Watch out for (un)real estate dealsBy Helen W. GunnarssonJuly 2004Lawpulse, Page 334Don't let your clients lead you down the road to a RESPA violation by misstating the price of real estate.
Ethics overkill?By Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2004Lawpulse, Page 286The Illinois Municipal League and the Illinois AG offer competing model ethics-in-government ordinances for local governmental bodies.
Hall v Henn discourages neighborliness, critics sayBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2004Lawpulse, Page 286Critics fear that the supreme court's interpretation of an immunity statute will discourage landowners from making their property available to others.
Is doubling the bankruptcy homestead exemption on the horizon?By Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2004Lawpulse, Page 286Bigger homestead and personal property exemptions would benefit debtor-homeowners and encourage more debtors to opt for Chapter 7, not Chapter 13, relief.
Legislators consider the Gestational Surrogacy ActBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2004Lawpulse, Page 286What happens when a pregnant surrogate changes her mind? When the intended parents divorce during the pregnancy? HB 4962 would address those questions and others.
LLC info now on the WebBy Helen W. GunnarssonJune 2004Lawpulse, Page 286Thanks to the Illinois Secretary of State's office, more information about LLCs is now available online.
Accepting fee payments by credit card; priceless?By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2004Lawpulse, Page 236Charging interest on late accounts and accepting fee payments by credit card are a carrot-and-stick approach to getting paid on time.
New rule mandates expedited custody appealsBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2004Lawpulse, Page 236Amended Supreme Court Rule 306A is designed to ensure quicker resolution of child custody cases. But how will it work in practice?
No police "eavesdropping" on sexual predators; even in cyberspace?By Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2004Lawpulse, Page 236The Illinois eavesdropping statute's prohibition against taping with only one party's consent hampers legitimate law enforcement, a legal scholar opines.
Responding to HIPAA-violation complaintsBy Helen W. GunnarssonMay 2004Lawpulse, Page 236Prevention is the best remedy; does your "covered entity" client have an adequate privacy policy in effect?
How to represent an apartment buyerBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2004Lawpulse, Page 170Contributors to an ISBA e-mail discussion group create a primer that describes what any attorney should insist upon when representing the buyer of an apartment building.
A kindercentric custody-law proposalBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2004Lawpulse, Page 170ISBA's Family Law Section Council has proposed a revolutionary revamp of Illinois's child custody law that puts the rights and interests of children first.
Limited license for corporate counsel; a mixed blessing?By Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2004Lawpulse, Page 170New Supreme Court Rule 716, which creates a limited license to practice for Illinois-based in-house counsel, is getting mixed reviews in corporate law departments.
"No" to compulsory DUI blood testsBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2004Lawpulse, Page 170A second district case holds that nonconsensual, non-treatment-related blood and urine tests are inadmissible in DUI trials.
Out-of-state lawyers OK'd for Illinois arbitrationsBy Helen W. GunnarssonApril 2004Lawpulse, Page 170The first district holds that lawyers who aren't licensed in Illinois can nonetheless represent clients in Illinois-based arbitrations.
Preserving nursing home residents' assets is harder than everBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2004Lawpulse, Page 118As a recent third district case shows, it's nigh impossible to create a trust that enables nursing home residents who still have assets to qualify for Medicaid and thereby preserve an estate for the next generation.
VESSA: unpaid leave for domestic violence victimsBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2004Lawpulse, Page 118Find out about this newly effective law that, like the Family and Medical Leave Act, grants unpaid leave to covered workers.
Whistleblower cases: high-risk, high-returnBy Helen W. GunnarssonMarch 2004Lawpulse, Page 118Whistleblower cases can be personally and financially rewarding, but know what you're getting into.
Constructive discharge can lead to strict Title VII liability for employersBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2004Lawpulse, Page 62The seventh circuit ruled recently that constructive discharge can be a "tangible employment action" in a Title VII suit, in which case employers may not invoke affirmative defenses. And the employer in this case was an Illinois circuit court.
Getting paid, part 1: demand bankruptcy fees up frontBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2004Lawpulse, Page 62Thanks to a new seventh circuit case, it's more important than ever for attorneys who represent debtors in Chapter 7 to get all of their fees up front.
Getting paid, part 2: A new probate pitfall to avoidBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2004Lawpulse, Page 62If your client is seeking payment from an estate, make sure you file a claim with the probate court even if the estate representative knows about the debt; that knowledge might not put the estate on the hook, according to a new appellate court ruling.
Is your firm registered with the supreme court?By Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2004Lawpulse, Page 62News flash: many law firms, not just lawyers, must register, and those who don't could see their fee awards invalidated.
New interstate child-custody statute for the New YearBy Helen W. GunnarssonFebruary 2004Lawpulse, Page 62If your practice includes family law, familiarize yourself with the newly effective Illinois Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act.
Illinois OKs speaking in (native) tongues in the workplaceBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2004Lawpulse, Page 10Habla Espanol in the workplace? You can now with impunity, as long as it's your native language and you're talking about non-work-related matters.
More on traffic stops and the Illinois Supreme CourtBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2004Lawpulse, Page 10Here's a summary of two opinions that came down after last month's Journal article on the Illinois Supreme Court's recent interpretation of the Terry doctrine went to press.
New law makes it easier to investigate workplace misconductBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2004Lawpulse, Page 10Employers are no longer required to get an alleged wrongdoer's consent to hire an outside firm to conduct an investigation of alleged misconduct on the job.
Uniform Mediation Act comes to IllinoisBy Helen W. GunnarssonJanuary 2004Lawpulse, Page 10Illinois' Uniform Mediation Act; one of two such state Acts nationwide; took effect January 1.
