News from January 2023
Judge: IL A/G's pollution suit v. Monsanto belongs in federal, not state court; Company worked under prior U.S. govt direction
The lawsuit, which was originally filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago, centers on alleged contamination that occurred in St. Clair County, near St. Louis. The federal judge rejected efforts by the Attorney General to get the case sent back to Cook County court
Class action filed vs Johnsonville because 'all-pork' beer brats are in beef sausage casings
The lawsuit asserts the "mislabeling" amounts to consumer fraud and an intent to mislead consumers
Seyfarth Elects Lorie Almon as Firm’s Next Chair and Managing Partner
Seyfarth has announced that Lorie Almon has been elected as the firm’s next chair and managing partner. Almon, who is based in New York, will become the first woman chair and managing partner in the firm’s 77-year history.
Is IL's new gun ban law constitutional? Tough legal challenges loom, will turn on key 2nd Amend questions
Lawsuits will turn on the question of whether Illinois' lawmakers and Gov. Pritzker have violated the Constitution by banning a long list of firearms and accessories. The cases may go all the way to the Supreme Court
Skokie Fairview school board calls parents' claims 'repulsive' in lawsuit alleging board in league with 'white supremacists'
The Skokie Elementary School District 72 Board is saying a group of parents, who are suing the board because they allege the district is riddled with racism, have made the "shockingly repugnant" claim the board and superintendent belong to a white supremacist group
BakerHostetler Elevates 23 Attorneys to Firm Partnership
BakerHostetler announced today that 23 lawyers have been elected to firm partnership effective Jan. 1.
Appeals panel orders new trial for man who won $41M after being forcibly evicted from Plano bar
A jury had agreed bar staff were 80% liable for bar patron becoming a quadriplegic, but the bar owners said they weren't given a fair trial
Google Photos settlement payments delayed; Judge to rule on objections to added ID requirements
Without action from the court, claims from class members could be "denied solely because they do not check their spam folder on Thanksgiving," wrote an objector in a new motion that has put the settlement on hold
Illinois Supreme Court likely to rule state legislature acted hastily in ending cash bail
Illinois state lawmakers can't simply ignore the longstanding legal interpretation of what "sufficient sureties" means when discussing constitutional rights to bail. The state's high court should not either
Yuan Zhou Makes 2022 Lawyers of Color's Annual Hot List
Congratulations to Yuan Zhou who was named to Lawyers of Color's 2022 Annual Hot List, which recognizes early- to mid-career attorneys excelling in the legal profession.
Morrissey sues Wise, alleging partner tried to cut their firm out of $5M from a personal injury settlement
The complaint alleges David Wise, one of the name partners in the personal injury law firm of Wise Morrisey, conspired with another lawyer to cut Wise's partner, Francis Morrissey, out of the settlement. Wise and the other lawyer deny the allegations.
Judge dispenses with class action lawsuit vs Target over 'natural flavor' claims in drink flavoring
New York attorney Spencer Sheehan, who has filed hundreds of lawsuits across the U.S. against food makers and sellers over ingredients in their products, missed the mark against Target, federal judge said
Whole Foods moves to settle BIPA lawsuit over warehouse workers' use of voice recognition technology
Class workers to net roughly $545 each from $296,000 settlement to end lawsuit over use of Honeywell equiment known as Vocollect
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ Patrick Martin Elected to Board of Managers, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
Patrick Martin, managing director of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, has been elected to the Board of Managers for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
Pritzker signs Illinois gun ban as opponents prepare to sue
Gov. JB Pritzker quickly signed into law a new measure that would prohibit the sale of many firearms and require registration of prohibited guns if they are already owned. Gun owners rights groups promised to overthrow the law in court, calling it unconstitutional overreach by the state's Democratic supermajority
A responsible Illinois General Assembly would be adopting rules similar to the new U.S. House rules
No Illinoisans other than those now in charge in Springfield would object to rules requiring three days to read bills before they can be voted on, writes Mark Glennon, of Wirepoints
IL Dems change law to allow vote-by-mail ballots to be counted in a way judge had said 'would be obvious way to commit fraud'
The changes come after a Republican state House candidate had sued the Democratic DuPage County Clerk, accusing her of illegally verifying signatures on mail-in ballots against signatures on the vote-by-mail ballot applications, and not the official voter registration records, as had been required by law
Appeals court says Waukegan teacher can't sue a teachers union she claimed she joined by mistake
A federal appeals panel has ruled a Waukegan teacher can't claim she mistakenly joined the teachers union because she thought membership was mandatory, saying government workers' right to refrain from union membership does not override a voluntarily signed agreement to join.
Building Stress Awareness & Understanding Burnout for Lawyers on January 10, 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.
More employers targeted in Cook County court with biometrics privacy class actions over worker fingerprint scans
Nine more class action lawsuits filed against employers, including Ferrara Candy and Caterpillar subsidiary Progress Rail, under Illinois' biometrics privacy law