Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory BoardBy Craig R. HedinMineral Law, March 2025The Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory Board held its quarterly meeting on January 23, 2025. The following is a summary of reports and actions conducted at the meeting.
Illinois State Bar Association’s 2024 Annual Midyear Meeting: A Resounding Success!By Genevieve E. Miller, Esq.Young Lawyers Division, February 2025The ISBA's 2024 Midyear Meeting lived up to its reputation as one of the premier events on the legal community’s calendar. Held at the JW Marriott in downtown Chicago on December 12 and 13, the two-day event provided a perfect blend of professional development, networking, and celebration for attorneys, judges, and legal professionals across Illinois. Attendees engaged in a full schedule of substantive section council meetings, dynamic CLE courses, and lively social gatherings.
Illinois State Bar Association’s 2024 Annual Midyear Meeting: A Resounding Success!By Genevieve E. Miller, Esq.Family Law, January 2025The ISBA's 2024 Midyear Meeting lived up to its reputation as one of the premier events on the legal community’s calendar. Held at the JW Marriott in downtown Chicago on December 12 and 13, the two-day event provided a perfect blend of professional development, networking, and celebration for attorneys, judges, and legal professionals across Illinois. Attendees engaged in a full schedule of substantive section council meetings, dynamic CLE courses, and lively social gatherings.
Illinois Supreme Court NewsElder Law, November 2025A brief overview of legal developments in Illinois, including elimination of filing and appearance fees in minor guardianship cases, amendments to the Supreme Court Policy on Remote Court Appearances in Civil Proceedings, changes to several Illinois Supreme Court rules, and more.
Illinois Supreme Court To Decide Question Concerning Standard Pollution ExclusionBy James NyesteInsurance Law, September 2025A look at Griffith Foods Int’l Inc. v. Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA and its potential impact on the standard pollution exclusion in commerical general liability policies as the case heads to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Illinois Updates Small Estate Affidavit Law To Reflect Modern RealitiesBy Emily R. VivianReal Estate Law, October 2025Updates to the Probate Act of 1975 brings changes to the small estate affidavit provisions, raising the minimum threshold for the estate value and excluding the value of motor vehicles.
Immigration Considerations for Family Law LawyersBy Rachael ToftFamily Law, March 2025The evolving political landscape has resulted in drastic changes to immigration enforcement that must be accounted for by family law lawyers. A client that has an uncertain immigration status should be warned that their status can have significant impacts in both divorce and parental responsibility cases.
Impact of Rescission of Laws on DEI in Family Law: Implications to Access to JusticeBy Arlette G. PorterRacial and Ethnic Minorities and the Law, October 2025The recent rescission of DEI laws has already had a profound effect on access to justice. It has had a tangible and perhaps detrimental consequence in the family law arena. Revocation of DEI initiatives significantly hinders divorcing parties’ and parentage parties’ access to justice, particularly those in vulnerable positions.
Impact of Rescission of Laws on DEI in Family Law: Implications to Access to JusticeBy Arlette G. PorterFamily Law, April 2025The recent rescission of DEI laws has already had a profound effect on access to justice. It has had a tangible and perhaps detrimental consequence in the family law arena. Revocation of DEI initiatives significantly hinders divorcing parties’ and parentage parties’ access to justice, particularly those in vulnerable positions.
Important Legal Development: Illinois Severance AgreementsBy Jeralyn H. BaranLabor and Employment Law, September 2025A look at key changes to the Illinois Workplace Transparency Act and potential actions employers should be taking to ensure that employment and separation agreements are in compliance with the amended Act.
In MemoriamBy Deborah BenzingWorkers’ Compensation Law, October 2025A few words from the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Law Section Council in memory of Peter Akemann, a dedicated Arbitrator with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.
In the NewsMental Health Law, May 2025Earlier this year, WGN-TV News reported that marijuana use could trigger a mental health disorder.
India: Delhi High Court Ruling Reshapes Sports Governance and Raises Animal Welfare ConcernsBy H. Vincent DraaInternational and Immigration Law, March 2025In an important decision with implications for both sports law and animal welfare, the Delhi High Court's judgment in Rajasthan Equestrian Association v. Union of India & Ors.has overturned a controversial exemption granted to the Equestrian Federation of India by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. This ruling scrutinizes the government's discretionary power to relax national sports governance standards and, crucially, addresses the legal status of equine “athletes” within the context of sports regulation.
Inherent Federal Court Sanctioning AuthorityBy Jeffrey A. ParnessIntellectual Property, March 2025In Keyes Law Firm, LLC v. Napoli, (4th Cir. 2024), the court provided primers on the inherent sanctioning authority of federal courts for civil litigation misconduct and on the guidelines for determining related attorney fee awards. In doing so, it recognized that some problematic state court conduct could prompt federal court sanctions and that the fee award norms for such conduct should differ from those employed in many fee-shifting statutes.
