Angela Underwood News
New IADC president, Venable partner says to seek to help shape future for defense attorneys
The newly appointed president of the Chicago-based International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) said he is excited about the opportunity to add his voice and vision to shape the future of the defense bar and legal profession.
Sixth Circuit Appeals Court's transgender discrimination ruling expands reach of civil rights law
A recent federal appeals court ruling stands as another example of judges explicitly expanding the scope of anti-discrimination laws to protect the employment rights of people who identify as gay, lesbian and non-binary gender, according to an attorney whose practice focuses on labor and employment matters
Judge declines to freeze Walgreens' suit vs Panasonic over $11.5M loss from malfunctioning cold storage
A federal judge has denied an attempt by Panasonic Healthcare Corporation to place on ice Walgreens' lawsuit alleging a malfunctioning freezer damaged $11.5 million worth of medications at a store in Oregon.
Illinois appellate court upholds decision to exclude six ICC directors from collective bargaining
A panel of Illinois appellate judges has ruled that six directors at the Illinois Commerce Commission can't be represented by a union because they are managerial employees.
Calif. AG fears possible effects of union fees case at U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – An amicus brief filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra argues public employees should have to pay union fees even if they fell that it contributes to political pandering.
Federal judge certifies class in dispute over unwanted texts, even though lead plaintiff could land $100K
A Chicago federal judge has allowed a lawsuit over unwanted text messages to continue as a class action, even though the lead plaintiff could be in line to collect more than $100,000 if she were to litigate the matter on her own.
Appeals panel: Lawyer who defended Wheatland Bank officers can't force bank's insurer to pay $113K in fees
A state appeals court has again turned aside an attempt by an attorney who represented two top officers at a failed bank to stick the bank's insurance company with a six-figure legal services bill, saying a trial judge was correct to side with the insurer, who argued the stiffed lawyer should have been suing the bank officers he represented.
With regulation in flux, litigation over website accessibility for the blind, other ADA rules, could also remain unsettled
In the wake of the Trump administration's decision to stop drafting new regulations on the accessibility of "websites, furniture and non-fixed equipment," a labor and employment attorney says this area of law could remain open for a while, as the courts work through the questions in a patchwork of judicial decisions.
Ex-Motor Werks salesman's costly sale of rare Land Rover reason for termination, not age discrimination: Judge
A Chicago federal judge has shown the door to counts of discrimination, interference and retaliation brought against sububran auto dealer Motor Werks of Barrington by a former salesman, who claimed the company wrongly fired him amid a flap over the sale of a rare Land Rover vehicle that cost the dealership money.
Lawyers: Spate of privacy suits should spur companies doing business in IL to review insurance coverage
As Illinois courts find their dockets filled with an increasing number of lawsuits brought against companies under a state privacy law for allegedly mishandling their employees' scanned fingerprints, companies should review their current liability insurance coverage and be wary of the law, said an attorney who focuses, in part, on insurance disputes involving employment law.
After appeal, Hyatt awarded $8.3 million in franchise agreement dispute
A Chicago federal appeals panel has ruled hotel chain Hyatt is due $8.3 million in a dispute over a franchise agreement gone bad.
Seventh Circuit: Defendants can use plaintiffs own estimate of class size to take class action to federal court
A recent federal appellate court decision has shed some light on how courts may interpret a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on class action damages, and whether defendants can use plaintiffs own class size estimates to transfer a case from state court to federal jurisdiction.
Wave of biometric privacy class actions builds; employers urged to review procedures, insurance coverage
As the number of class action lawsuits filed under a state privacy law continue to mount against employers, Illinois companies should take notice of the wave of actions involving biometric data collection that has swept the state this year. And then, they should take action to reduce their risk of becoming the next target, said David Cummings, an attorney at Reed Smith LLP, in Chicago
State appeals court: Insurer doesn't need to cover lawn service whose worker sprayed lawns with herbicide
A state appeals panel has affirmed a lower court's decision to allow an insurance company to deny coverage to a flower and lawn care business whose employee accidentally destroyed several clients' lawns by spraying them with an herbicide instead of a fertilizer.
CME employee not entitled to shift differential payments not mentioned in hiring documents, judge says
A federal judge has pulled the plug on a lawsuit accusing the Chicago Mercantile Exchange of skimping on some workers' pay by denying them the shift differential payments at least one plaintiff alleged they were owed.
Judgment in traffic crash case could cost Liberty Mutual $4.5M, despite $25K limit
A judge's ruling in a traffic crash personal injury case could cost insurer Liberty Mutual $4.5 million, even though the policy at the heart of the case supposedly was capped at $25,000.
Class action denied in 'misleading' debt collection case vs Midland Credit Management
A Chicago federal judge has turned aside, for now, an attempt to turn a dispute over a debt collection into a class action, saying the evidence supplied by plaintiffs in the case - a collection letter which allegedly violated federal law - is not enough to justify the request to expand the lawsuit to include others who may have received similar letters.
Fraternal society sued by former member over alleged defamation, wrongful expulsion
A band of fraternal brothers has been targeted by a former member’s lawsuit accusing members of the fraternal organization of wrongly banning him, smearing his reputation and costing him high legal fees.