Hot Topics
Realtors to pay $418M to end home seller commission class action; Big changes coming to home sale process
Lawyers who brought the lawsuits could be in for a big payday, as well, potentially claiming $140 million from the deal, plus $69 million from earlier settlements with large real estate brokerages facing similar claims of alleged collusion to boost real estate agent commissions
Lawsuits
Lawsuits claim Henyard mistreated, fired workers in Dolton, Thornton Township for refusing illegal schemes
Lawsuits
Ex-megachurch pastor's defamation claims vs opposing lawyers doesn't end attorney-client privilege: Appeals court
Hot Topics
Foster declares Pritzker's venue law unconstitutional, refuses to transfer firearm liability challenge to Sangamon County
Madison County Associate Judge Ronald J. Foster Jr. declared Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s forum law favoring Cook and Sangamon County is unconstitutional and denied Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s motion to transfer an Alton gun store’s constitutional challenge to both the venue law and the firearm liability law.
Campaigns & Elections
Bring Chicago Home votes will be counted after IL Supreme Court nixes challengers' bid for appeal
The decision lets stand an appellate court's ruling that Illinois residents cannot ask courts to review before the election any referendum questions placed on the ballot by the Chicago City Council or other elected "legislative" bodies, "regardless of how blatantly unconstitutional"
From Madison Record
While the bill likely will go nowhere, it’s unfathomable that it could even be proposed: In the relevant part, a bill now pending in the Illinois legislature would criminalize, as “parental bullying,” any parent who knowingly, with intent to discipline or alter the behavior of a child, says or messages anything that would coerce the child.
From Madison Record
From Madison Record
From Madison Record
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Lawdragon names Cozen O’Connor’s Shaw among Top 500 leading U.S. bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers
CHICAGO, July 17, 2023 — Lawdragon has named Chicago attorney Brian Shaw, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring practice, to its 2023 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers.
Cozen O’Connor attorney Matt DiCianni honored with Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center
Matt DiCianni, a labor and employment associate at Cozen O’Connor, has been honored with a Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).
Latest News
Lawsuits
Class action says Ledger owes customers for allegedly misleading about security of its crypto wallets
The lawsuit had been filed in federal court in New York, but was transferred to Chicago federal court
Lawsuits
Class action targets online test prep biz Themis Bar Review over alleged tracking pixels
The lawsuit asserts the company allegedly allowed Facebook to access personal identifying information about users of Themis' website through the use of so-called tracking pixel installed on the website.
Lawsuits
Class action says Quaker Oats failed to tell customers its products contain traces of plant growth regulator chemical
The lawsuit asserts Quaker Oats has violated numerous state consumer protection laws.
Lawsuits
Class action accuses Eggland's Best of allegedly falsely claiming its eggs are lower in saturated fat
The lawsuit alleges Eggland's Best misled consumers by advertising its eggs contained "25% less saturated fat than regular eggs," when the lawsuit claims lab tests reveal the opposite
Lawsuits
Class action accuses Quaker Oats of failing to warn customers about salmonella risk on product labels
The lawsuit doesn't allege anyone was actually exposed to salmonella, only that Quaker Oats allegedly should have stated on their product labels that their products could contain salmonella.
Lawsuits
Gonnella says insurance company wrongly refusing to pay for its lawsuit vs ex-worker accused of defrauding company
The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring Arch Insurance to fund Gonnella's action against an ex-employee who allegedly teamed with his wife to steer big purchases to a shell company they set up.
Lawsuits
Class action: ERC Specialists allegedly scammed small businesses seeking CARES Act tax credits
The lawsuit asserts the defendant allegedly misled businesses over the question of whether they could qualify for employee retention tax credits under the federal law.
Lawsuits
Cubs sue shuttered jet club Aerovanti, say they left Cubs holding bag worth millions on sweepstakes offer
The Chicago Cubs have lodged a lawsuit against the now-defunct private jet club, Aerovanti. The baseball team alleges that Aerovanti owes them millions for purportedly "ghosting" the Cubs on a sweepstakes promotion, thereby leaving the Cubs to deal with the fallout.
Lawsuits
Baird & Warner accused in class action of allegedly conspiring to force home sellers to pay buyers' agents, brokers
The class action accuses Baird & Warner of allegedly violating Illinois' state antitrust and consumer fraud laws.
Lawsuits claim Henyard mistreated, fired workers in Dolton, Thornton Township for refusing illegal schemes
Three ex-Dolton village and Thornton Township workers claim Dolton Mayor and Thorntown Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard demanded they perform illegal acts, then allegedly harassed them, and ultimately fired them for refusing.
Ex-megachurch pastor's defamation claims vs opposing lawyers doesn't end attorney-client privilege: Appeals court
The decision means ex-Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald can't get access to certain documents he claims he needs to see to press his legal claims against the church's former lawyers.
