Home » Guides » Legal » Legal » Illinois Contract Law Education and Training

Illinois Contract Law Education and Training

Get the right training to protect your business with IL contract law

By Emmet McMahan
Illinois contract law is an exchange of promises that is enforceable by law. Illinois contract law education and training includes a broad range of issues, such as the sale of property, the terms of employment or the settlement of a dispute.

Contract law in Illinois state allows both written and oral contracts. A written contract may be required when making a large purchase such as a car or house, while a smaller purchase like a book may be considered an oral contract. A contract typically requires the following three elements in order to be enforceable:
  1. Mutual consent. The contract laws in Illinois requires that the parties agree on what the contract covers.
  2. Mutual consideration. The parties must exchange something of value. A contract may not be enforceable if a party is already obligated to provide the consideration or if the consideration is essentially worthless.
  3. Offer and acceptance. The contract contains an offer from one party that is accepted by the other party. A counter-offer is not an acceptance and is typically considered to be a rejection of the offer.

 

Attend a law school that specializes in Illinois state contract laws

There are a variety of universities in Illinois that provide a concentration in commercial law or business law, which typically includes coursework on Illinois contract law.
Try: The Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution program at the Chicago-Kent College of Law provides a concentration in contract law. The University of Chicago Law School offers law clinics that emphasize contract law, such as the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship.

Obtain Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for a contract attorney in Illinois

Illinois requires attorneys to stay current on changes in the law through CLE courses. There are a variety of education and training programs in Illinois that provide CLE credit in contract law.
Try: The Illinois State Bar Association provides a schedule of upcoming classes on contract law that offer CLE credit in Illinois, such as Advanced Practice Issues for Employment Lawyers. Apex CLE is a provider of CLE seminars in Illinois, including those on contract law.

Learn through professional training opportunities for a contract lawyer in Illinois

Conferences, seminars and workshops are excellent methods for Illinois contract lawyers to improve their knowledge of the law. This training is typically provided by professional associations, law firms or dedicated providers of legal training.
Try: The Chicago Bar Association provides CLE seminars on a variety of topics throughout the year, including contract law. The DuPage County Bar Association holds seminars and other meetings on many legal topics like contract law.

 

  • An IL contract attorney should join professional organizations that are dedicated to the practice of state of Illinois contract law. These associations provide a number of resources essential for the practicing contract law attorney, including contact information for important courts, assistance with meeting CLE requirements and links to the recent contract law rulings.

Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.