February is without a doubt an important month for aspiring lawyers. February 8 was the final qualifying LSAT test date for those seeking admission into law school this fall, and February is also a month in which many law school applications are due. Thousands of hopeful applicants now eagerly await admission decisions.

Similarly, hundreds of law school graduates will take the Illinois Bar exam this month to become licensed attorneys. These are our future advocates, litigators, judges, lawmakers, and public officials. The law dictates almost every facet of our day-to-day lives, and we must wonder, who exactly are the faces behind the law?

Last week's sidewalk snow removal guidelines for homeowners prompted the question of legal liability. It's courteous to pedestrians to keep sidewalks clear, but is it required by law? Can a homeowner be held responsible for injuries arising from a snow- or ice-related fall? The answers are no, and probably not. 

It is not required by Illinois law for homeowners to shovel their sidewalks, and the law even grants a special civil immunity to homeowners from sidewalk slip-and-fall lawsuits. (Businesses, on the other hand, are not immune from liability.)