Class action says Ledger owes customers for allegedly misleading about security of its crypto wallets
The lawsuit had been filed in federal court in New York, but was transferred to Chicago federal court
Class action says Quaker Oats failed to tell customers its products contain traces of plant growth regulator chemical
The lawsuit asserts Quaker Oats has violated numerous state consumer protection laws.
Class action accuses Eggland's Best of allegedly falsely claiming its eggs are lower in saturated fat
The lawsuit alleges Eggland's Best misled consumers by advertising its eggs contained "25% less saturated fat than regular eggs," when the lawsuit claims lab tests reveal the opposite
Realtors to pay $418M to end home seller commission class action; Big changes coming to home sale process
Lawyers who brought the lawsuits could be in for a big payday, as well, potentially claiming $140 million from the deal, plus $69 million from earlier settlements with large real estate brokerages facing similar claims of alleged collusion to boost real estate agent commissions
Foster declares Pritzker's venue law unconstitutional, refuses to transfer firearm liability challenge to Sangamon County
Madison County Associate Judge Ronald J. Foster Jr. declared Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s forum law favoring Cook and Sangamon County is unconstitutional and denied Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s motion to transfer an Alton gun store’s constitutional challenge to both the venue law and the firearm liability law.
Opponents to Chicago property sales tax hike referendum ask IL Supreme Court to step in
Business groups argued an appellate court's decision reinstating the referendum on the ballot would effectively allow the Chicago City Council and other lawmaking bodies across the state to place any referendum questions on any ballot they wish, regardless if the questions are constitutional
Judges: Courts must 'remain on sidelines' on school 'gender support' policies until parents' rights are violated
A federal appeals panel has dismissed a lawsuit brought against Wisconsin school district by parents who say the district's new "gender support guidance" for school staff will inevitably lead to school staff violating their constitutional rights as parents to direct the upbringing of their children
Fourth District: Constitutional challenge to Pritzker's COVID-19 emergency orders declared moot
The Fourth District Appellate Court affirmed Sangamon County Associate Judge Jennifer M. Ascher’s order finding a lawsuit filed by a group of Illinois educators moot because the COVID-19 emergency orders they were challenging are no longer in effect.
Bring Chicago Home votes will be counted after IL Supreme Court nixes challengers' bid for appeal
The decision lets stand an appellate court's ruling that Illinois residents cannot ask courts to review before the election any referendum questions placed on the ballot by the Chicago City Council or other elected "legislative" bodies, "regardless of how blatantly unconstitutional"
'A hostile place:' Employers in Chicago and beyond face sweeping lawsuit risk under Chicago PTO rules
'Progressive' supporters cheered passage of the ordinance, which guarantees all workers 10 paid days off every year. Business groups said it will expose any employer, anywhere, who sends workers into Chicago to potential risk of lawsuits if they don't comply with the ordinance
KCIC report: Madison, St. Clair Counties see most asbestos filings for 2022; Cook County ranked #7
Madison and St. Clair County again saw the most asbestos case filings for 2022, according to an annual report by Washington D.C.-based technology and management consulting firm KCIC.
IL Supreme Court: Hockey club that rents ice arena can be sued under IL human rights law for 'banishing' teen diagnosed with depression
The Illinois Supreme Court says the teen's mental health diagnoses mean she could be protected by the IL Human Rights Act's anti-discrimination provisions protecting access to "places of public accommodation." Objectors contended such reasoning could open broad range of private organizations to lawsuits, violating First Amendment
British law firm Baker & McKenzie must face lawsuit in Chicago over seized Russian coal mine, appeals panel says
Dissent argues ruling makes Illinois' already clogged courts even more appealing to foreign plaintiffs, even if the cases have no real connection to the U.S. The Baker firm says the case is a prime example of "forum shopping," and the decision is an "affront" to legal doctrines governing where cases are heard
Judge OKs Cook County 'assault weapons' ban, agrees that bans only apply to guns not protected by 2nd Amend
A Chicago federal judge became the latest to uphold a ban on so-called "assault weapons," saying she was bound by a 2023 appellate ruling which declared weapons labeled by lawmakers as "dangerous," "military-grade" weapons aren't protected by the Second Amendment and can be banned
Ex-St. Anthony's Hospital HR exec appeals end of lawsuit accusing hospital of firing her for exposing 'pay-for-play'
St. Anthony's former HR head claims she lost job for opposing 'pay-to-play' schemes linked, in part, to ex-House Speaker Madigan, who is now criminally indicted on corruption charges
Cook County Judge Carl Boyd suspended from hearing cases after charged with domestic battery
Cook County Circuit Judge Carl Boyd was charged with domestic battery in an incident Chicago Police say left a woman with a cut on her cheek from broken glass. Boyd has served on the Cook County bench since 2012