2016 Articles

Musings About Life Beyond the Law

By Vincent F. Cornelius
September
2016
Column
, Page 10
Most lawyers wonder what another career might be like, while many nonlawyers yearn to join our profession. Whose grass is greener?
2 comments (Most recent August 31, 2016)

New ‘accountability court’ helps child-support obligors keep up payments

By Matthew Hector
April
2016
LawPulse
, Page 12
Madison County has launched the first problem-solving court in Illinois devoted to helping parents find ways to pay child support.

New act provides for child bereavement leave

October
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Child Bereavement Leave Act provides for unpaid leave for certain employees who lose a child.

New Attorneys Admitted; ISBA Futures Report; Uniform Bar Exam

December
2016
Column
, Page 48
1,374 new attorneys admitted to practice in Illinois; ISBA futures report recommends consumer directory, tech training; proposal to support Uniform Bar Exam goes to ISBA Assembly.

New continuum of care license for organizations providing service to individuals with developmental disabilities

December
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services Law of the Civil and Administrative Code of Illinois was amended to create licenses for continuum of care facilities that serve individuals with developmental disabilities.

New criteria for evaluating loan forgiveness applicants under the Water Pollution Control Loan Program

July
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency ("IEPA") adopted amendments to Procedures for Issuing Loans from the Water Pollution Control Loan Program. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 365 (eff. Apr. 1, 2016)

New disclosure requirements and return policy standards for ticket brokers and resellers

January
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Ticket Sale and Resale Act has been amended to impose disclosure requirements and require ticket sellers or brokers to have a return policy that meets certain standards.

New Illinois Legal Aid Online website serves legal professionals, consumers

By Matthew Hector
October
2016
LawPulse
, Page 12
By consolidating its five websites and removing duplicative content, ILAO has managed to create a one-stop website for laypersons and lawyers alike.

The New Income Shares Child Support Guidelines

By Margaret Bennett, Nancy Chausow Shafer, & Hon. Pamela Loza
December
2016
Article
, Page 26
Effective July 1, Illinois will implement a major change in how child support is computed. Here's how the new guidelines will work and why they'll make divorce practitioners' lives easier.
4 comments (Most recent December 18, 2018)

New law to ensure life insurance benefits are paid

November
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act will govern insurer conduct and require the Department of Insurance to develop and implement a "lost policy finder."

The New Lawyers’ Journey from IDK to “I’ll Find Out”

By Karen Erger
August
2016
Column
, Page 52
How to make a research project assigned by a supervising lawyer successful for mentor and mentee alike.

The new overtime regs: A wake-up call for lawyer employers

By Matthew Hector
August
2016
LawPulse
, Page 12
Too few law firms follow best practices for paying employees who work more the 40 hours a week, an employment lawyer warns. The new federal overtime rules, effective December 1, are a fresh reason for getting it right.

New pilot program requires documents to be recorded against a property in foreclosure by judicial order only

February
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Under this new section to the Counties Code, counties with over 3,000,000 people must establish a pilot program that permits documents to be recorded against a property in foreclosure by judicial order only.

New pollution standards affecting municipal water systems

July
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Pollution Control Board ("PCB") adopted amendments to the following sections: Introduction, Permits, and Ownership and Responsible Personnel. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 601-603 (eff. Apr. 15, 2016).

New restrictions on vendors seeking debt collection from crime victims

February
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Under this new section in the Crime Victims Compensation Act ("CVCA"), new restrictions have been placed on vendors seeking to collect debts from crime victims.

New SEC crowdfunding regs open up opportunities for business clients

By Matthew Hector
March
2016
LawPulse
, Page 20
Small business owners will soon have a new way to raise capital from small investors, one that resembles Kickstarter but allows contributors to get an equity stake.
1 comment (Most recent March 1, 2016)

New storage and handling requirements for anhydrous ammonia reflect safety innovations and national standards

September
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Department of Agriculture adopted an amendment to the Part entitled Anhydrous Ammonia, Low Pressure Nitrogen Solutions, Equipment, Containers, and Storage Facilities concerning safety requirements pertaining to the handling, storage, and application equipment of anhydrous ammonia.

New supportive housing and bridge subsidy model for persons with mental illness

August
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Department of Human Services adopted a new Part entitled "Permanent Supportive Housing & Bridge Subsidy Model for Persons with Mental Illness." 59 Ill. Adm. Code 145 (eff. May 20, 2016).

No more suing prisoners for room and board?

By Matthew Hector
May
2016
LawPulse
, Page 10
A senate bill would prohibit Illinois from suing prisoners for the cost of their prison stay.

Noncitizens of the United States may be licensed as attorneys in Illinois

January
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Attorney Act has been amended to allow for noncitizens of the United States to be granted a license to practice law in Illinois. The amendment provides that no person shall be prohibited from receiving a license to practice law solely because he or she is not a citizen of the United States.

Nonlawyer Ownership of Law Firms: A Recurring Debate

By Bailey E. Cunningham
July
2016
Column
, Page 48
Nonlawyer law-firm ownership threatens the professional independence of lawyers.

Not Online and Free? Try the Library

By Tom Gaylord
November
2016
Column
, Page 52
Exhausted the online resources? Don't forget that not everything is online, even in the digital age.

Notice of note acceleration can be a condition precedent to filing foreclosure action

December
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The first district found that providing notice of note acceleration was a condition precedent to a bank's right to file a foreclosure action against a homeowner.

Nursing homes need not request criminal background checks on transferring residents who are immobile or moving into hospice

June
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Nursing Home Care Act has been amended to alter criminal background check requirements for transferring residents.

Of Hijabs and Hiring: Religious Accommodation in the Workplace after EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc.

By Melanie I. Stewart
September
2016
Article
, Page 28
In Abercrombie, the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier for job-applicant plaintiffs to survive summary judgment in Title VII failure-to-accommodate cases.

The Office of the Treasurer revises its procurement policies

December
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Office of the Treasurer adopted new amendments revising the Office's procurement policies.

Overturning Mendelson: Bill would forbid conveying real estate to trust without deed

By Matthew Hector
May
2016
LawPulse
, Page 10
Proposed legislation would amend the Trusts and Trustees Act to require that all transfers of property into a trust be evidenced by a written conveyance and acceptance by the trustee.
1 comment (Most recent April 28, 2016)

Penalties for repeat DUI offenders reduced to reflect changes in legislation

June
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Public Acts 99-290, 99-296, 99-300, and 99-467, which all address DUIs and revoked or restricted licenses, prompted the implementation of the following amendments to 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001 (eff. March 23, 2016).

The Perils of Witness Prep

By Ed Finkel
May
2016
Cover Story
, Page 20
Lawyers owe it to clients to thoroughly prepare witnesses to testify. On the other hand, they have a duty not to present false evidence. Here are best practices for ethical-yet-effective witness preparation.

Permanent cards no longer issued at Secretary of State driver facilities

December
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Secretary of State ("SOS") adopted amendments to the Issuance of Licenses eliminating issuance of permanent driver's licenses and state identification cards at SOS driver facilities.