Author Index Helen W. Gunnarsson

Plaintiffs win big in Ready

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
February
2009
LawPulse
, Page 64
 The supreme court holds that good-faith settling tortfeasors can't be included in apportioning fault after verdicts to determine joint and several liability.

There’s no day like today to pay your ARDC registration fee

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
February
2009
LawPulse
, Page 64
 The cost of bringing yourself into compliance goes up the longer you wait.

1099s for deadbeat clients?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
LawPulse
, Page 10
 A law-office management expert puts forth the option of sending a nonpaying client a 1099 for the value of your services. Is it really OK to do so?

Attorney censured for not disclosing “controlled business arrangement”

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
LawPulse
, Page 10
The ARDC Hearing Board found that a Mundelein lawyer/title agent didn't make disclosures to clients required by the Title Insurance Act.

Disagreement among appellate divisions creates split of authority

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
LawPulse
, Page 10
 When one division within an appellate district disagrees with another, it creates an intradistrict split of authority - so sayeth the supreme court.

No five-o’clock world for e-filing

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
LawPulse
, Page 10
Unless the rules specify otherwise, parties may electronically file up to midnight on deadline day with administrative agencies that permit e-filing, the supreme court holds.

Real estate lawyers fear “law related services” definition

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
LawPulse
, Page 10
 Defining "law related services" in Illinois' ethics rules could encourage UPL, pose malpractice risks, and cause other problems, real estate lawyers tell the supreme court.

Taking Down Your Shingle

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2009
Cover Story
, Page 20
Selling or otherwise closing your private practice? Don't forget to take care of important business before you do.

“Borrowing” from legal forms - do you need permission?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2008
LawPulse
, Page 606
Lifting language from legal documents - everyone does it, right? But does it constitute copyright infringement?

Court upholds, modifies risk-utility test for products liability

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2008
LawPulse
, Page 606
In a recent case, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld - but reformulated - the risk-utility test, while declining to abandon the consumer-expectation test.

Court upholds per se conflict doctrine

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2008
LawPulse
, Page 606
 A conflict exists whenever an attorney represents both a criminal defendant and the alleged victim, the Illinois Supreme Court rules.

DUI Law: The BAIID Era Begins

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2008
Cover Story
, Page 616
Goodbye JDP, hello "monitoring device driving permit." Here's a look at the sweeping new DUI law that takes effect January 1.

Real estate and divorce: No more transfer-tax exemption?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2008
LawPulse
, Page 606
 To the chagrin of matrimonial lawyers, Chicago has begun taxing the transfer of a divorcing couple's jointly owned home to one of the ex-partners.

Appellate Court: No Wrongful Death for Embryo Before It’s Implanted

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
LawPulse
, Page 548
 The Illinois Appellate court rules that the Wrongful Death Act does not permit suits on behalf of human embryos allegedly destroyed before being placed in the womb.

Don’t Be Afraid To Be Paid

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
Cover Story
, Page 558
Learn how to create a bill-paying culture among your clientele.

HGN tests meet the Frye standard

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
LawPulse
, Page 548
So rules the Tenth Circuit court in the first-ever Illinois Frye hearing on the admissibility of HGN tests as an indicator of drunk driving - assuming various requirements are met.  

Plaintiff-friendly ADA amendments take effect Jan.1

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
LawPulse
, Page 548
Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act legislatively overturn recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

Retalitory discharge: local governments not immune under Workers’ Comp Act

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
LawPulse
, Page 548
 Public employees can sue for being fired in retaliation for filing a workers' comp claim, the Illinois Supreme Court holds.

Two traffic stops, no Fourth Amendment “seizures,” the court rules

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2008
LawPulse
, Page 548
The Illinois Supreme court rules for the state in two cases where defendants were asked for consent to search after a traffic stop.

New law attempts to simplify zoning hearings

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
LawPulse
, Page 498
 A new law classifies zoning decisions as legislative acts, not administrative rulings. This will streamline zoning proceedings, proponents say.

The Open Meetings Act v. client confidentiality

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
LawPulse
, Page 498
A trial court's search for truth and the public's right to know may conflict with what local governments believe to be their right to confidential communications with counsel.    

The slacker son who wouldn’t leave home

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
LawPulse
, Page 498
 Your clients want to send their noncontributing adult son packing, but he says, "Nuh uh." Getting him out the door isn't as simple as you might think.

So You Want to Be a Personal Injury Lawyer?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
Cover Story
, Page 508
How do you break into p.i. practice? Successful practitioners offer advice.

Statutory change gives right to counsel to juveniles facing detention

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
LawPulse
, Page 498
 An amendment to the Juvenile Court Act requires that counsel be appointed for a juvenile defendant in custody at or before his or her initial court hearing.

Using guardianship to change school districts? Be wary

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2008
LawPulse
, Page 498
Your client wants his kid to go to New Trier schools? Then he'd better move there or be prepared to pony up $18,000-plus in tuition, an ISBA member advises.

Bidder beware

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2008
LawPulse
, Page 438
Winning bidders at judicial foreclosure sales can ultimately lose if a subsequent buyer offers more and the lender withdraws its foreclosure motion before the judge confirms the sale, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled.

In re Marriage of Bratcher

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2008
LawPulse
, Page 438
A fourth district panel reverses a trial court’s grant of a substantial maintenance award in a long-term marriage where there was also a large property settlement.

A Judge’s Judge

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2008
Cover Story
, Page 448
In Thomas Fitzgerald, the Illinois Supreme Court has a seasoned trial judge at the helm. Here’s an interview with the new chief.

Living trust amendment drafted by a nonlawyer ruled invalid

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2008
LawPulse
, Page 438
A living trust amendment drafted by a nonlawyer is invalid under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, the Illinois Appellate Court rules.

R U monitoring employees’ text messages?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2008
LawPulse
, Page 438
 An employee had a reasonable expectation of privacy in private e-mail he sent during work hours on his employer-issued pager, the federal ninth circuit rules.

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