News from May 2023
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP hosts Inside the Beltway on May 11, 2023
Please join us for our 44th Inside the Beltway session on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Inside the Beltway is Faegre Drinker’s quarterly series of complimentary presentations on developments in Washington, D.C., that directly affect the benefits industry.
Prominent election lawyer, Madigan ally Kasper wades into Proviso school board election fight
Attorney Michael Kasper, who has for the decades represented Michael Madigan and other prominent Illinois Democrats, is now representing longtime controversial Proviso school board member Theresa Kelly in her effort to use a recount to find enough votes to keep the seat she has held for 23 years
Sun-Times can't end defamation lawsuit over Trump Tower property tax assessment
Ex PTAB chairman says Sun Times overstated his alleged involvement in decision to lower Trump Tower assessment.
Heplerbroom announces Oldenburg Receives National Industry Defender Award
Anne Oldenburg has been named the recipient of a 2023 Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Association’s Industry Defender Award.
IL A/G, gun owners spar over whether SCOTUS should step into IL 'assault weapons' ban fight
Gun owners' organizations say lower court rulings - and particularly an order from a federal appeals court judge in Chicago - allowing Illinois to continue enforcing its "assault weapons" ban demonstrate that the time is right for SCOTUS to send a message to defiant governors, lawmakers and judges
Chicago PD commanding officers can be accused of misconduct anonymously, state appeals panel says
Unions representing ranked CPD officers argued the city should have been forced to negotiate over changes to the rules allowing investigators to look into accusations against CPD sergeants, lieutenants and captains without affidavits or without also accusing them of criminal acts
Cozen O'Connor hosts Ethical Issues Related to Coverage Disputes & Litigation on May 11, 2023
Alycen A. Moss will present “Ethical Issues Related to Coverage Disputes & Litigation” at the American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC) 11th Annual Meeting.
McHenry Co. State's Atty fights to keep alive his lawsuit challenging IL 'assault weapons' ban
McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally sued the state because he believes the 'assault weapons' ban has left his office in untenable position of enforcing unconstitutional law. But Attorney Gen. Kwame Raoul admitted in court that Kenneally, other state's attorneys have no obligation to enforce the gun ban
Appeals panel agrees insurer must help cover Astellas' $100M fraud, kickback settlement with DOJ
Federal Insurance had argued its policy shouldn't cover restitution payments
Appeals court reinstates IL 'assault weapons' ban, for now; Invites challenger response
A federal appeals court judge in Chicago has put a hold on a southern Illinois federal judge's injunction blocking enforcement of the new Illinois gun ban. The appeals court judge will allow challengers to argue why prior appellate decisions allowing "assault weapons" bans may no longer apply under U.S. Supreme Court rulings
Drivers' class action claims limo company M&M has wrongly docked pay, refused OT, withheld tips
Des Plaines-based limo and party bus service M&M Transportation allegedly wrongly classified drivers as independent contractors under Illinois' wage and hour laws, new lawsuit says
Appeals panel: Blackrock's purchase of Ancestry.com doesn't mean they can be sued for obtaining Illinoisans' genetic info
The lawsuit asserted Blackrock violated the Illinois genetic information privacy law by acquiring genealogy and DNA scanning company Ancestry.com without getting consent from people who submitted their DNA to Ancestry to be scanned and tested
Heplerbroom announces Additional Insurance Fraud Attorney
Demitri Kladis has joined HeplerBroom as an associate attorney in the firm’s Chicago office.
IL A/G asks appeals court to reinstate 'assault weapons' ban, says S IL judge's ruling leaves IL at risk
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has asked the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the injunction entered by District Judge Stephen McGlynn, which had blocked the state from enforcing its ban on so-called 'assault weapons'
Madigan associates 'ComEd Four' convicted in bribery scheme
Jurors sided with prosecutors, who accused the former ComEd CEO and three top associates of former Illinois House Speaker and Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan of participating in a scheme to bribe Madigan in exchange for legislation to boost ComEd's revenue
Judge tosses Hudson's attempt to sue fired employees; Workers say it was retaliation for unionizing
The Hudson Institute of Process Research said the employees were terminated for alleged false claims about Hudson on social media and improperly downloading hundreds of organizational documents to aid unionization and litigation efforts
Evanston HS rewrites racially-restricted AP math course descriptions after hit with civil rights complaint
A complaint was filed vs Evanston Township High School District 202 for offering certain advanced math courses that were described as being restricted to Black or Latino students. The descriptions appear to have been changed the next day to say they are "open to all" but are "intended to support" Black or Latino students
AbbVie hit with class action over 'excessive and anticompetitive' Humira pricing
Complaint alleges 470% increase over 2003 price for popular prescription drug
Wilson Elser announces Lara Lickhalter Joins Wilson Elser as a Partner in Chicago
National law firm Wilson Elser announced that Lara Lickhalter has joined the firm as a partner in its Transportation Practice in the Chicago office, effective April 18.
'A big fuss about a little lemon': Judges toss class actions against lemon-flavored products
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Chicago federal judges are left with a sour taste in their mouths by class action lawsuits that want more lemon in lemon-flavored products.