Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education
• Missouri: Approved for 2.4 total hours, including 2.4 ethics hours and 0.0 elimination of bias hours by the MCLE Department of the MO State Bar
• Ohio: Approved for 2 CLE hours in Attorney Professional Conduct by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education.
• Wisconsin: Approved for 2 CLE hours in Legal ethics and professional responsibility by the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners
• Reciprocity in: CA, FL, NY

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