News from February 2023
Chicago lawyer alleges partner's 'unfounded' suit vs him is smokescreen for alleged weak performance and alcohol-related lapses
Chicago lawyer David C. Wise is alleging his estranged law partner, Francis P. Morrissey, wrongly sued Wise for allegedly hiding a $5M fee from him, to cover up that Morrissey's allegedly "poor work ethic" and alcohol-related indiscretions make him 'not fit' to stay in the firm
Class actions target Advocate Aurora, Loyola hospitals for requiring health workers to scan fingerprints to use drug lockers
The lawsuits assert health care workers at Advocate Aurora and hospitals associated with Loyola Medicine, including Loyola University Medical Center and Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, improperly required workers to scan fingerprints to access Pyxis drug dispensers
Pay Equity State of the Union – State Law Update on Pay Data Reporting and Salary Range Disclosures on February 15, 2023
Please join Faegre Drinker on Wednesday, February 15 for the second webinar in the 2023 edition of our “Labor and Employment Law Developments: Staying on Top of Your Game” series.
Judge deflates class actions over so-called PFAS chemicals in Orville Redenbacher, BoomChickaPop microwave popcorn
Foodmaker Conagra argued it followed FDA guidelines for listing ingredients, which don't require it to disclose all chemicals in its packaging
Effingham County judge issues another restraining order for more than 2,300 plaintiffs
Another temporary restraining order (TRO) was entered in Effingham County Circuit Court, enjoining Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other state defendants from enforcing a weapons ban against more than 2,300 plaintiffs from across Illinois.
Foley Elects 23 New Partners
Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to announce the election of 23 lawyers to its partnership, effective February 1, 2023.
IL Supreme Court's latest biometrics privacy law ruling will spur more lawsuits against IL employers
The high court said lawsuits under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act can reach back over five years of allegedly improper fingerprint or facial scans, cementing the law's role as a generator of financial windfalls for trial lawyers, critic says
Geico can't end class action claiming its Covid savings plan didn't cut rates enough
Federal judge won't end class action under filed-rate doctrine because Illinois' state insurance department has no role in rate approval
'Prosecutorial discretion': IL sheriffs' refusal to enforce gun ban law pushes boundaries, but doesn't violate any law
Some observers say most Illinois sheriffs' strong stand vs new so-called "assault weapons" ban is "extreme" and sends a concerning message. But the state's options to respond are limited, because discretion to enforce law is 'well recognized component of separation of powers'
Massage Envy ignoring member cancellation requests while still charging fees, new class action claims
The new class action accuses Massage Envy of giving subscribers the runaround about cancellations, allegedly violating federal and state law
Macon County judge issues another limited restraining order vs IL 'assault weapons' ban
The ruling is not statewide, limited only to the plaintiffs and members of Macon County gun owners association listed in the complaint led by State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur
Benton attorney challenging weapons ban suggests exemptions favor public employee unions
SPRINGFIELD – Exemptions from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s gun law favor public employee unions according to Bryan Drew of Benton, who represents gun owners suing to overturn the law.
Holland & Knight Strengthens Corporate Practice in Chicago with Additions of Matthew Petersen and Morley Fortier
Matthew Petersen and Morley Fortier III, two highly regarded mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and private equity attorneys in Chicago, have joined Holland & Knight as partners.
Appeals panel agrees IL police and firefighter pension consolidation doesn't violate state constitution
Downstate and suburban pension funds for police officers and firefighters argued the law, backed by Gov. JB Pritzker, unduly stripped them of local control and violated the Illinois state constitution's pensions protection clause
Arby's to pay $495K to settle biometrics class action over employee fingerprint scans
The lawsuit targeted the fast food chain for allegedly illegally requiring workers at its Illinois locations to scan fingerprints when punching the clock without prior consent or certain notices allegedly required by Illinois' biometrics privacy law
The Here and Now of BIPA: Updates and Developments in Biometric Privacy on February 7, 2023
As we move into 2023, Biometric Information Privacy remains a constantly evolving field, with states enacting new statutes, technology evolving, plaintiffs raising new theories, and cases being filed daily. Keeping up with biometric laws can be a daunting task for these reasons.
New class action accuses Ford of improperly requiring job applicants to disclose personal, family medical information
The lawsuit says Ford Motor Company is violating an Illinois state law by requiring people to list their personal and family medical histories when applying for jobs at Ford facilities in Illinois
Federal judge: CFPB can't use lending discrimination law to sue Townstone over 'innocuous' comments made on radio show
Mortgage broker Townstone Financial said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had attempted to use the lawsuit to illegally rewrite federal law and attack company officials for their speech. A judge said the law protects actual mortgage applicants from discrimination, not possible applicants
The (anticipated) RADV final rule and implications on February 8, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule in 2018 relating to Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) audits.
Staying Motivated & Engaged in Your Law Practice on February 7, 2023
Please join us for this four-part series designed to help lawyers and legal professionals avoid burnout and increase resilience — improving individual well-being, decision-making and client service.