The resignation of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal has sparked widespread interest and speculation within the intellectual property (IP) community. Early reports sugges that Vishal Amin, Intel's head of intellectual property policy and formerly appointed USPTO Director under the previous Trump administration, is a frontrunner for the position.

Dear Clients and Friends of the Firm,

We are excited to announce some important changes in the leadership of our Property Tax Group.

A recent study found that average U.S. home prices grew by 6.6% in 2024. Illinois being number 8 on the list with growth of 9.4%. Taxpayers have a right to challenge any assessment they are given. Jim Chipman expounds upon how using the recent sale of a property could help lower your tax bill.

On December 26, 2024, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an order vacating the Court’s December 23, 2024 order. Associate Morgan York explains the recent order.

Independent contractors may seem advantageous to some businesses but they can quickly become a liability and be detrimental to a company. Partner Margaret Gisch explains what an independent contractor is, how to define an employee, and what penalties a business could encounter if employees are categorized incorrectly.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the enforceability of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Associate Morgan York provides updates on deadlines for the CTA and filing beneficial ownership information reports.

Starting January 1, 2025, Illinois employers using E-Verify have new requirements under the Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act (the “Act”). Christopher R. Parker explains the amendments to the Act which imposes new obligations on employers, even beyond certain federal E-Verify requirements.

Associate Morgan York provides clarity on the recent preliminary injunction update to the Corporate Transparency Act.

A Commercial Lease Agreement is one of the most common contracts that a business will enter into, but far too often, a business will sign off on a lease after a cursory review.  As you can imagine, that can often lead to serious problems down the road.  Here is our top ten list of things to look out for when navigating your Commercial Lease Agreement.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a pervasive force across industries, affecting everything from data processing and decision-making to creative arts and public discourse. As AI systems grow more sophisticated and autonomous, questions about their in role in society have shifted from the technical to the philosophical and legal. One of the core issues at stake is the idea of whether AI systems have – or should have – freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

“Reasonable accommodation” can be a tricky subject. What is reasonable for one person might not be for another. In this article, Margherita M. Albarello details a case involving the Environmental Protection Agency and the Rehabilitation Act, a law similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act. An employee of the EPA made many requests for a private office due to allergies but was denied. The employee filed suit and cited that the employer’s accommodation of work from home did not allow him to perform adequately.

Contracts are often part of our day-to-day business activities, from engagement letters to consulting agreements. While it may not be efficient or cost effective to work with counsel for each contract your business negotiates with its clients, it might make sense for you to create a contract playbook to protect your business from unnecessary cost and liability down the road. Associate Morgan C. York analyzes why being ahead of the game and creating a contract playbook could be a win for your business.

The rising cost of college can be a deterrent for many families in deciding whether to send their child to school or not. Although the Federal Government has created a host of programs and grants to aid students, it still might not be enough and colleges and universities continue to raise the expenses. Brian T. Whitlock explores the potential value Code Sec. 529 savings accounts may have on your family and the benefits it can provide with paying for secondary education.

The Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced a final rule requiring certain persons in non-financed sales of residential real estate to report information about the transfer. Associate, Melanie Kanakis outlines which real estate transfers fall under this new rule, what information about the transfer is required to be reported, and who is required to report this information.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced an update to the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime rule. Effective January 1, 2025 the salary threshold will increase for exempt employees. Employers need to decide whether to raise the salary of employees who are currently earning below the threshold or make the employees non-exempt. Associate, Brad Lohsl explains what employers should expect with the new rule.

Brian Whitlock explains why a Donor Advised Fund may be a better choice in donating to a public institution.

Senior associate, Anthony Wenn examines the cultural impact of the musical genre reggaetón and how a recent case against some of the top Latin and Hispanic artists could change the genre forever.

It is no secret that every professional field is competitive now. To keep up with competition, your company and team must embrace innovation to grow and solve new problems that arise every day. Senior associate, Kimberlee Jones gives you five ways to encourage innovation within your company and be on the cutting edge of your field.

Our world is never static—but your estate plan won’t keep up with those changes unless you update it. Between changes in your family, your finances, and the law, any estate plan more than a few years old might not do what you want it to do anymore. Associate Joe Trytten gives three time-sensitive reasons why your estate plan deserves a second look in 2024.

Jim Chipman explains property tax rates in Illinois, how they compare to the rest of the country, and what you can do about a rising property tax bill.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) introduced substantial rules related to real estate commission that went into effect in August 17, 2024. The rules were introduced as a response to class action lawsuits brought by price fixing. Partner Darrin S. Baim expounds upon the recent rule changes.

In April, the Federal Trade Commission issued a rule banning non-compete agreements for most American workers. The rule, which was scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2024, was immediately attacked in court. This week, a federal court enjoined the FTC from enforcing the rule, calling it an unauthorized overreach by the FTC.

Effective January 1, 2025, Illinois employers with fifteen or more employees will now be required to provide pay scale and benefits in any job posting.

The debt limit for small businesses wanting to reorganize under subchapter V and individuals wanting to reorganize under chapter 13 has significantly decreased.