Inherent Federal Court Sanctioning AuthorityBy Jeffrey A. ParnessFederal Civil Practice, January 2025In Keyes Law Firm, LLC v. Napoli, (4th Cir. 2024), the court provided primers on the inherent sanctioning authority of federal courts for civil litigation misconduct and on the guidelines for determining related attorney fee awards. In doing so, it recognized that some problematic state court conduct could prompt federal court sanctions and that the fee award norms for such conduct should differ from those employed in many fee-shifting statutes.
Initiating Arbitral Proceedings in International Commercial DisputesBy H. Vincent DraaDiversity Leadership Council, June 2025International commercial arbitration is a means of resolving business disputes among two or more transnational parties by one or more arbitrators outside of a formal court system. It is a voluntary process, conducted according to the parameters determined by the agreement of the parties. Given all its advantages over traditional litigation, it is not much of an exaggeration to call international commercial arbitration the “only game in town.”
Initiating Arbitral Proceedings in International Commercial DisputesBy H. Vincent DraaInternational and Immigration Law, January 2025International commercial arbitration is a means of resolving business disputes among two or more transnational parties by one or more arbitrators outside of a formal court system. It is a voluntary process, conducted according to the parameters determined by the agreement of the parties. Given all its advantages over traditional litigation, it is not much of an exaggeration to call international commercial arbitration the “only game in town.”
Innovation and Protection: Why Manufacturers Can’t Afford to Overlook IP in Annual PlanningBy Greg StoneBusiness Advice and Financial Planning, June 2025The article urges practitioners to make intellectual property a key part of annual planning. Failing to address IP risks can lead to lost innovations, increased competitive threats, and missed revenue opportunities. By proactively protecting new developments, conducting audits, and aligning IP with business goals, practitioners can turn IP into a growth asset—not just a legal safeguard.
Inspiring Community Engagement at DePaul LawYoung Lawyers Division, August 2025ISBA Young Lawyer Representative, Genevieve E. Miller, recently spoke on a panel at DePaul Law, "Engaging Your Community."
Intellectual Improbabilities™By Daniel KeganIntellectual Property, December 2025An overview of recent developments in intellectual property law, including Delaware trade names change, streamlined claim PTO pilot, Amazon Patent Evaluation Express, Aubrey Drake Graham's lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar dismissed, additional fees for trademark applications in Russia, and more.
Intellectual Improbabilities™By Daniel KeganIntellectual Property, September 2025A quick look at recent developments in intellectual property law, including the Cracker Barrel controversy, updates to the Patent Assignment Search and Assignments on the Web, band members' lawsuit after an onstage fight, patent examination fees in Egypt, and more.
Intellectual Improbabilities™By Daniel KeganIntellectual Property, June 2025Updates on trademarks, copyrights, patents, and much more.
Intellectual Improbabilities™By Daniel KeganIntellectual Property, March 2025Updates on trademarks, copyrights, patents, and much more.
Intentional Homicide of an Unborn ChildBy Mark Wykoff, Sr.Criminal Justice, May 2025In People v. Lane, 2023 IL 128269, the issue before the Illinois Supreme Court was whether a finding of guilty for both first-degree murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child constitutes multiple murders, triggering 5-8-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections (730 ILCS 5/5-8-1(a)(1)(c)(ii) (West 2006)), mandating a sentence of life in prison.
In People v. Lane (2023), the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child counts as only one murder for sentencing. Therefore, the mandatory life sentence under the multiple murder statute did not apply. The Court vacated Lane’s life sentence and ordered resentencing, also overruling the 1997 Third District Appellate case, People v. Shoultz, that treated such cases as multiple murders.
Interview with Former WATL Chair, Lori LevinBy Judith ConwayWomen and the Law, February 2025A spotlight on Lori Levin who served as chair of the Women and the Law Committee from 2018-2019.
Interview With Justice Amy SholarBy Zoé Lemon & Olivia St. Clair LongWomen and the Law, October 2025Justice Sholar shares her insights about practicing as an attorney, joining the bench, and the importance of networking.
Introducing the Food, Race, and Equity Initiative: Part IBy Heliya IzadpanahFood Law, April 2025A UCLA Law Student describes her experiences with the Critical Race Studies program. "The Resnick Center has tried to incorporate discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion into its offerings. It has featured an agroecology class, a food and social justice issues podcast series, lessons on food access, and a diverse global health collaborative," says the student.
one of the few Food Law programs then existing in the nation.
Introducing the Food, Race, and Equity Initiative: Part IIBy Lavanya SathyamurthyFood Law, April 2025"UCLA, home to the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy and the Critical Race Studies Program, is the perfect place to start a movement focused on infusing issues of equity into food law curricula," according to a UCLA Law student. The Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy adopts a multi-faceted approach to legal research and scholarship, through courses, conferences, and academic collaboration.
