New reg requires law firms to "properly dispose" of consumer infoBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2005Lawpulse, Page 330Effective June 1, a Federal Trade Commission regulation requires businesses – including law firms – to destroy sensitive information derived from consumer credit reports.
There's gold in that thar wind – maybeBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2005Lawpulse, Page 330Learn how you can help that would-be wind farmer in your client base.
Workers' comp overhaulBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2005Lawpulse, Page 330Proponents say that new revisions to the Workers' Comp Act will increase benefits, hold down costs, speed claims resolution, and reduce fraud.
The Bankruptcy Abuse Reduction Fiasco?By Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2005Lawpulse, Page 274Here's a thumbnail sketch of the new Bankruptcy Act provisions that place new burdens on lawyers to verify information in clients' petitions.
The supreme court latest UPL case: a mixed blessingBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2005Lawpulse, Page 274The supreme court allows nonlawyer lenders to charge for preparing mortgages but reaffirms that drafting and filling out real estate documents is the practice of law.
Trust transparencyBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2005Lawpulse, Page 274Members of an ISBA e-mail discussion group agree that despite a trustee's reluctance, beneficiaries are entitled to see trust instruments that confer benefits upon them.
Wages and sinBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2005Lawpulse, Page 274Can an employee who considers homosexuality a sin openly oppose his employer's workplace diversity effort? What are the limits of religious practice and expression in the workplace?
Finding a niche in FSBO home salesBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226Some lawyers are making themselves available to do-it-yourself homesellers, with rewarding results.
The Health Care Surrogate Act: a physician's finding must in writingBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226The Illinois Supreme Court rules that the Act did not require a hospital to consult a wife before removing a patient from a ventilator because the attending physician had not made a written finding that the patient lacked "decisional capacity."
Losing streakBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226Compulsive gambling is like other pathological behavior that leads lawyers astray, with a big difference – it's not treated as a mitigating factor by the ARDC.
The several risks of joint representationBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226What about representing both members of a couple on an estate plan? Two or more partners to a business deal? You can do it – sometimes – if you take the proper steps.
Till death us do part?By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2005Lawpulse, Page 226Suppose Michael and Terri Schiavo had resided in Illinois after she became incapacitated, and suppose Michael had wanted (or been willing) to divorce her – would Illinois law have allowed it?
A jumbo legal malpractice case goes to the high courtBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162All eyes are on the Tri-G legal malpractice case, where the appellate court ruled for the plaintiff to the tune of $2.3 million.
New IPI instructions are free on the WebBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162Sign up with the supreme court to get notice every time a new IPI instruction is made available.
Sentencing guidelines: mandatory no moreBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162The U.S. Supreme Court shook up federal criminal practice by ruling in Booker/Fanfanthat sentencing guidelines are advisory only. Not surprisingly, many questions remain.
To LLC or not to LLCBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162When you're starting a law practice, the LLC is a good form of business organization to choose. Then again, so is the PC.
You take the sofa, I'll take the Fifth...By Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2005Lawpulse, Page 162Forget about dirty laundry; what if your divorcing client did – or might have done – something criminal? Here's advice about advising clients how and when to take the Fifth.
The gay rights amendment: It's the lawBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2005Lawpulse, Page 110The Illinois Human Rights Act now prohibits many kinds of discrimination against homosexuals, a fact of which you should apprise your clients – whether they like it or not.
HIPAA and POAs revisitedBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2005Lawpulse, Page 110Experts still say you shouldn't have to amend your POAs to make them HIPAA compliant, but maybe it's better to be safe than sorry.
Sellers subsidize closings via HUD-approved programsBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2005Lawpulse, Page 110The Nehemiah and AmeriDream programs allow sellers to pick up closing costs for homebuyers without violating RESPA. But is there a downside to this popular practice?
So, does that statute apply to my case?By Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2005Lawpulse, Page 110It's often hard to tell exactly when a statute takes effect, but the Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau offers guidance for legislative drafters and practicing lawyers.
Subcontractors bewareBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2005Lawpulse, Page 110Many businesses struggle with how to classify the people who work for them – are they employees or independent contractors? This case won't make it easier.
Making settlement appealingBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2005Lawpulse, Page 62On appeal, opponents rarely meet face to face and thus have little opportunity to explore settlement. A new program seeks to make settling easier at the appellate level.
Salaries at not-for-profits: the IRS takes a hard lookBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2005Lawpulse, Page 62If you advise or sit on the board of a tax-exempt organization, take note of an IRS initiative to make sure nonprofits aren't paying employees too much.
Social Security and child supportBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2005Lawpulse, Page 62To what extent do benefits constitute income for purposes of determining a parent's child support obligation?
E-filing comes to DuPage CountyBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2005Lawpulse, Page 8Electronic filing has come to one Illinois circuit court. Can the rest be far behind?
(Not so) dastardly deedsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2005Lawpulse, Page 8If you spot a mistake in a deed, don't panic. There might just be an easy fix.
