Section Newsletters

Articles From 2014

Upcoming CLE program By Shannon M. Shepherd Human and Civil Rights, March 2014 Sign up now for this informative seminar that will take place later this week.
Update on all appropriate inquiries into land acquisitions By Gene Schmittgens Business Advice and Financial Planning, July 2014 An update to the article published in this newsletter in February 2011.
Update on the 50 best law firms for women (and the 10 best in Chicago) By Cindy G. Buys Women and the Law, August 2014 The 2014 results are in. Click here to see which Chicago firms made the list!
U.S. Supreme Court limits Georgia v. Randolph’s consent search exception By Tracy Douglas Women and the Law, July 2014 A discussion of Georgia v. Randolph and its ramifications.
Use of unmanned aircraft by farmers: Legal considerations By Craig J. Sondgeroth Agricultural Law, January 2014 While these aircraft may be a farmer’s next precision agriculture tool, the legal implications should also be considered.
1 comment (Most recent January 15, 2014)
Useful citations to Illinois Compiled Statutes By Phillip B. Lenzini Local Government Law, February 2014 Looking for a particular statute? Use this handy guide, arranged by subject.
USEPA wins cross state air transport pollution case By Raymond T. Reott Environmental and Natural Resources Law, June 2014 In a 6-2 vote, the United States Supreme Court has reversed the decision of the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals on an important Clean Air Act case.
Using spaghetti westerns to understand coal mining in today’s agricultural setting By Jeffrey A. Mollet Agricultural Law, December 2014 This newsletter's editor has discovered that the present state of the mining industry can be summed up by simply referring to the titles of Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western “dollars” movies from 50 years ago.
Utah takes center stage in the marriage equality debate By Michele M. Jochner Family Law, January 2014 The ruling in Kitchen v. Herbert was the first decision to strike down a state marriage ban after the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion on same-sex marriage this past summer in United States v. Windsor.
Vacating a judgment: We need meaningful criteria—West Suburban Bank v. Advantage Financial Partners, LLC By Patrick M. Kinnally Civil Practice and Procedure, December 2014 Our Illinois Appellate Court has now issued another opinion on vacating a judgment under 735 ILCS 5/2-1401.
2 comments (Most recent December 17, 2014)
Veteran hiring By Margery Newman Construction Law, March 2014 On March 24, 2014 new rules from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs regarding Veteran went into effect. The author discusses the major provisions of the final rule here.
A view from the Chair By Letitia Spunar-Sheats Women and the Law, December 2014 A message from Committee Chair Letitia Spunar-Sheats.
A view from the Chair By Letitia Spunar-Sheats Women and the Law, August 2014 An update on the Committee's activities from Chair Letitia Spunar-Sheats.
A view from the Chair By Mary F. Petruchius Women and the Law, February 2014 A message from Committee Chair Mary Petruchius.
Village of Villa Park v. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, et al., 2013 Ill App. 2(d) 130038 (filed 12/31/2013) By Patrick D. Czuprynski Workers’ Compensation Law, May 2014 The Appellate Court of the Second District of Illinois affirmed the judgment of the Circuit Court and the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission decision, awarding benefits for Claimant’s low back injury due to a slip and fall down a flight of stairs.
Virtual assistance By Dan Breen Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, April 2014 The author has compiled a handy list of a few options to consider when looking for out-of-office help.
Voting rights in America: A lunch with Justice Ginsburg By Daniel R. Saeedi Racial and Ethnic Minorities and the Law, January 2014 The author recently attended a luncheon at which Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke about the Voter Rights Act.
Voting rights in America: The Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 By Athena T. Taite Administrative Law, April 2014 This article does not take a position on the Voting Rights Amendment but hopes to inform the debate regarding the aftermath of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder (2013), in which the U.S. Supreme Court found part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to be unconstitutional.
Voting rights in America: The Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 By Athena T. Taite Racial and Ethnic Minorities and the Law, March 2014 This article does not take a position on the Voting Rights Amendment but hopes to inform the debate regarding the aftermath of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder (2013), in which the U.S. Supreme Court found part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to be unconstitutional.
Wake-up call: Wills and Supreme Court Rule 138 By Mary Cascino Trusts and Estates, January 2014 The Trusts and Estates Discussion Group recently brought up a very interesting discussion about Illinois Supreme Court Rule 138, parts of which are to take effect January 1, 2015.
1 comment (Most recent January 28, 2014)
Waltner v. Commissioner, TC Memo 2014-35: A tax protester goes to court Federal Taxation, March 2014 One of the more pervasive fringe groups in America is the tax protester. This group has developed techniques that they claim lawfully allow them to avoid the income tax.
A warning to public sector employers: ERISA can apply to you By Benjamin E. Gehrt Employee Benefits, June 2014 Many HR professionals, elected officials, and even some attorneys share a common belief: ERISA does not apply to public sector employers. Unfortunately, they are wrong.
Watch what you say: The Illinois Supreme Court strikes down a key part of the Eavesdropping Statute By Walter J. Zukowski & James S. Peters Education Law, October 2014 On March 20, 2014, in the case of People v. Clark, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the Illinois Eavesdropping statute that required two-party consent without reference to the intent of the parties.
Watch your mailbox, your health insurance may be terminated: A guide to the new managed care program for Illinois healthcare program participants By Gina Salamone, Zach Hesselbaum, & Bonnie Schradel Elder Law, September 2014 A major change for Illinois citizens, a large sector of whom are seniors, has flown mostly under the news radar.
What is so great about a “No Further Remediation” letter anyway? By Matthew E. Cohn Environmental and Natural Resources Law, January 2014 When deciding whether to buy, sell, hold, investigate, remediate, manage, or do anything else with or to your contaminated properties, the most important things to have are good data, good science, good counsel, good motives, and a healthy understanding of your tolerance of risk.
What law governs the mediation privilege in federal cases? By Jonah Orlofsky Intellectual Property, September 2014 Many states have mediation statutes that create statutory privileges for all communications that are part of the mediation process. There is, however, no similar federal statute. This raises the question of whether there is a mediation privilege for federal cases. Two recent Illinois federal district court decisions examined this issue  
What law governs the mediation privilege in federal cases? By Jonah Orlofsky Alternative Dispute Resolution, May 2014 Two recent decisions show that the question of whether there is a mediation privilege in federal cases will differ depending upon the basis for jurisdiction.
What you talk’n ‘bout, Willis? By Richard D. Hannigan Workers’ Compensation Law, May 2014 A review of the recent case of James Paluch v. United Parcel Service.
When is a mailbox not a mailbox? By John J. Holevas Civil Practice and Procedure, October 2014 According to the Second District Appellate Court, the use of FedEx delivery for service of a tax appeal does not trigger the “mailbox rule.”
When is misconduct by an attorney not subject to discipline by the ARDC? In re KARAVIDAS, 2013 IL 115767 By Sean D. Brady Trusts and Estates, January 2014 Although the answer might sound obvious, the application of the Rules of Professional Conduct in In re Karavidas might surprise some people.