Learn about the groundbreaking case that has changed the labor and employment landscape and what it means for your clients! In an en banc opinion, the 7th Circuit has now added sexual orientation as a protected class under Title VII, making this a ruling that may or may not create a sea of change in anti-discrimination laws and the law, in general, as it relates to sexual orientation. Join us via the Internet on September 13, 2017 to get the information you need to advise your clients on this timely topic, including: how the legal landscape of discrimination claims may be affected; who will be effected by this ruling; Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College and the history behind the ruling; and how the rest of the circuit courts across the country view this ruling. The seminar is presented by the ISBA Labor & Employment Law Section and qualifies for 2.0 hours MCLE credit. Click here for more information and to register.

Democrats and Republicans. Cubs fans and Cards (or White Sox) fans. Oxford comma devotees and detractors. Is that how it is in your workplace? Well, score one for the Oxford comma contingent. As Rex Gradeless put it in the May issue of The Public Servant, newsletter of the ISBA Government Lawyers Committee, a "recent federal appellate court decision may put the cost of a single missing comma at $10 million." Gradeless reminds us that the Oxford comma is "placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction (usually 'and' or 'or') in a series of three or more terms. For example, a list of three Illinois counties might be punctuated either as 'Hardin, Pope, and Calhoun' (with the Oxford comma), or as 'Hardin, Pope and Calhoun' (without the Oxford comma)." In the case in question, Maine truck farmers argued that they were included in a statute requiring overtime payments, while the Oakhurst Dairy argued they were excluded. The overtime statute excluded employees involved in "[t]he canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of [food products]."

On July 11, 2017, the Illinois State Bar Association filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County to enjoin the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (“IDFPR”) from prosecuting Illinois licensed lawyers for submitting information about property values in advocating on behalf of clients in real estate tax assessment proceedings. In April, the IDFPR initiated administrative prosecutions of two Illinois licensed lawyers, alleging that in separate proceedings each had engaged in the unlicensed practice of real estate appraisal. The lawyers had filed briefs with the Property Tax Appeals Board and the DuPage County Board of Review, respectively, advocating a reduction in the assessed value of their clients’ property. Neither lawyer purported to submit an appraisal or act as an appraiser. The IDFPR’s administrative complaints sought “cease and desist” orders against the two lawyers as well as civil penalties not to exceed $25,000 per violation.  "Arguments based on property valuation are common in many legal fields and have long been typical of real estate tax assessment practice," said Thomas McNulty of Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, who along with Steven Pflaum is representing the ISBA in this case. "The ISBA believes that making such arguments on behalf of clients clearly constitutes the practice of law, does not entail the submission of an appraisal, and is well beyond the authority of the IDFPR to regulate."

Complimentary Training and CLE Credit for ISBA Members Only Thursday, August 3, 2017: Introduction to Legal Research on Fastcase Take advantage of this opportunity to familiarize yourself with Fastcase (including the all new Fastcase 7!) through this introductory legal research training seminar. With unlimited free access to a comprehensive 50-state and federal case law database, this is one benefit ISBA members should learn how to use! Thursday, August 10, 2017: Advanced Tips for Enhanced Legal Research on Fastcase Take your Fastcase knowledge and knowhow to a new level with this advanced legal research training seminar (which also includes a look at the advanced features of Fastcase 7). Get the most out of this member benefit learning how to use the advanced features of this free online legal research tool. Thursday, August 17, 2017: Fastcase Boolean (Keyword) Search for Lawyers Join us for a brief overview that discusses how using the right keyword throughout your Fastcase search can produce better search results, as well as how to use the keyword search in Fastcase 7! The program is designed for attorneys who are already familiar with the basics of Fastcase, but are new to Boolean (keyword) searches and want to learn how to be more efficient using Boolean logic on any legal search engine.