Illinois

Expert Analysis

• Cloud Computing Clearly The Future For Small Firms

  

  While in-house technology investments on the scale and complexity needed to compete with large firms remain cost prohibitive for small and midsize law firms, cloud-based services offer significant cost savings and productivity gains with little to no capital investment, says Holly Urban of Effortless Legal LLC.

• Leveraging Today's Lateral Associate Market

  

  With the Milbank/Cravath pay scale once again equalizing compensation at many Am Law 100 firms, there is even more pressure for firms to differentiate themselves to top lateral associate candidates. This presents strategic considerations for both law firms and lateral candidates throughout the recruitment process, says Darin Morgan of Major Lindsey & Africa.

• Q&A

  Back To School: Stanford's Jeff Fisher Talks Supreme Court

  

  In this series featuring law school luminaries, Stanford Law School professor Jeffrey Fisher discusses his motivation for teaching, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court and what the court might look like if Judge Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed.

• 2 Important Takeaways From 7th Circ.'s FHA Ruling

  

  In Wetzel v. Glen St. Andrew, the Seventh Circuit recently held that landlords can be held liable under the Fair Housing Act if they are aware of discriminatory harassment toward their tenants and do nothing to stop it. Just as importantly, the court recognized that the FHA prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, say attorneys at the Law Office of Yuriy Moshes PC.

• Calif.'s New Rules For Lawyers Move Closer To ABA Model

  

  The first comprehensive overhaul of California's Rules of Professional Conduct in nearly 30 years becomes operational on Nov. 1. Some of the new rules mirror the model language used by the American Bar Association, but many continue to reflect California’s unique approach to certain ethical questions, says Mark Loeterman of Signature Resolution LLC.

• Know The Limits To Atty Public Statements During A Trial

  

  The balancing act between protecting attorneys’ speech rights and ensuring unbiased adjudications was highlighted recently in two cases — when Michael Cohen applied for a restraining order against Stephanie Clifford's attorney, and when Johnson & Johnson questioned whether a Missouri talc verdict was tainted by public statements from the plaintiffs' counsel, says Matthew Giardina of Manning Gross & Massenburg LLP.

• Q&A

  A Chat With Faegre Client Development Chief Melanie Green

  

  In this monthly series, Amanda Brady of Major Lindsey & Africa interviews management from top law firms about the increasingly competitive business environment. Here we feature Melanie Green, chief client development officer at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP.

• Illinois Tax Talk: Penalties In Chicago And Cook County

  

  Although the basis for relief from tax penalties is similar for Illinois, Cook County and Chicago, there are key differences in the procedure and requirements for seeking penalty abatement between the state and local levels, says Samantha Breslow of Horwood Marcus & Berk Chtd.

• How A Court's 'Pencil Color' Impacts Restrictive Covenants

  

  Within the context of restrictive covenants in employment agreements, there are so-called red pencil and blue pencil states, with the color a reference to the doctrine courts apply in that state when enforcing such agreements. The difference is significant enough to make or break a restrictive covenant case, say Christopher Hennessy and Jeremy Glenn of Cozen O'Connor.

• Why State Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws Need Reform

  

  Because current state laws relating to marijuana-impaired driving lack an objective impairment standard, only those who clearly demonstrate impaired driving are likely to be prosecuted and convicted, says Ian Stewart of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP.