Section Newsletters

Articles on General Practice

Memories of Women as Human By Jewel N. Klein General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, December 2021 Reflections on life as a woman.
Motions to Disqualify – Don’t Panic, But Don’t Ignore Them By Chad S. Beckett General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, December 2021 Steps to follow when confronted with a motion to disqualify.
Amendment to Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act Increases Damages for Violations of the Act By Mary Anne Gerstner General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2021 An amendment to the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act was enacted into law in July 9, 2021.
A Fractured Life By Stephen Hoffman General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2021 Our civil justice system of torts is based upon monetary compensation to injury victims.
New Statutory Provisions Require Sealing of Residential Eviction Cases By Michael Zink General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2021 In May 2021 the Illinois General Assembly enacted several purportedly temporary amendments to the Eviction Act. The new provisions, docketed as 735 ILCS 5/9-121.5 and 735 ILCS 5/9-122, set forth the conditions under which eviction cases shall be sealed for a specific time period defined in the amendment.
Small Businesses: Time to Brush Up on Employment Law General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2021 Two pointers on the recent changes to the Human Rights Act that now apply to all employers regardless of their size.
When the Caregiver Needs Care General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 2021 To continue to zealously represent our clients, we should take a proactive approach to our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Are You Paying Too Much for Your Client’s Medical Records? By Michael K. Muldoon General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2019 The HITECH Act encourages the use of electronic records by health care providers and makes it easier for patients to obtain their health care records.
Evidentiary Admissions and Judicial Admissions: A Quick Refresher By Michael J. Maslanka General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2019 Armstead v. National Freight, Inc. provides a good explanation of the differences between evidentiary admissions and judicial admissions.
The Illinois Appellate Court Affirmed the Trial Court’s Dismissal of a Verified Complaint for Failure to Allege Adequate Consideration for a Noncompete Agreement By Mary Anne Gerstner General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, November 2019 The appellate court affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of a verified complaint for failure to allege adequate consideration for a noncompete agreement where the verified complaint alleged continued employment as the only consideration for the noncompete covenant and the employee resigned in less than two years.
Reading the advance sheets By Chad S. Beckett General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, December 2018 As practitioners, we are best served by regular access to the latest research in whatever branch of the law we engage.
Chairperson’s corner By Timothy E. Duggan General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, September 2004 Welcome to the 2004-2005 Section Council Year. It is an honor for me to be chairman of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section Council.
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that “bare-boned” anonymous tips are insufficient to justify a Terry stop and frisk By Michele M. Jochner General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, May 2000 Over the last decade, law enforcement authorities have had little occasion to criticize the Fourth Amendment jurisprudence of the United States Supreme Court, as the Justices have regularly given police officers increased latitude to conduct searches, particularly in cases involving automobiles or narcotics.
Avoiding payment of child support to the SDU By Chris E. Freese General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2000 If your client wants to submit to the court a Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage that avoids the payment of child support through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU), can the court approve such a judgment?
“Choosin’ up” lessons in communication By John V. De Stefano General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2000 When I received my Norman Rockwell calendar for 1999. One of the drawings of the month entitled "Choosin' Up" depicts four young boys in baseball uniforms, two of which were standing eye-to-eye with their hands on a baseball bat.
Maintenance revisited By Howard W. Feldman & David K. Harris General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2000 The Fourth District Appellate Court in a decision dated February 9, 2000, affirmed an award of permanent maintenance to a 32-year-old wife, with a high school education, who had been married for 14 years.
Past chair’s column By John H. Maville General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2000 Most of you are probably familiar with proposed Rule 1.17. This rule would permit the sale of the goodwill of a law practice by a sole practitioner.
Want to challenge a sentence after a guilty plea? What do you file? By Patrick J. Hitpas General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, April 2000 Your client has entered a plea of guilty to an offense and has been sentenced by the trial court.
Changing personnel policies and employee handbooks just got harder By Donald A. LoBue General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2000 Attorneys representing employers should be aware of the recent Illinois Supreme Court case of Doyle v. Holy Cross Hospital 186 Ill.2d 104, 237 Ill.Dec. 100, 708 N.E.2d 1140 (1999) which held that modification of the terms of an employee handbook or personnel policy would not be enforceable without new consideration.
Food for thought: Estate planning for subsequent marriages By Babette L. Brennan General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2000 Even in a first marriage, there is potential for a conflict of interest when an attorney endeavors to represent both the husband and the wife in their estate planning.
Summary judgment entered for employer in an ADEA action if the employer honestly believes its nondiscriminatory reasons, no matter how trivial, for firing an employee By Angela Imbierowicz General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, March 2000 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ("ADEA") protects workers who are at least forty years of age by prohibiting employers from engaging in discrimination because of the employee's age.
Revestment By Leonard Murray General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, February 1999 No doubt it is the common perception that once a dismissal for want of prosecution ("dwp") is entered in an action, unless otherwise vacated by order of court, it divests a court of jurisdiction of that action.
Reflection after 40 years By James J. Elson General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 1999 May 23, 1957, is the date when I was admitted to the bar. For most of the 40 years since, I have been privileged to be a general practitioner which in my opinion is the essence of real lawyering.
To get the job done By David Spagat General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, January 1999 You are an environmentalist. Your group has very important legislation to be proposed to Congress.

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