Lawsuits
Appeals court upholds $7M verdict vs ConAgra in cooking spray explosion case
A panel of Illinois state appeals court judges said the verdict came to a reasonable conclusion on product liability and the judge and jury didn't overstep during the trial or in ordering ConAgra to pay millions of dollars to a woman who was injured when the spray oil can exploded while she was cooking in a restaurant kitchen
Lawsuits
Judge tosses suit vs Cook judge accused of illegally blocking adult son from watching parents' divorce hearing
Lawsuits
Cushman & Wakefield, LivCor, other landlords added to feds', states' rent collusion lawsuit
Elections
SCOTUS weighing challenge to IL two-week-long mail-in vote counting system
The U.S. Supreme Court has directed the state of Illinois to respond to a petition for appeal filed by Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Bost, who has argued lower courts wrongly denied him the ability to sue the state for requiring mail-in ballots to be counted up to two weeks after Election Day, which he says violates federal law
Reform
Cook, St. Clair County judges can't undo reforms that may limit judges' pension benefits
A Cook County judge ruled two of her Illinois state court judicial colleagues - a retired St. Clair County judge and current Cook County judge - aren't entitled to collect higher 'Tier 1' pension benefits just because they worked for other state or local governments before becoming judges under 'Tier 2' pension reforms
Illinoisans should watch out for the next try at a progressive income tax on the November ballot in the name of property tax relief, says reform advocacy group Wirepoints
Lawdragon names Cozen O’Connor’s Shaw among Top 500 leading U.S. bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers
CHICAGO, July 17, 2023 — Lawdragon has named Chicago attorney Brian Shaw, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring practice, to its 2023 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers.
Cozen O’Connor attorney Matt DiCianni honored with Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center
Matt DiCianni, a labor and employment associate at Cozen O’Connor, has been honored with a Rising Stars Award from the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).
Federal Court
Healthcare Provider Accused of Racial Discrimination by Former Director
Rhonda Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, Humboldt Park Health, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation during her tenure as Director for Supply Chain.
Federal Court
Former Employee Alleges Racial Discrimination Against Telecommunications Company
Mitchell Hernandez has filed a lawsuit against RCN Telecom Services alleging racial discrimination and retaliation following his return from paternity leave.
Federal Court
Plaintiff Alleges Hair Product Manufacturer Caused Cancer Through Negligence
Dorothy Ayers has filed a lawsuit against Strength of Nature LLC and Godrej SON Holdings Inc., claiming their hair relaxer products caused her uterine cancer due to negligence and inadequate warnings about health risks.
Federal Court
Former Employee Alleges Racial Discrimination Against Interior Design Firm
A former interior designer has filed a lawsuit against Oetee LLC alleging racial discrimination and sexual harassment during her employment from August 2022 until August 2024.
Federal Court
Plaintiffs accuse vocational school of fraudulent misrepresentation over cosmetic laser technician certifications
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against National Laser Institute alleging fraudulent practices related to unrecognized cosmetic laser technician certifications.
Federal Court
Visually Impaired Plaintiff Sues Online Retailer Over ADA Violations
Holger Fiallo has filed a lawsuit against Western Ranch Supply Co., alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act due to inaccessible digital properties for visually impaired users like himself.
Federal Court
Former Employee Alleges Golden State Foods Corp. Engaged in Sex-Based Harassment
A former truck driver has filed a lawsuit against Golden State Foods Corp., claiming sex-based harassment and retaliation during her employment.
Federal Court
Visually-Impaired Plaintiff Alleges Pharmaceutical Company Website Violates ADA
A legally blind woman has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Reddy's Laboratories over its inaccessible website, claiming it violates her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Federal Court
Plaintiff Alleges Major Railway Company Engaged in Discrimination Based on Race, Gender
Rhonda J. Thompson has filed a lawsuit against Illinois Central Railroad Company alleging discrimination based on race, color, gender, and age.
