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Illinois
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January 28, 2025
Lobbying Is Not A Crime, Madigan Co-Defendant Tells Jury
An attorney for an ex-lobbyist standing trial on public corruption charges alongside former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told jurors on Tuesday the government failed to establish that his client conspired to trade the ex-speaker's support for do-nothing jobs, saying all that really happened was "lobbying and politics."
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January 28, 2025
Pot Co. Faces New THC Potency Class Action In Illinois
A pair of Illinois men on Tuesday filed a new class action alleging a family of cannabis companies is selling products that exceed the state's limits on THC, joining a number of similar suits filed in the same district by the same attorneys.
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January 28, 2025
7th Circ. Considers Faith Of 2-Step Collective Certification
A Seventh Circuit panel considered Tuesday whether to keep or ditch the two-step certification process for collectives, with one judge calling Eli Lilly & Co.'s decertification argument in an age discrimination suit "spectacularly wrong" and another asking how tolling could change.
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January 28, 2025
Hand Sanitizer Co. Ex-Exec Inks $1M ESOP Deal
A former hand sanitizer company executive has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve claims from workers that he violated federal benefits law by helping organize a $398 million purchase of overvalued company stock by their employee stock ownership plan, according to filings in Illinois federal court.
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January 28, 2025
States Seek Injunction In Trump Birthright Citizenship Case
Washington, Illinois, Arizona and Oregon have launched a bid to keep President Donald Trump's executive order curbing birthright citizenship on hold amid their legal challenge, calling on the same Seattle federal judge who called the decision "blatantly unconstitutional" when granting a temporary restraining order last week.
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January 28, 2025
Judge Temporarily Halts Trump's Funding Freeze
A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal spending that was set to go into effect at 5 p.m., as a group of nearly two dozen attorneys general filed a separate case challenging what they described as an illegal and potentially catastrophic move.
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January 27, 2025
Allstate Beats Plan Participants' $70M Poor-Performance Suit
An Illinois federal judge handed Allstate a pretrial win Monday over retirement plan participants' claim that the insurer cost them nearly $70 million by holding on to poor-performing funds, saying the plaintiffs' "apples and oranges" comparisons will not sway a jury in their favor.
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January 27, 2025
Jury Will Decide $140M Intuitive Robo-Surgery Antitrust Case
A federal judge on Monday rejected dueling requests for directed verdicts at the wrap of a $140 million antitrust trial over claims that Intuitive Surgical abused its market power in barring a repair provider's refurbished part for Intuitive's surgery robot, saying there's "substantial evidence" for jurors to decide on the parties' claims and counterclaims.
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January 27, 2025
Judge Refuses To Stop Amazon Data Suit In Ill. State Court
A Delaware federal judge refused on Monday to block a lawsuit in Illinois state court accusing Amazon Web Services of illegally collecting voice data, saying the Illinois privacy case involves different claims and parties than the federal case, which was dismissed because some plaintiffs lacked standing.
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January 27, 2025
Feds' Madigan Informant Is A 'Malignant Tumor,' Jury Told
An attorney for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan took aim Monday at the former Chicago alderman called as the government's star witness in Madigan's criminal racketeering trial, calling him "a malignant tumor at the heart of this case" and urging jurors not to trust his testimony as they prepare to deliberate on his client's fate.
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January 27, 2025
Chicago Groups Sue Trump, DHS For 'Retaliatory' ICE Raids
Chicago nonprofits asked an Illinois federal judge to halt immigration raids targeting the Windy City, alleging the Trump administration is unlawfully trying to punish Chicago to "stomp out" the sanctuary city movement.
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January 27, 2025
Multiple Cannabis Cos. Hit With THC Potency Class Actions
A single litigant has filed two proposed consumer class actions in Illinois federal court against cannabis companies, alleging that their wares exceeded lawful levels of psychoactive THC.
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January 27, 2025
Compass Group Illegally Solicits Genetic Info, Suit Says
Food service company Compass Group's U.S. arm has been hit with genetic privacy claims brought by a proposed class in Illinois state court for allegedly requiring job applicants to disclose their personal medical history information during physical examinations.
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January 27, 2025
Fish & Richardson To Launch Office In Tech-Heavy Chicago
Fish & Richardson PC said Monday it is expanding its Midwest presence by opening an office in Chicago this spring — the 15th location for the global intellectual property firm.
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January 24, 2025
Intuitive Doesn't Owe 'Free-Riding' Firm $140M, Expert Says
Robotic surgery pioneer Intuitive Surgical isn't a monopolist since it competes with other surgery options and a "free-riding" surgical repair company isn't due up to $140 million in profits allegedly lost due to Intuitive blocking its unauthorized part-refurbishment service, an economist testified Friday in a California antitrust trial.
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January 24, 2025
Syngenta, Chevron Headed For October Paraquat Bellwether
An Illinois federal judge has set an October date for Syngenta and Chevron's first trial in a multidistrict litigation alleging that the pesticide paraquat causes Parkinson's disease, after the previous dismissal of trial-selected plaintiffs and the disqualification of an expert.
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January 24, 2025
Patient Can't Sue Over Clinic's 'Data Incident,' Ill. Justices Say
A medical clinic patient who received a letter stating a "data incident" may have compromised her personal information but appeared not to have led to the information's misuse does not have standing to pursue proposed class claims for damages, the Illinois Supreme Court said Friday.
