We are very pleased that Rubin & Associates, LLC became part of our Golan Christie Taglia family on January 1. Founded by Donald T. Rubin, his firm had grown to become one of Chicago’s leading law firms solely focused on property tax assessment law. Don and his team – Marsha L. Kleffman, James W. Chipman and Daria M. Palermo – bring with them more than 90 years of combined real estate tax experience, along with a strong reputation for excellence and responsiveness.

The end of 2017 and beginning of 2018 have brought an unprecedented interest around sexual harassment claims, owing in large part to two social media campaigns aimed at bringing awareness to victims of sexual harassment. While the primary targets of these campaigns have been the entertainment industry and elected officials, it is likely to make its way through other industries soon. As a result, many employers are looking critically at their anti-harassment and internal complaint policies, to determine whether a more robust approach is in order. Renewed interest in sexual harassment training, especially in organizations or industries that continue to be male-dominated, has also been on the rise.

Starting on July 1, 2018, the minimum wage for all employees who work in the City of Chicago (including domestic employees and home health care workers) will be raised to $12 per hour. In suburban Cook County, outside of the City of Chicago, the minimum wage will be raised to $11 per hour, effective as of the same date. The Illinois minimum wage for areas outside of Cook County will remain at $8.25 per hour.

If you own Intellectual Property such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets, you may encounter a situation where someone is using your Intellectual Property without your permission. The infringer can be an unintentional infringer, a competitor, a former employee, or licensee whose license has expired. The first step is to put the infringer on notice of your rights. Generally, that happens with a cease and desist letter.

Katherine M. Oswald focuses her practice on helping clients with trust and estate planning, probate, tax controversy and planning, and business succession planning matters. Ms. Oswald is licensed to practice law in Illinois and before the Northern District of Illinois. Ms. Oswald currently serves as co-chair of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section for the Women in the Law Committee.

• How business owners can safeguard against personal liability
• Cease and desist measures to protect against intellectual property infringement
• Increases in minimum wage rates and social media’s impact on business policy
• Golan Christie Taglia expands its property tax assessment practice

Golan Christie Taglia partner Beverly A. Berneman was recently interviewed by the Chicago Tribune's Help Squad on the enforceability of online terms and conditions.

Cyberattacks are in the news almost every day. Hackers are constantly on the lookout for data to steal—personal information, financial records, intellectual property, or whatever valuable data they can get. They can use the purloined data to steal money from bank accounts or to set up credit cards, or they may simply sell the personal information to a third party. Recent statistics show nearly 43% of

Consider a typical retirement plan sponsored by a private employer. The employer is a fiduciary to the plan, along with individual employees who serve as trustees or members of the plan’s investment or retirement committee. When the employer has an outside investment manager, are the employer’s in-house fiduciaries off the hook?

Starting January 1, 2018, private-sector employers in California will be mandated to follow the so-called “ban the box” laws already in place in nine states, and for public-sector employers throughout the country. This law bars employers from requesting criminal conviction histories during the application process and before a conditional offer is made. An employer may run a background check after an offer has been made, and revoke the offer with appropriate evaluation of the conviction and open communication with the candidate about the reason the offer has been revoked. The goal is to provide an equal opportunity for those with a criminal record to be judged solely on their qualifications. Any company with employees or applicants in California should review their job application forms now, to remove any questions about criminal background.

In times when fingerprints and other biometric data are routinely used for menial tasks, e.g., to check text messages and tag friends in social media posts, it is hard to believe the use of biometric material may lead to a lawsuit. In response to growing concerns of identity theft, in 2008, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPO”). The BIPO restricts businesses’ collection, storage, and disclosure of personal biometric information. Biometric data includes retina and iris scans, fingerprints, voiceprints, handprints, and face geometry. Illinois employers must be hyper-diligent about BIPO compliance, as Illinois is the only state that allows a private cause of action and attorneys’ fees for violations.

