The Public Servant

The newsletter of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Government Lawyers

2018 Articles

Applying Illinois’ eavesdropping law to government practice By Robert P. Osgood September 2018 Illinois’ current eavesdropping law makes it a crime to record a “private conversation” without the consent of all parties, with some exceptions.
Are public sector unions in Illinois on the brink of extinction? By Emily R. Vivian September 2018 In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that requiring nonmembers of public unions to pay fees to the union is a violation of free speech in Janus v. AFSCME.
Back-pay claim has 10-year statute of limitations By Phillip B. Lenzini March 2018 As a result of Prorok v. Winnebago County, back-pay claims from public employees could be brought as long as 10 years after the claim arises under the Wage Payment and Collection Act.
Code Revision Commission v. Public.Resource.Org: Copyright of laws and public works By Peter J. Orlowicz November 2018 Code Revision Commission, State of Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org., Inc. identifies three factors to consider in determining “whether a written work is attributable to the constructive authorship of the People” and, as a result, not copyrightable.
Equifax data breach: Where are we now? By Oscar Piña March 2018 With the introduction of House Bill 4095, Illinois seeks to join several states that prohibit credit reporting agencies from charging fees for placing credit freezes.
Home rule village has authority to remove library trustee By Phillip Lenzini May 2018 According to the appellate decision in Jaros v. Village of Downers Grove, a home rule village board has the authority to remove a library board trustee prior to the end of a six-year term.
How I work By Justin L. Leinenweber November 2018 Justin Leinenweber shares a few tools he has implemented to help navigate the hectic life of an attorney.
How the state can help pension funds collect delinquent pension contributions from municipalities By Robert P. Osgood November 2018 In 2011, the Illinois Pension Code was amended to allow pension funds to garnish delinquent municipalities with the help of the state.
In sites: Vendor discounts! September 2018 An overiew of ISBA member discounts available through the Member Marketplace.
Preventing and addressing sexual harassment today By Robert L. Miller March 2018 While the law provides limits on the legal filing of complaints against employers, the issue of responding to a new internal complaint about behaviors from years past remains.
‘Weapons of war’ and the Second Amendment By Jennifer Gover Bannon & Amanda Mank May 2018 Recent cases and legislative efforts may signal a change coming in Illinois' legislation regulating firearms and ammunition.