Last week in K. Miller Construction Company v. McGinnis, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the appellate court and held that the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act doesn't stop contractors from suing on oral contracts for home-repair work. That's the good news -- for contractors, anyway. But contactors should be using written contracts and otherwise complying with the Act to begin with, writes Michael P. Tomlinson in the latest ISBA GP&Solo newsletter.
Practice News
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September 30, 2010 |
Practice News
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September 30, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced Wednesday that Associate Judge Paul G. Lawrence has been appointed a circuit judge at-large in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Judge Lawrence was appointed to fill the Circuit Court vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Judge G. Michael Prall on November 2, 2010. The appointment is effective November 3, 2010 and will expire December 3, 2012. Justice Rita B. Garman recommended the appointment of Judge Lawrence after a review process by a special citizen screening committee. The committee unanimously recommended Judge Lawrence’s appointment to Justice Garman to fill the vacancy. Judge Lawrence graduated from University of Illinois in 1982 with a B.S. degree in Accounting. He received his juris doctor degree from University of Missouri in 1985. Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Lawrence practiced at the law firm of Lawrence, Moore and Ogar. He was appointed as an associate judge in the Eleventh Circuit in 2002, serving as a trial judge for over eight years until Wednesday’s appointment by the Supreme Court as a Circuit Judge. A resident of Bloomington, Judge Lawrence is married with five children. The Eleventh Judicial Circuit is comprised of five counties: Ford, Livingston, Logan, McLean and Woodford.
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September 30, 2010 |
Practice News
by Peter LaSorsa Google has launched a new program called Google Tags. The program works by giving your law office an eye-catching yellow tag on Google Search and Google Maps. Both Google Search and Maps are utilized by a majority of people on the Internet and represent a great market of potential clients. Google is currently offering a free 30-day trial after which you will be charged $25 per month. One of the nice features of Google Tags is that it allows you to highlight coupons, photos, and other helpful information that can help customers choose you. Coupons are a great way to track your advertising and increase your customer base. In our current economic situation, many people are looking for value and shopping around for service based on price. I know many lawyers’ turns their nose at coupons or other creative ideas for attracting customers, but I believe those lawyers are missing the boat and not taking advantage of technology to the fullest. Even if you get a few new customers a year with Google Tags, your total investment will only be $275 (11 months at $25 per month and one month free). I believe when you balance the cost of traditional advertising or other forms of online advertising, Google Tags offers a cost-effective way to reach potential clients. Peter LaSorsa can be reached at lasorsalaw.com. He also publishes a blog at www.illinoissexualharassmentattorneyblog.com
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September 29, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced Tuesday that Eugene E. Gross received a majority of the votes cast by the circuit judges in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit and has been appointed to the office of associate judge. Mr. Gross received his undergraduate degree in 1980 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and his Juris Doctor in 1983 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Gross is currently affiliated with Reed, Heller, Mansfield & Gross in DuQuoin, Illinois
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September 29, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court announced today that Michael C. Jansz received a majority of the votes cast by the circuit judges in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit and is appointed to the office of associate judge. Mr. Jansz received his undergraduate degree in 1985 from the Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and his Juris Doctor in 1988 from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Mr.Jansz is currently a partner with Herbolsheimer, Lannon, Henson, Duncan & Reagan in Ottawa, Illinois.
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September 29, 2010 |
Practice News
By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC For the past five weeks I have been discussing the characteristics of successful law firms and introduced the following basic building blocks that successful firms typically have in place:
- Partner Relations
- Leadership
- Firm Management
- Partner Compensation
- Planning
- Client Service
- Marketing
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September 27, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has approved the Illinois Rules of Evidence in codified form aimed at expediting the trial process and improving the administration of justice in Illinois courts. "The Illinois State Bar Association strongly supported codification of the rules of evidence and welcomes the action of the Supreme Court," said John E. Thies, 2nd Vice President, Illinois State Bar Association. "Codification of evidentiary law from the multiple sources where it now resides will be a significant benefit to the practicing bar, and also a convenience for the judiciary. Legal research should be simpler, and codification may also result in a more unified application of evidentiary rules. We applaud the Court and Chief Justice Fitzgerald for undertaking this important task." Click here to read or print the Rules of Evidence.
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September 24, 2010 |
Practice News
While reading the local newspaper this morning, I read this sentence in a piece about the new Mercedes hybrid car. “Mercedes, [which has focused on strong, fuel-efficient diesel engines to maximize mileage but doesn’t offer a diesel-powered S-Class model in the United States,] is late coming into the hybrid car segment.” The text inside the brackets is a perfect example of what is called an embedded clause. It’s a chunk of text that separates the working parts of the sentence—the noun and verb. You're separating the actor from the action. Readers get lost hacking their way through the embedded clause to understand that Mercedes got in the hybrid market late. Solution? Richard C. Wydick’s recommendation is to take the embedded clause and make it a separate sentence. Is this easier to understand? “Mercedes is late coming into the hybrid car segment. In the past it has focused on strong, fuel-efficient diesel engines to maximize mileage but doesn’t offer a diesel-powered S-Class model in the United States.”
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September 23, 2010 |
Practice News
A panel of leading appellate lawyers reflect on today's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in civil cases West American Insurance v. Yorkville National Bank, Hurlbert v. Charles, Hubble v. Bi-State Development Agency, K. Miller Contruction Company Inc. v. McGinnis and Irwin Industrial Tool Co. v. The Department of Revenue and criminal cases People v. Miller and People v. Clendenin.
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September 22, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the filing of disciplinary orders involving a number of licensed lawyers. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law. More information on each case is available at the ARDC website.
DISBARRED
- William Charles Chesbrough, Elgin
- Alan Samuel Cohen, St. Louis
- Joseph Patrick Collins, Chicago
- C. Wayne K. Davis, St. Louis
- Kelly Christine Garland, Chicago
- Thaddeus James Hunt, Chicago
- Brainerd William LaTourette III, St. Louis
- James A. Reskin, Louisville, Ky.
- Kenneth Alan Runes, Mount Prospect
- Lawrence Scott Wick, Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.
- Bradford Thomas Yaker, Bingham Farms, Mich.