Illinois

  • March 15, 2024

    Sanderson Beats Chicken Buyers' Antitrust Retrial Attempt

    Direct chicken purchasers who lost a price-fixing trial against Sanderson Farms cannot have another shot at bringing their case to a jury because their first trial was fair, and their circumstantial evidence couldn't defeat the company's competing proof, an Illinois federal judge has ruled.

  • March 15, 2024

    Enfamil Maker Hit With $60M Jury Verdict In Infant Death Suit

    An Illinois jury has awarded $60 million to the mother of an infant who died after using Mead Johnson's Enfamil formula, a loss for the company in the first of hundreds of suits to go to trial alleging certain cow's milk-based formulas cause a fatal illness in premature infants. 

  • March 15, 2024

    TikTok Wants 'Bad Copycat' Suit Over Editing App Tossed

    TikTok and ByteDance urged an Illinois federal judge to end a proposed class action alleging they secretly collect and profit from data gathered from users of its CapCut video-editing tool, arguing the plaintiffs voluntarily downloaded the app and granted it permission to access certain types of data. 

  • March 15, 2024

    Off The Bench: QB 'Extortion,' Bears Bias Suit, Trans Athletes

    In this week's Off The Bench, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott claims a woman wants him to buy her silence about an alleged sexual assault, a man says the Chicago Bears denied him a job because he is white, and an inclusive roller derby team fights a county order denying facilities access to transgender girls and women.

  • March 15, 2024

    Trade Secret Cases Are Up As Clients Eye Patent Alternatives

    Trade secret litigation has seen a gradual increase over the past decade, driven by the promise of substantial damages awards, a new federal law, and frustration over the challenges of patent litigation, according to intellectual property attorneys.

  • March 15, 2024

    Realtors Cut $418M Deal, Agree To Make Broker Fee Changes

    The National Association of Realtors said Friday that it has reached a settlement to end claims that its broker commission rules caused home sellers across the country to pay inflated fees, agreeing to pay $418 million over four years and to implement changes to its rules.

  • March 14, 2024

    Petco's $445K BIPA Deal Gets Initial OK

    An Illinois federal judge granted preliminary approval Thursday to a $445,000 settlement between Petco and 445 warehouse workers who accused the pet supply chain of unlawfully capturing, storing and using their voiceprints through headsets they used to navigate work tasks.

  • March 14, 2024

    Vet-Themed T-Shirt Co. Wins $700K In Army Motto TM Trial

    An Illinois federal jury awarded Chicago-based T-shirt company Grunt Style LLC $739,500 on Thursday, agreeing with the company's claim that a California competitor illegally used the phrase "This We'll Defend" in connection with its online retail store.

  • March 14, 2024

    Domino's Hit With BIPA Suit Over AI Voiceprint Collection

    Domino's Pizza customers hit the restaurant chain with a proposed class action in Illinois federal court Wednesday alleging it secretly collects voiceprints through its artificial intelligence ordering system, saying the pizza chain uses the data to enhance the technology and to boost sales.

  • March 14, 2024

    FTC Says Consolidation Endangering Infant-Formula Market

    The Federal Trade Commission has found the country's small number of baby formula manufacturers and the effects of a federal nutrition program contributed to shortages in 2022 and are still making the supply chain vulnerable to disruption.

  • March 14, 2024

    Most States Fall Short In Disclosing Justices' Finance Reports

    The vast majority of state supreme courts make it exceedingly difficult for the public to get information about justices' financial entanglements, and the information they do give out is often scant at best, according to a report released Thursday.

  • March 14, 2024

    Kirkland Associate Is Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade Queen

    Kirkland & Ellis corporate associate Grace O'Connor will be reigning over the 69th annual Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday as parade queen, in an event she described as "honoring the rich heritage of my ancestors and embracing the dynamic spirit of [the] Irish American community that you can see everywhere in the city."

  • March 14, 2024

    EPA Slashes Ethylene Oxide Emissions Levels For Sterilizers

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday finalized new Clean Air Act standards that it said will reduce emissions of ethylene oxide from commercial sterilization facilities by 90%, an action the agency said is necessary to help reduce the impact of the carcinogen on communities.

  • March 13, 2024

    AI Auto Damage-Assessing Giant Accused Of Monopoly

    Tractable Inc. is hitting back at CCC Intelligent Solutions with counterclaims in an ongoing trade secrets spat, alleging in a new motion CCC has leveraged its dominant share of the auto collision-assessment market to stifle consumer choice and increase prices in violation of antitrust laws.

  • March 13, 2024

    HP Says It's Upfront About Blocking Ink Cartridges

    HP has urged an Illinois federal judge to throw out consumers' claims that it has a monopoly over the replacement-ink cartridge market and used software updates to block consumers from using cheaper rival cartridges in HP printers, saying it "goes to great lengths" to disclose that its printers are intended to work only with cartridges that have an HP security chip.

  • March 13, 2024

    FTC Bid To Block Kroger's $25B Albertsons Deal Set For Aug.

    An Oregon federal court has scheduled an August hearing on the Federal Trade Commission's challenge of Kroger's planned $24.6 billion purchase of fellow grocery store giant Albertsons, a deal also under attack by state enforcers in Washington and Colorado.

  • March 13, 2024

    FERC Can't Change Power Auction Results, 3rd Circ. Rules

    The Third Circuit has wiped out the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's tweak to the results of an electricity capacity auction run by the nation's largest regional grid operator, saying it amounted to retroactive rate-making in violation of the filed-rate doctrine.

  • March 13, 2024

    Kirkland-Led Wind Point Closes Its Largest Ever Fund At $2.3B

    Chicago-based private equity shop Wind Point Partners, advised by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, on Wednesday said that it closed its latest fund after securing $2.3 billion in commitments, marking the firm's largest fund raised to date.

  • March 13, 2024

    New Co.'s Lack Of Records Dooms Bid For H-2B Truck Drivers

    A U.S. Department of Labor appeals board has upheld the denial of a transportation company's request for drivers under the H-2B visa program, ruling the company's payroll records and sales summaries did not prove a need for foreign, temporary workers.

  • March 12, 2024

    Geico Policyholders Lose Cert. Bid In Pandemic Premium Suit

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday denied class certification in litigation claiming that Geico profited off the COVID-19 pandemic by charging excessive car insurance premiums, ruling that the policyholders who filed the lawsuit had not shown that their damages model could be calculated on a classwide basis.

  • March 12, 2024

    Quaker Hit With False Ad Suit Over Pesticide In Oat Products

    The Quaker Oats Co. faces a proposed class action in Illinois federal court alleging it markets its oat-based foods as being safe, healthy and nutritious while touting its commitment to high quality standards, despite omitting the risk of a toxic chemical pesticide in its products.

  • March 12, 2024

    Ill. High Court Hopeful Wants More Transparent Bench

    An intermediate appellate judge vying to join Illinois' highest court says sitting justices need to be far more transparent and take an active role in combating actual and perceived conflicts of interest.

  • March 12, 2024

    Hytera Can't Go To Chinese Court In $540M Motorola IP Fight

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday granted Motorola's request for an order blocking major Chinese radio company Hytera from pursuing a bid in China to keep Motorola from shutting down a Chinese case in which Hytera claimed it doesn't use Motorola's intellectual property.

  • March 12, 2024

    Walgreens, Kenvue Unit Sued Over Benzene In Acne Products

    Walgreens, Kenvue unit Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and Genomma Lab face a trio of proposed consumer fraud class actions in California federal court by customers who alleged their acne treatment products contain unsafe levels of benzene, but that each of the companies failed to disclose its presence in their labeling.

