[caption id="attachment_2134" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Mark Belongia"][/caption]
Belongia, Shapiro & Hynes, LLP has moved to new law offices at 20 South Clark Street, Suite 300, Chicago. Belongia, Shapiro & Hynes, LLP expanded its offices due to its ever expanding client base and the addition of several new attorneys in 2009, doubling its size.
Belongia, Shapiro & Hynes, LLP is a full-service boutique law firm that handles a wide scope of legal matters locally, nationally and internationally. The Firm’s trusted experience and reliable leadership have allowed its attorneys to represent a broad client base ranging from large multi-national corporations to individuals.
Chicago Area
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July 13, 2009 |
People
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July 13, 2009 |
Practice News
In a recent column for the Law Technology News, veteran lawyer and legal-tech writer Bob Ambrogi compared the two leading bar-sponsored legal research services, Fastcase and Casemaker. As he notes, Casemaker partners with 28 bars representing 475,000 lawyers, while Fastcase is offered by 17 state and other bars -- including the Illinois State Bar Association -- representing 380,000 lawyers. His conclusion? "[B]oth are worthwhile services with many similarities. In the coverage of federal and state libraries and the relative strengths of their search tools, neither stands out as significantly superior to the other. But in their intuitiveness and ease of use, Fastcase has the clear edge." Read his review.
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July 13, 2009
State
- Quinn OKs legalized video gambling to pay for construction program, Chicago Tribune
- Clout list's "magnitude" stunning, witnesses say, Champaign News-Gazette
- Illinois construction plan renews separation of church and state debate, Bloomington Pantagraph
Chicago area
- Cook County sues suburban schools office, Chicago Tribune
- FBI: It'll be tough identifying Burr Oak remains, Chicago Tribune
- Cubs may file bankruptcy, Chicago Tribune
Nation
- Sotomayor makes her case, Chicago Tribune
- Fresh fears for judges, Chicago Sun-Times
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July 13, 2009 |
Practice News
The rumor mill is spinning that effective July 1, 2009, Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) trusts are required for liability litigation as is already required in worker’s compensation. (Reimbursement by a plaintiff for previously paid benefits to Medicare is unchanged by the new law.) Although federal research is not my strong suit, I can’t find any support for this proposition. My best guess is that this rumor started because of the new § 111 reporting requirements included in the Medicare, Medicaid & SCHIP Act of 2007. (Public Law 111-173). Section 111 provisions are reporting requirements and do not mention any need for MSAs in liability cases. This new law simply requires those paying for judgments to report to Medicare payments of settlements, awards, judgments, or other payments. An argument is being posited that the previous law still in effect already requires MSAs in personal-injury cases for future medical expenses. (Medicare Secondary Payer Act). I cannot find any clear authority supporting that proposition.
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July 13, 2009 |
Member Services
A Glimpse at Illinois Lawyer Finder Referrals
The ISBA's Illinois Lawyer Finder phone service provides referrals to local lawyers Mondays through Fridays and in a number of areas of law. For the month of May 2009, ISBA helped 588* people in need of legal services find lawyers in the following areas:- administrative law (5)
- animal law (3)
- bankruptcy (18)
- business law (11)
- civil disputes (67)
- civil rights (12)
- collection (15)
- consumer protection (12)
- contracts (6)
- criminal law (50)
- education law (12)
- elder law (2)
- employment law (73)
- estate/probate law (18)
- family (103)
- government benefits (4)
- health law (2)
- immigration (1)
- insurance disputes (5)
- intellectual property (6)
- miscellaneous (1)
- municipal law (12)
- personal injury (78)
- real estate (47)
- social security (3)
- tax (10)
- workers compensation (12)
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July 10, 2009 |
People
[caption id="attachment_2071" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Amy Gardner"][/caption] ISBA Member Amy M. Gardner was re-elected President of the University of Chicago Alumni Club of Chicago at its officer elections June 22. Ms. Gardner is a 2002 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. The Club is made up of the 46,000 alumni and friends of the University of Chicago who reside in the Chicago area. Gardner is a commercial and IP litigator at Ungaretti & Harris LLP.
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July 10, 2009
Central Illinois
- Woman who allegedly failed to return child to mother faces kidnapping charge, Decatur Herald & Review
Chicago area
- New judge to hear call for Bianchi probe, Daily Herald
- First lawsuit filed against Burr Oak cemetery, Chicago Tribune
- Highland Park man accused of aiding alleged Ponzi scheme, Chicago Tribune
- State targets cemetery license over grave scandal, State Journal-Register
- End near for Schaumburg red-light cameras, Daily Herald
- Webio co-founder Hernandez indicted for Ponzi scheme, Chicago Sun-Times
- Biedermann will await all-or-nothing verdict, Daily Herald
- Jail moves cemetery defendants to special section, Chicago Tribune
Northern Illinois
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July 9, 2009 |
Events
The American Constitution Society held its "Sixth Annual Supreme Court Term in Review" Thursday afternoon at Mayer Brown LLP, 71 S. Wacker, Chicago. The panel consisted of Jeffrey W. Sarles, Partner, Mayer Brown; Gary Feinerman, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP and former Solicitor General of Illinois; Colleen Connell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Illinois; and Steven J. Heyman, Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law. The panel was moderated by Steve Sanders, an Associate at Mayor Brown.
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July 9, 2009 |
People
[caption id="attachment_1994" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Gerald Snyder Jr."][/caption] Waukegan attorney and longtime Illinois State Bar Association member called a tireless advocate for children. He was a partner in the firm of Snyder, Clarke and Fouts.
From the Daily Herald:
Law partner Jim Fouts said Snyder took a personal interest in his clients.
"There were times where a woman wouldn't be able to afford a lawyer and Gerry would pay," Fouts said. "There were times when these people needed a place to stay and Gerry would put them up in a motel. He had an unending compassion for children."
Click here to read the full story -
July 9, 2009
Nation
- Sotomayor hearings witness list released, RealClearPolitics
Central Illinois
- Illinois regulators sign off on planned pipeline, State Journal-Register
- Preliminary hearing for Barrington continued until July 23, State Journal-Register
- Journal Star columnist pleads guilty in battery case, Peoria Journal Star
- Audio on home surveillance tapes could lead to felony charge - for owner, Bloomington Pantagraph
- Old McLean County Courthouse bells silent after "hiccup", Bloomington Pantagraph
Chicago area
- Citadel Investment Group sues former workers, Crain's
- Acquitted teacher suing Schaumburg police, Daily Herald
- 4 charged in stripping graves at cemetery, Chicago Sun-Times