Golan Christie Taglia welcomes Taylor J. Feldman to our firm. His practice will focus on corporate law and governance, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial real estate. Mr. Feldman received a B.B.A. with a concentration in finance and marketing from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he also obtained his certificate in taxation law. While attending law school, he worked at Loyola’s Business Law Clinic, where he helped represent entrepreneurs and small business owners as well as individuals who sought legal assistance with not-for-profit organizations. Taylor is a native Coloradan who enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, fly fishing, and skiing. We are pleased to have him join our team, and look forward to watching him grow with us!

• How to safeguard your business against cyberattacks
• What to consider when sponsoring a retirement plan
• New California laws and managing biometric data
• Golan Christie Taglia welcomes a new attorney

When a child turns 18, under Illinois law he or she is considered to be legally an adult. As an adult, the child is given privacy protections that restrict a parent’s access to the child’s medical, financial, and educational information. If you have a child who has attained age 18 or will do so shortly, and the child is a dependent or primarily supported by you, you should consider having certain documents prepared that will enable you to receive information concerning your child’s health care, financial, and education matters that you otherwise would not be permitted to obtain.

In July 2017, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (also known as OSHA) issued a press release related to new deadlines for electronic submission of OSHA forms regarding workplace injuries. Generally, employers with twenty or more employees (in certain industries) are required to submit their completed Form 300A for 2016 by December 1, 2017. In 2018, all covered employers must submit their completed Form 300A, 300 and 301 for 2017 by July 1, 2018.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, on July 17, 2017. Employers can use this revised version or continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N through Sept. 17, 2017. On Sept. 18, 2017, all employers must use the revised form with a revision date of 07/17/17 N. Employers must continue following existing storage and retention rules for any previously completed Form I-9.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent term ended with four significant Intellectual Property decisions. Each of these decisions will have long-term consequences for business owners and their legal counsel. However, the decisions did not address all of the relevant issues and concerns.

For almost forty-five years, the Illinois Paralegal Association (IPA) has been advancing the paralegal profession, and providing a channel for communication among members of the paralegal profession, the legal community, civic and professional organizations—and supporting the continuing education of paralegals.

• What happens to parents’ rights when a child turns 18?
• Get ready to comply with new Federal requirements
• How recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions may affect your business
• Our paralegal team shares expertise at annual event

If you haven't updated your sick leave or paid-time-off policy, now is the time!! Join us for an hour-long information session with our knowledgeable employment attorneys, followed by cocktails and snacks, to address some of the more complicated questions that have arisen as our clients try to integrate the new rules into their existing leave policies.

The practice of law, as a whole, is changing - and so are the roles of women within the legal sector. And while it’s no secret that the legal industry is traditionally known for its resistance to change, women are excelling at adapting to these shifts. By taking on far greater leadership roles and driving change within law firms and corporate legal departments, women are shaking up the status quo in today's competitive marketplace.

Golan Christie Taglia is proud to announce that Beverly A. Berneman, a partner in our Intellectual Property and Reorganization and Bankruptcy Services Group, has been selected as the sole Editor for the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Technology and Intellectual Property Newsletter.

Starting a business can be one of the most exciting times in an entrepreneur’s life – and it should be! However, a young business should not be swept away in the honeymoon stage. It is imperative for business owners to think ahead and prepare for the good, the bad and the ugly at the very beginning of their business’s life (or even before they open their doors).

As the end of the school year approaches, many students look for opportunities to make connections and gain valuable work experience. During summer break, a number of businesses offer unpaid internships. If your company is considering such a program, make sure you are aware of the rules and regulations that apply. For example, in order to be permissible under the U.S. Department of Labor’s rules, an unpaid intern must not be an employee of the company and must not receive any compensation or benefits of any kind. The intern must also acknowledge that he or she has not been promised or guaranteed employment of any kind after the conclusion of the internship.

In 2016, the City of Chicago and Cook County passed separate, although nearly identical, earned sick leave ordinances. Both laws go into effect starting on July 1, 2017. Below are some of the most important parts of the ordinances: