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BIPA-8-10-20,ph02
A logo sign outside of a Little Caesars restaurant. Former employees of two local restaurant locations allege the pizza chain violated Illinois’ biometric privacy law with its alleged use of a fingerprint-scanning time clock. – Kristoffer Tripplaar/Sipa USA via AP Images

Pizza chain’s BIPA lawsuit will proceed

Little Caesars must face a lawsuit accusing it of violating employees’ rights under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, a federal judge held.
By Patricia Manson
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Retired cop gets OK to pursue free speech suit

A federal judge cleared the way for a retired North Riverside police sergeant to pursue his First Amendment claims against the village.
By Patricia Manson
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Grubhub drivers must arbitrate claims

Grubhub delivery drivers are not exempt from a federal law forcing them to arbitrate claims against the company, a federal appeals panel has ruled.
By Andrew Maloney

Lawyer Legislators

Serving country, constituents and clients

In the Illinois General Assembly, a 38-member class of state legislators also practice as attorneys. Sens. Paul M. Schimpf, Michael E. Hastings and Jason A. Barickman hold rank as the only lawmakers with both a J.D. and a military I.D.
By Timothy Eggert and Sarah Mansur

Lawyer Legislators

A different kind of House page

Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch’s series of conversations on Facebook Live began April 1 as a Q&A with his two kids — 8-year-old Tyler and 6-year-old Marley — about COVID-19.
By Sarah Mansur

4th District: Suit over public bonds prematurely dismissed

A lawsuit challenging billions of dollars in state bonds was dismissed prematurely, an appeals court has ruled.
By Andrew Maloney

Officials’ personal texts subject to FOIA

Government officials’ personal text messages and emails are subject to state open records laws, an appeals court has found.
By Andrew Maloney

Will Co. judge upholds exec orders, dings downstate ruling

A Will County judge last month dismissed several claims brought by landlords challenging the governor’s ability to suspend evictions during the pandemic.
By Marc Karlinsky

Federal district court starts diversity committee

Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer announced Tuesday she has formed a panel to explore ways to address racial disparities in the federal court.
By Patricia Manson

Courts & Cases

All Courts & Cases
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Contributors

Trial Notebook

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Executor sues for trespass, disposition of remains

When Barbara Kramer died her daughters, Rachel and Claire Kramer, challenged her estate plan, and her brother, Robert Koeller — as executor of Barbara’s will and successor trustee of her inter vivos trust — counterclaimed for declaratory judgment under the Disposition of Remains Act (Counterclaim 1) plus damages for trespass to land and chattels (Counterclaims 3 and 4).
By Steven P. Garmisa

Legal History

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August 10

See if you know what happened on this date in Legal History with Karen Conti.
By Karen Conti

Modern Family

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COVID-19 impacts financial side of divorce process, valuing assets

Like many other facets of our daily lives, COVID-19 has created special challenges in divorce proceedings. Many are familiar with the unique challenges COVID-19 places on parenting time and parenting decisions, but COVID-19 also affects the financial side of the divorce process and has exacerbated already complicated financial issues. Specifically, COVID-19 has created a peculiar problem with respect to valuing assets.
By Katherine Welz Herr

Cotter’s Corner

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Reactions differ on Supreme Court leaks, internal workings

Joan Biskupic recently had a four-part series on CNN.com that addressed leaks and internal workings of the Supreme Court. This past term showed us that the justices’ and SCOTUS’ plumbing was working, when the famous “flushing justice down the toilet” incident happened in May. It now appears that the plumbing might need to be reexamined in light of the significant leaks taking place.
By Daniel A. Cotter

Opening Statement

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Larry Novak: The musical might behind the CBA Bar Show

This was one of the hardest columns I’ve ever had to write.
By Julian J. Frazin

Opening Statement

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Stumbling on a gem of a film from 1978

Recently two words have been increasingly creeping into our daily conversations, both of which describe an activity that has become most prevalent since the pandemic has confined many of us to our homes.
By Julian J. Frazin

Opening Statement

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The only play this weekend that comes with appellate briefs

William Shakespeare would have turned 456 years old this year were he still alive.
By Julian J. Frazin

Lex Sportiva

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Student-athlete COVID-19 waivers likely will face court challenges

In early March, the NCAA cancelled the remainder of all winter sports as well as all upcoming spring sports. Despite uncertainties as to whether fall sports would follow suit, the NCAA announced in June that the plan is to proceed with fall sports under the same formats and timelines.
By Timothy Liam Epstein

Opening Statement

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Online play ‘The Line’ spins a firsthand tale of pandemic

For the past five months we have lived through the chaos and turmoil created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Julian J. Frazin
All Contributors

Social Scene

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Damage downtown after a night of unrest

Signs of unrest dot the Loop on Monday after looters damaged property across downtown overnight. The county and federal courts closed as a result of the unrest and security closures. Photo provided by Aaron Sidrow
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Judges with shovels

The Lawyers Lending a Hand Committee of the DuPage County Bar Association assembled volunteers to do landscaping work at the Ray Graham Association’s Hanson Center in Burr Ridge on July 22. The nonprofit serves people with disabilities. Pictured are three DuPage County judges, from left to right: Associate Judge Brian J. Diamond, Circuit Judge Monique N. O’Toole and Associate Judge Paul A. Marchese.
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NWSBA’s new officers

The Northwest Suburban Bar Association installed its new officers last month outside the Rolling Meadows Courthouse, then held a virtual cocktail party on Zoom the following week. Pictured left to right are the new NWSBA officers: President Gary A. Newland, partner at Newland & Newland LLP in Arlington Heights; First Vice President Mohammad “Moe” A. Ahmad, owner of Ahmad Law Firm LLC in Arlington Heights; Second Vice President Kenneth C. Apicella, partner at Drost Gilbert Andrew & Apicella LLC in Palatine; Treasurer Anthony F. Calzaretta, principal partner at Calzaretta Law P.C. in Arlington Heights; and Secretary Stephanie A. Garces Donat, owner of Garces Law LLC in Arlington Heights. Photo provided by the NWSBA
PC1-6-22-20,ph01

Clifford gets AAJ lifetime honor

The American Association of Justice awarded Robert A. Clifford of Clifford Law Offices its 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. Clifford has been a member of the national plaintiff’s lawyer organization for more than 40 years. The AAJ will formally present the award by videoconference during its virtual Pass The Gavel and Awards Ceremony on July 15.

Special Publications

Women in Law 2020

Women in Law 2020

Applauding women in law

This special supplement lists some of the top women lawyers in the city.
Law Day 2020

Law Day 2020

Your Vote Our Democracy

Features on women before the U.S. Supreme Court, personal stories of gender bias, Illinois' legal bills and more.
JVR Trial Lawyer Excellence Awards

JVR Trial Lawyer Excellence Awards

Celebrating 60 years

Over 300 trial attorneys and Illinois judges were in attendance last October as the Jury Verdict Reporter, a division of Law Bulletin Media, hosted its annual reception and awards for Trial Lawyer Excellence. Fifty-four professionals from both sides of the trial bar received individual Trial Lawyer Excellence awards in one of 17 categories. Please click through and enjoy this review of the Trial Lawyer Excellence Awards.
See all special publications

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Photo gallery with Top Stories

A logo sign outside of a Little Caesars restaurant. Former employees of two local restaurant locations allege the pizza chain violated Illinois’ biometric privacy law with its alleged use of a fingerprint-scanning time clock.
Aug
10
Mon

Pizza chain’s BIPA lawsuit will proceed
A retired police sergeant can move ahead with his suit against the village of North Riverside with allegations the west suburb’s officials squeezed him out after he backed a losing political ticket.
Aug
07
Fri

Retired cop gets OK to pursue free speech suit
A federal appeals court in Chicago on Tuesday ruled a class of Grubhub drivers must actually be “engaged in the channels of foreign or interstate commerce” to fall under an exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act that would prevent them from arbitrating with the delivery service.
Aug
06
Thu

Grubhub drivers must arbitrate claims
Vacant storefronts line the riverfront in downtown Cairo, at the southern tip of Illinois where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers converge. The state is hoping to redevelop the river port into a shipping hub. Flickr photo/Paul Sableman via CC-BY-2.0
Aug
05
Wed

State investing $40M in Cairo river port
Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveils a new mask awareness campaign called “It Only Works If You Wear It” during a press conference at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield on Monday. The new $5 million campaign will encourage Illinois residents to wear a face covering every time they’re in public to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Aug
04
Tue

Pritzker’s new awareness campaign
A Downers Grove police vehicle. A federal judge ruled the western suburb’s enforcement of its anti-panhandling ordinance violated the free-speech rights of two homeless men.
Aug
03
Mon

Downers Grove violated panhandlers’ rights