In October 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism published a report on the experiences and impact of workplace bullying based on a study of more than 6,000 Illinois lawyers.
Lawyers who participated in the study identified the individuals below as responsible for the most recent bullying incidents that they faced:
- A lawyer who worked in a different firm/company (e.g., opposing counsel) – 33%
- A lawyer in the same firm/company in a more senior or very high-level position – 31%
- A judge – 14%
During this session, Illinois Appellate Court Justice Sharon O. Johnson and John Kim, Associate General Counsel at Edward Jones, will provide attendees with practical strategies lawyers can use to respond to bullying in legal workplaces, whether they are being targeted by the bullying or are a bystander or witness to it.
In addition, Commission on Professionalism Executive Director Erika Harold will review key findings of the report and the steps the Commission is taking to address bullying in the legal profession.