Karen Kidd News
Judge OKs Spanish instructor's age discrimination lawsuit vs Loyola University
A federal judge is allowing a Spanish instructor to continue her age discrimination lawsuit against Loyola University for refusing to allow her to interview for a tenure track position, allegedly because she was more than 50 years old.
DLA Piper announces launch of Artificial Intelligence practice
NEW YORK – A Global law firm with more than 25 offices in the U.S., including one in Chicago, recently announced the launch of an "Artificial Intelligence" practice to help companies focus on legal issues in the "AI ecosystem."
Labor, employment attorney offers tips for Illinois businesses to reduce risk of BIPA class actions
Illinois employers who collect biometric information on their employees may have good reason to be on edge following a state appellate court's decision last month to side with employees in a class action against an upscale Chicago hotel.
Lawyer: Illinois businesses should take steps to limit BIPA liability after reform legislation fails
Businesses in Illinois should be taking steps to protect themselves against class action lawsuits after the Illinois state Senate missed a deadline to amend a state biometrics privacy law, a labor and employment attorney said.
Refusing to discuss disciplinary report with manager equates to misconduct to justify firing: Appeals panel
A hospital employee's refusal to meet with a manager about a disciplinary report was misconduct justifying her managers' decision to fire her in 2017, an Illinois appeals court said in an April 17 ruling.
Illinois' Collective Bargaining Freedom Act not likely to see SCOTUS challenge, attorneys say
A new Illinois law that bars municipalities from enacting local "right-to-work" rules probably will not get challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court, but a Chicago suburb's existing case still could, two attorneys said during a recent interview.
Ruling 'does not bode well for pension reform,' says reform advocate
An Illinois Supreme Court decision earlier this week that could double a union lobbyist's pension because he worked one day as a substitute teacher more deeply entrenches the state's pension crisis, an advocate for transparency in government said during a recent interview.
IL law requiring presidential candidates to release tax data would face stiff constitutional test
A state Senate bill that would require presidential and vice presidential candidates to release their tax returns in order to be included on the Illinois ballot could pose a daunting question to the courts.
For-profit hockey rink operator Black Bear sues AHAI over non-profit sponsor rules, alleges antitrust
A hockey rink operator is suing an Illinois amateur hockey governing body, claiming the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois is improperly trying to block it out of the market.
Appellate court affirms dismissal of amended lawsuit over cyclist's death on Aurora bike trail
A state appeals court has declined to revive the fifth try at a lawsuit filed over the 2015 death of a Des Plaines woman who died while bicycling on an Aurora bike trail.
Appeals court: Illinois authorities have final say in action over dumping of acid in spent wells
Two Colorado energy producers whose dumping of acidic waste into wells in Illinois has been turned back by multiple state courts can't expect federal courts to take up their cause, a federal appeals court has said.
Martin takes helm as 4th chair in Jenner & Block's 105-year history
"It's a great day to be a lawyer," Craig Martin, the newest chair of the over a century-old law firm Jenner & Block, said during a recent interview.
Rush-Copley Medical Center not liable for doctor's delayed treatment of woman's kidney stone, appeals court rules
An Aurora hospital remains not liable in a doctor's decision to wait until the following day to remove a woman's kidney, prolonging her pain and causing serious injuries, a three-justice state appeals court panel has ruled.
With Pritzker backing idea, prospect of legal marijuana should prompt IL cities, others to prepare: Attorney
While Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker likely may face opposition against his campaign promise push for legalized recreational marijuana, the transition to full legalization may occur more seamlessly than some may think, an attorney says.
Appeals court says bicyclist gets another try to sue Lake Forest for slip on wet bridge
ELGIN – The case of a bicyclist injured while traversing a Lake Forest bridge about four years ago is on its way back to Lake County Circuit Court after a three-judge state appeals court panel unanimously ruled the lower court had improperly dismissed the litigation.
ExxonMobil still off hook for worker's severe injuries at Joliet plant in 2013, state appeals court rules
A state appeals panel has said ExxonMobil can't be held accountable for severe injuries suffered by a worker in a mishap at the company's Joliet refinery, affirming a Cook County judge's findings that the oil and gas company had limited or no knowledge of the contract employer's allegedly unsafe procedures on the job site.
Appeals panel affirms $1.5M award to woman who chipped tooth on soda can in 2013 collision
An expert witness' failure to produce financial documents is leaving an Edwardsville transportation company on the hook for a $1.5 million jury award to a woman who chipped her tooth on a soda can during a rear-end collision in 2013.
Proposed blockchain bill could push Illinois to forefront of smart contract use, attorney says
Proposed bipartisan legislation currently before a state House committee that would grant legal recognition to blockchain smart contracts could propel the state ahead of the curve in business transactions that currently remain paper based, a Chicago-based attorney said during a recent interview.
Judge delivers two plaintiffs to arbitration, despite TQL's slowness in finding, revealing arbitration clauses
Two plaintiffs who joined a class action suit against an Ohio-based shipping services provider over accusations of not paying overtime to employees are no longer part of the case and their claims could be heading into arbitration, despite the company's tardiness in presenting the court with the employment agreements containing the arbitration requirements.
Judge shuts down tax accounting firm's fraud class action over 2012 tax filing software
A judge has deleted a tax accounting firm's attempt to reopen a class action lawsuit in Chicago federal court against a tax software provider for claims of fraud, saying the accountant can't demonstrate any of the alleged fraud actually took place in Illinois.