Appeals court upholds $7M verdict vs ConAgra in cooking spray explosion case
A panel of Illinois state appeals court judges said the verdict came to a reasonable conclusion on product liability and the judge and jury didn't overstep during the trial or in ordering ConAgra to pay millions of dollars to a woman who was injured when the spray oil can exploded while she was cooking in a restaurant kitchen
Judge tosses suit vs Cook judge accused of illegally blocking adult son from watching parents' divorce hearing
A federal judge appeared to agree a young man had no right to sue Cook County divorce court Judge Abbey Fishman Romanek, even though she is accused of violating the man's constitutional rights by refusing to allow him to listen in via Zoom to a hearing in his parents' contentious divorce case
Cushman & Wakefield, LivCor, other landlords added to feds', states' rent collusion lawsuit
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul signed onto the legal action first brought by the Justice Department vs real estate property management software vendor RealPage last summer. It now accuses six large corporate landlords of allegedly using RealPage software to set apartment rents artificially high
Tadros may get trial in defamation case vs Crain's over 2016 article
A Cook County judge on Dec. 10 denied a motion by Crain's Communications to end the lawsuit brought by businessman Philip Tadros, which accused Crain's Chicago Business of defaming him in a 2016 article. The judge said a jury may need to decide if accusing Tadros of a "pattern of mismanagement" was defamatory
Judge: Lawsuit investor Burford still can't revive Sysco's chicken price claims vs Pilgrim's Pride
A Chicago federal judge said he still hasn't changed his mind about an existence of a deal to end Sysco's chicken price lawsuit vs Pilgrim's Pride, despite objections from third party lawsuit funder Burford Capital
Drury, Proft reach deal to end 10-year-long defamation suit over campaign ads
Political commentator Dan Proft called the confidential settlement a "victory" against a defamation lawsuit launched a decade ago by former Democratic State Rep. Scott Drury to punish political critics and enabled by a permissive court system and rulings that have "gutted" key legal protections for political speech
Appeals court: Cook divorce judges can't hold ex-husbands 'hostage' to force families to pay divorce bills
An Illinois appeals panel has become the first to push back against a continued practice by Cook County divorce court judges who have jailed ex-husbands to force them to pay 'obligations,' even if they may not have the money. The justices said Judge Scannicchio, who oversees the county's divorce courts, improperly jailed a man without first determining he could pay $248K
'Assault weapons' ban to continue in IL, for now, while courts handle appeal
The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request from Illinois Atty Gen Kwame Raoul to keep a decision on hold from a southern Illinois federal judge, who declared Illinois' ban on so-called "assault weapons" an "unconstitutional affront" to the Second Amendment
Family of Dexter Reed poised to get paid by city taxpayers, under possible lawsuit deal announced in court
A judge tentatively dismissed the legal action vs the city of Chicago by the family of Dexter Reed, a black man shot and killed by police in March after he reportedly opened fire on them from inside his vehicle during a stop. Terms of the settlement, which must be approved by City Council, have not been disclosed.
Illinois sanctuary law will hinder, but won’t stop ICE agents in potential deportation actions
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker recently boasted that officials in heavily Democratic Illinois will attempt to shield illegal immigrants from potential deportation actions under the incoming Trump administration. An advocate for victims of illegal immigrant crime says state actions could place the state and local authorities on a legal collision course with the feds
Cook County Dems cruise in five contested races for circuit court judge seats
While votes continue to be counted, Democratic candidates for judge in Cook County scored easy wins over Republican challengers in the handful of contested judicial races presented to voters this fall, including in the first contested general election race for countywide judge in 14 years
Did IL just try again to ban E-Verify? New law could leave employers facing hard choices, big challenges
The new law could leave Illinois employers facing a choice between abiding by competing state and federal immigrant employment laws and requirements, and leave Illinois facing another day in court defending a law which could stand in defiance to federal laws governing immigrant work eligibility
Jury orders Avon to pay $24M to former janitor with mesothelioma
After a month-long trial, a Cook County jury said Avon owes $24.4 million because the man allegedly contracted mesothelioma lung cancer from being exposed to asbestos-contaminated talc products at the company's Morton Grove facility in the 1980s
Appeals court: State must ensure IDES board review isn't 'rubber stamp' for employers
Panel overturns denial of benefits for pharmacy worker, calls on governor and lawmakers to act
IL Supreme Court turns back bid by Cook County to tax 'future' fuel sales
Business advocates in Illinois said, if the Illinois Supreme Court had sided with Cook County, it would have opened the door for a massive array of new local occupation taxes of all kinds throughout the state, which would 'devastate' businesses
Former Employee Alleges Racial Discrimination Against Telecommunications Company
Mitchell Hernandez has filed a lawsuit against RCN Telecom Services alleging racial discrimination and retaliation following his return from paternity leave.
Cook County checks in at No. 6 on list of worst U.S. 'Judicial Hellholes'
The American Tort Reform Association released its annual list of the country's most notable "Judicial Hellholes." Cook County's courts earned a spot on the list thanks to a host of "abusive" lawsuits and the potential for many more to come, should the Illinois Supreme Court nix a doctrine used to force certain plaintiffs to sue elsewhere
Ethics complaint filed vs Pritzker over unconstitutional 'election interference' 'anti-slating' law
An Arlington Heights lawyer, who is running as a Republican for the state House, has filed an ethics complaint against Gov. JB Pritzker, accusing him of violating his professional responsibilities as a lawyer holding public office by supporting a state law Democrats sought to use to block challengers to their candidates