United States District Court
Northern District Of Illinois
Local Rules
LR83.50.2. Terminology
The following definitions shall apply to the rules of professional conduct:
(1) “Belief” or “believes” denotes that the person involved actually supposed the fact in question to be
true. A person’s belief may be inferred from circumstances.
(2) “Confidence” denotes information protected by the lawyer-client privilege under applicable
law.
(3) “Contingent fee agreement” denotes an agreement for the provision of legal services by a lawyer under
which the amount of the lawyer’s compensation is contingent in whole or in part upon the successful
completion of the subject matter of the agreement, regardless of whether the fee is
established by formula or is a fixed amount.
(4) “Disclose” or “disclosure” denotes communication of information reasonably sufficient to permit the
client to appreciate the significance of the matter in question.
(5) “Firm” or “law firm” denotes a lawyer or lawyers engaged in the private practice of law in a
partnership, professional corporation, or other entity or in the legal department of
a corporation, legal services organization or other entity. See Comment, LR83.51.10.
(6) “Fraud” or “fraudulent” denotes conduct having a purpose to deceive and not merely negligent
misrepresentation or failure to apprise another of relevant information.
(7) “Knowingly,” “known” or “knows” denotes actual knowledge of the fact in question. A person’s knowledge may be inferred from circumstances.
(8) “Partner” denotes a lawyer who is a member of a partnership, or a shareholder or
officer in a law firm organized as a professional corporation.
(9) “Person” denotes natural persons, partnerships, business corporations, not-for-profit
corporations, public and quasi-public corporations, municipal corporations,
State and Federal governmental bodies and agencies, or any other type of lawfully
existing entity.
(10) “Reasonable” or “reasonably” when used in relation to conduct by a lawyer denotes the conduct of a
reasonably prudent and competent lawyer.
(11) “Reasonable belief” or “reasonably believes” when used in reference to a lawyer denotes that the lawyer believes the
matter in question and that the circumstances are such that the belief is
reasonable.
(12) “Reasonably should know” when used in reference to a lawyer denotes that a lawyer of reasonable
prudence and competence would ascertain the matter in question.
(13) “Secret” denotes information gained in the professional relationship, that the client
has requested be held inviolate or the revelation of which would be
embarrassing to or would likely be detrimental to the client.
(14) “Substantial” when used in reference to degree or extent denotes a material matter of clear
and weighty importance.