News from April 2023
Wheeling woman, Northbrook lawyer file more class actions seeking big paydays from online beauty retailers over face scans
Plaintiff Jennifer Conidi and her attorneys from the firm of Todd M. Friedman have brought two more class action lawsuits under Illinois' biometrics privacy law against beauty products sellers Luxy Hair and Grande Cosmetics over their online "virtual try-on" tools
Thompson Coburn LLP announces Diona Rogers named 2023 Secured Finance Network 40 Under 40 Award winner
Thompson Coburn is thrilled to announce that Chicago partner Diona Rogers has been named a winner of the 2023 SFNet 40 Under 40 Awards.
Appeals panel: Rivers Casino server can sue employer for not doing enough to protect her from customer harassment
A Cook County judge granted summary judgment, said casino did enough to curb sexual harassment from customers who allegedly propositioned, hugged, kissed and pinched her while she was working on the gaming floor
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.
Sun Belle fruits, Lakeshore Recycling, other employers added to the ever-growing ranks of businesses targeted under Illinois' biometrics law
The lawsuits continue to seek huge payouts from employers over allegedly improper employee fingerprint and other biometric scans
Reed Smith LLP hosts The ERISA fiduciary exception: a trap for the unwary on April 12, 2023
Managed care companies are often found to serve as “functional fiduciaries” subject to fiduciary requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), even if they are not named plan fiduciaries.
Appeals panel: School OK to fire Christian teacher for refusing to use transgender students preferred names, pronouns
A dissenting judge warned the decision would all but empower public schools to steamroll the religious rights of Christians and others who dissent from school policies designed to compel teachers and school staff to affirm transgender students, even against their religious convictions
Judge trashes Peoria class action vs HungerRush, says POS supplier never scanned restaurant worker fingerprints
HungerRush, which supplies equipment to restaurants to help them process sales and track employee work hours, insists the fingerprint scanners used with its POS systems are third-party devices and all data is stored locally, so they can't be sued under Illinois' biometrics privacy law
Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP announces Corporate Counsel Rank Troutman Pepper Among Top 50 Law Firms for Client Service in 2023 BTI Client Service A-Team Report
Troutman Pepper has been recognized for exceptional client service performance, ranking No. 41, according to the BTI Client Service A-Team 2023 report released.
Reed Smith LLP hosts Virtual Roundtable: The Power Of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Private Equity Industry on April 11, 2023
Private equity initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion have become increasingly common among sponsors and their portfolio companies.
Appeals panel: Bad deal or not, Chicago parking meter lease isn't illegal monopoly over public street parking
Federal appeals judges have tossed a class action lawsuit asserting the company that owns the rights to thousands of metered parking spaces in Chicago violated federal antitrust law by cutting City Hall out of control of on-street parking, forcing motorists in the city to pay among highest costs to park in U.S.
Appeals panel: 'For Sale' sign on land doesn't mean uninvited biker can sue for driving off a cliff
A motorcyclist tried to argue a 'For Sale' sign amounted to an invitation to go beyond locked fence and drive onto the property, so the property owner had obligation to warn about the danger of driving on the property at night
Locke Lord announces Julie Webb Receives American Bar Association’s 2023 Outstanding Performance Award
Chicago Partner Julie Webb, Co-Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Antitrust Section’s Civil Practice & Procedure Committee, has received ABA’s 2023 Outstanding Performance Award.
Appeals panel tosses sanctions vs personal injury lawer who emailed reporter about confidential settlement
The appeals court said the punishment reflects a criminal violation, even though trial proceeded on civil grounds and no criminal contempt charges were properly pursued
Who benefits from Illinois' biometrics privacy law? Mostly trial lawyers, new report says
A report from the Chamber of Progress, which speaks for many "progressive" minded big tech and ecommerce companies, says Illinois' controversial Biometric Information Privacy Act has harmed Illinois' economy and limited access to new tech offerings in the state, while enriching lawyers
Class action: Blitt & Gaines allegedly sent false 'verified' motions to debtors to allegedly speed collections process
The complaint asserts the Blitt firm, with debt collection agency Portfolio Recovery Associates and investigator Barrister Investigations "robo-signed" affidavits claiming the motions for default judgment they sent to debtors had been "verified"
Federal judge says Chicago liable to upgrade thousands of street crossings to make them 'accessible' for blind people
The American Council for the Blind and U.S. Department of Justice pressed claims against the city under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other statutes, asserting the city must move to improve street crossings throughout Chicago
Locke Lord LLP announces Earns MCCA Approved 2023 Gold Seal, Highlighting Locke Lord’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Locke Lord has earned the Minority Corporate Counsel Association Approved Gold Seal for 2023, recognizing the Firm for exemplary development and solutions in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Samsung: Prominent plainfiffs' firm Labaton Sucharow seeking to press 'frivolous' biometrics claims in 'mass arbitration'
Samsung says the Labaton lawyers have 'weaponized' the arbitration process to extract a large, quick, potentially undue settlement. Labaton says Samsung is throwing a 'tantrum' to sidestep potentially massive liability for allegedly violating the Illinois biometrics privacy law
Biometrics class action says fake ID detection service Patronscan illegally scanned faces of bar, nightclub patrons
Patronscan tech scans ID cards to verify age and weed out potentially problematic patrons at bars and nightclubs. But lawsuit says Patronscan never obtained consent or provided notice to people in Illinois before scanning, allegedly violating Illinois' biometrics privacy law