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January 24, 2025
Ill. Justices OK Workers' Injury Suits Over Dormant Diseases
The Illinois Supreme Court answered the Seventh Circuit's call on Friday to clarify the state's Workers' Occupational Diseases Act in a widow's wrongful death lawsuit against Goodrich Corp., finding the statute can apply to claims for asbestos-related cancer and other diseases that manifest belatedly despite the statute's other temporal restrictions.
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January 24, 2025
Ill. Casino Applicant Loses Out On License Denial Challenge
A tribal-led casino applicant that was denied a license to open up in Waukegan, Illinois, does not have standing to appeal that rejection, the state's highest court said on Friday, restoring a trial court's decision on the matter.
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January 24, 2025
Real Estate Recap: Hughes Fire, EOs, Practices Of The Year
Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including more law firm displacement due to the newly ignited Hughes Fire in Los Angeles County, real estate sector speculation following a storm of executive orders, and two of Law360's picks for real estate and construction practice groups of the year.
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January 24, 2025
Ill. Judge OKs $35M More In College Aid-Fixing Settlements
An Illinois federal judge flagged a communication he considered a potential first Friday as he swiftly approved another $35 million in financial aid-fixing settlements that allow two more schools to exit an antitrust suit claiming they conspired with other elite universities to limit their offerings.
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January 24, 2025
Ill. Justices Say Performance Bonuses Count In OT Math
Two workers will have another shot at arguing an electric company failed to pay the proper amount of overtime because state law doesn't exclude performance bonuses from overtime math, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Friday.
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January 24, 2025
Dentons' Ben Weinberg On Making An Impact With Pro Bono
For over 16 years, Ben Weinberg has been shaping Dentons' pro bono program, looking for ways to connect the needs of local communities with the resources of a global legal powerhouse to make an impact.
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January 24, 2025
Feds' Madigan Theory 'Doesn't Line Up,' His Atty Tells Jury
Counsel for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told an Illinois federal jury Friday that prosecutors attempting to convict him of racketeering have painted an "incomplete and misleading" picture of a crooked politician at trial, but have failed to meet their burden to prove he ever acted with corrupt intent or engaged in a "this for that" exchange for his official action.
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January 24, 2025
Campbell's Unit Accused Of Failing To Pay For Off-Clock Work
A Campbell's subsidiary fails to compensate hourly paid packing employees for the several minutes they spend each day performing certain tasks before and after their shifts, a proposed collective action filed in North Carolina federal court said.
Expert Analysis
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Opinion
The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address
A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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Opinion
It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union
As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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What 7th Circ. Samsung Decision Means For Mass Arbitration
The Seventh Circuit's recent decision in Wallrich v. Samsung highlights the dilemma faced by mass arbitration filers in the face of nonpayment of arbitration fees by the defending party — but also suggests that there are risks for defendants in pursuing such a strategy, says Daniel Campbell at McDermott.
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How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act
In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.
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Lessons From Recent SEC Cyber Enforcement Actions
The recent guidance by the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance is helpful to any company facing a cybersecurity threat, but just as instructive are the warnings raised by the SEC's recent enforcement actions against SolarWinds, R.R. Donnelley and Intercontinental Exchange, say attorneys at O'Melveny.
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9th Circ. Ruling Flags Work Harassment Risks Of Social Media
The recent Ninth Circuit ruling in Okonowsky v. Garland, holding an employer could be liable for a co-worker's harassing social media posts, highlights new challenges in technology-centered and remote workplaces, and underscores an employer's obligation to prevent hostile environments wherever their employees clock in, say Jennifer Lada and Phillip Schreiber at Holland & Knight.
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7th Circ. Ruling Sheds Light On Extraterritoriality In IP Law
A recent Seventh Circuit decision involving the Defend Trade Secrets Act, allowing for broader international application of trade secrets laws, highlights a difference in how trade secrets are treated compared to other areas of intellectual property law, say Armin Ghiam and Maria Montenegro-Bernardo at Hunton.
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Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?
A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.
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Series
Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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Illinois BIPA Reform Offers Welcome Relief To Businesses
Illinois' recent amendment to its Biometric Information Privacy Act limits the number of violations and damages a plaintiff can claim — a crucial step in shielding businesses from unintended legal consequences, including litigation risk and compliance costs, say attorneys at Taft.
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Class Action Law Makes An LLC A 'Jurisdictional Platypus'
The applicability of Section 1332(d)(10) of the Class Action Fairness Act is still widely misunderstood — and given the ambiguous nature of limited liability companies, the law will likely continue to confound courts and litigants — so parties should be prepared for a range of outcomes, says Andrew Gunem at Strauss Borrelli.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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How Justices' E-Rate Decision May Affect Scope Of FCA
The U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual decision in Wisconsin Bell v. U.S., determining whether reimbursements paid by the E-rate program are "claims" under the False Claims Act, may affect other federal programs that do not require payments to be made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, says David Colapinto at Kohn Kohn.
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New State Carbon Capture Laws: Key Points For Developers
Multiple states have introduced or expanded legal frameworks for carbon capture and sequestration this year, and while there are some common themes, many of these state laws include unique approaches and requirements — which developers and investors should be aware of when considering potential projects and investment risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.