News from March 2023
IL Supreme Court: Employers can use federal law, CBAs to block unionized workers from suing over fingerprint scans
The decision leaves in place a rare win for Illinois employers besieged by thousands of class actions under Illinois' biometrics law, with potentially millions or even billions of dollars at stake
Appeals court: New trial for woman ordered to pay $800K over Riverdale crash with motorcyclist
A state appeals panel said a Cook County judge improperly restricted testimony about the motorcyclist's blood alcohol content at the time of the crash
Three Jones Day associates selected for Leadership Council on Legal Diversity programs
Three Jones Day associates have been selected for two different Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) programs.
Krispy Kreme, U of Chicago Medical Center among latest big targets in new fingerprint scan IL biometrics class actions
The lawsuits all accuse employers of improperly requiring workers to scan fingerprints either to access secured locations within workplaces or to track their work hours on a fingerprint-scanning punch clock. All seek potentially large payouts
Sysco: Burford 'has lied to ... the world' about controlling lawsuits
New filing asks federal judge to agree financier is improperly blocking attempts to settle big antitrust lawsuits to boost returns on $140M investment
Clark Hill Adds Ari Derman to Banking and Financial Services Practice
Clark Hill announced that Ari Derman has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in its Banking and Financial Services group.
Judge won't undo damages from $23M fraud verdict linked to Nobu Hotel construction, tacks on $1.8M interest
A developer said their contractor misrepresented their ability to complete the project within a certain budget, and then allegedly ran up costs
Wheeling woman, Northbrook lawyer file four class action lawsuits seeking big paydays from online cosmetic, eyewear sellers
The lawsuits all claim Ulta, Luminess, Cliclime and Kiko Cosmetics violated Illinois' biometrics privacy law by scanning the faces of customers using their online virtual try-on tools, without notice or consent
Second Amendment Law Center opposes gun ban in amicus brief, challenges 14th Amendment argument
EAST ST. LOUIS – Supporters of Gov. Pritzker’s gun law committed serious error by claiming the Fourteenth Amendment changed the Second Amendment’s meaning, according to the Second Amendment Law Center.
Troutman Pepper and Dominion Energy Pro Bono Team Turn to Nation’s Highest Court as Fight Continues for Full Educational Benefits for Military Veterans
In their fight to secure full educational benefits potentially worth billions of dollars for about 1.7 million post-9/11-era veterans and counting, attorneys from Troutman Pepper and Dominion Energy today filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, asking the Supreme Court to review the lower court ruling.
'We can't do this anymore:' Business groups warn of economic fallout from IL biometrics lawsuits, call for reform
A coalition of business groups say potentially massive class action lawsuits under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, unbridled by the Illinois Supreme Court, are threatening the ability of Illinois to attract new business and new tech, and may lead to closures of nursing homes and other key businesses
EEOC IT manager OK to sue federal non-discrimination watchdog for race discrimination
Black female IT professional said she's been doing work of her white male predecessor without being paid his salary
Illinois Supreme Court to Host Law School for Legislators at Supreme Court Building
Illinois Supreme Court Justices and other members of the Illinois Judicial Branch will speak to the leadership and new members of the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate.
Mark Hebbeln and Susan Poll Klaessy Author Chapter in 2023 Edition of Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions
Foley & Lardner LLP Partners Mark Hebbeln and Susan Poll Klaessy co-authored the chapter Treatment of Environmental Obligations in Bankruptcy in the 2023 edition of “Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions,” by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
More class actions scanned into Cook County Circuit Court seeking big money from employers over worker fingerprint scans
New lawsuits under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act have targeted grocery stores, hotels, restaurants and manufacturers in Chicago and the suburbs.
Wendella again beats back City Hall's attempts to levy amusment tax on popular sightseeing tours
Federal maritime law pre-empts city's ability to charge vessels operating on Chicago River, Lake Michigan, a state appeals court panel says
Administrative Director Declares Two Illinois Associate Judges Appointed in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit
Marcia M. Meis, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced that the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Ruth H. Lofthouse and James R. M. Newman as associate judges of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
Lawsuit: Village of Hillside illegally boosting political operations of longtime mayor, as well as IL House Speaker Welch
The lawsuit accuses the village of Hillside, at the direction of Mayor Joseph Tamburino, of violating Illinois election law by using taxpayer-funded resources, including village staff, to aid the campaigns of Tamburino and Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, and the judicial campaign of Welch's wife
Lawsuit: City Hall, Michael Reese developer conspired to use city power to smash value of coveted property
Lawsuit claims Ald. Sophia King, Chicago Planning department and Michael Reese Hospital redevelopment group GRIT used the city's zoning and permitting authority to block any efforts to improve or sell a property neighboring the former Michael Reese Hospital site, because the city and GRIT wanted to buy it "cheap"
Illinois bill would criminalize routine discipline as 'parental bullying'
While the bill likely will go nowhere, it’s unfathomable that it could even be proposed: In the relevant part, a bill now pending in the Illinois legislature would criminalize, as “parental bullying,” any parent who knowingly, with intent to discipline or alter the behavior of a child, says or messages anything that would coerce the child.