  • March 12, 2024

    ERISA Preempts Part Of Ill. Law Amedment, Judge Rules

    The portion of an amendment to an Illinois law regulating temporary labor forces agencies to modify their Employee Retirement Income Security Act plans, a federal judge ruled, granting a group of staffing associations and agencies' bid for an injunction.

Expert Analysis

  • How A Union Fight Played A Key Role In Yellow's Bankruptcy

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    Finger-pointing between company and union representatives appears to be front and center at the early stages of trucking company Yellow’s bankruptcy case, highlighting the failed contract negotiations' role in the company's demise, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.

  • Lenders Must Look To The Law As Fla. Joins Disclosure Trend

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    Given the varying range in scope of state commercial financing disclosure laws — including the one recently enacted in Florida — and the penalties for noncompliance, providers of commercial credit should carefully consider whether such laws apply to their commercial lending business, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • Strategies To Help Clients When BOP Ignores Medical Needs

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    Defense attorneys should cite recent case law and the expanded compassionate release guidelines, effective Nov. 1, when making any post-sentence application to aid incarcerated clients whose medical needs have been neglected by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, says Marissa Kingman at Fox Rothschild.

  • In-Office Engagement Is Essential To Associate Development

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    As law firms develop return-to-office policies that allow hybrid work arrangements, they should incorporate the specific types of in-person engagement likely to help associates develop attributes common among successful firm leaders, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Perspectives

    A Judge's Pitch To Revive The Jury Trial

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    Ohio state Judge Pierre Bergeron explains how the decline of the jury trial threatens public confidence in the judiciary and even democracy as a whole, and he offers ideas to restore this sacred right.

  • What Patent Bills Would Mean For Infringement Litigation

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    Attorneys at Farella Braun summarize a pair of recently introduced patent bills — one that would reform patent eligibility and another that would change procedures for litigating patent invalidity — and explore the potential impact of each.

  • Why Privacy And Trade Secret Law Are On A Collision Course

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    The conflict between the legal regimes of trade secret law and data privacy law is growing as companies increasingly collect and use data about their customers, making it key for organizations to find ways to comply with both laws in order to protect their intellectual property and the privacy of their customer, says Jenny Colgate at Rothwell Figg.

  • How To Recognize And Recover From Lawyer Loneliness

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    Law can be one of the loneliest professions, but there are practical steps that attorneys and their managers can take to help themselves and their peers improve their emotional health, strengthen their social bonds and protect their performance, says psychologist and attorney Traci Cipriano.

  • Opinion

    Litigation Funding Disclosure Should Be Mandatory

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    Despite the Appellate Rules Committee's recent deferral of the issue of requiring third-party litigation funding disclosure, such a mandate is necessary to ensure the even-handed administration of justice across all cases, says David Levitt at Hinshaw.

  • Recalling USWNT's Legal PR Playbook Amid World Cup Bid

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    As the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team strives to take home another World Cup trophy, their 2022 pay equity settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation serves as a good reminder that winning in the court of public opinion can be more powerful than a victory inside the courtroom, says Hector Valle at Vianovo.

  • ComEd Case Shows Wide Reach Of FCPA Accounting Clauses

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    The recent conviction of former Commonwealth Edison executives and associates, paired with broader civil enforcement actions, demonstrates the government’s willingness to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act’s accounting provisions, even in domestic cases without a predicate violation of the statute’s anti-bribery provisions, say James Koukios and Nathan Lowry at MoFo.

  • Regulating AI: Litigation Questions And State Efforts To Watch

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    In view of the developing legal and regulatory framework for artificial intelligence systems in the U.S., including state legislation and early federal litigation, there are practical takeaways as we look toward the future, says Jennifer Maisel at Rothwell Figg.

  • Opinion

    Justices' Job Transfer Review Should Hold To Title VII Text

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis should hold that a job transfer can be an adverse employment action, and the analysis should be based on the straightforward language of Title VII rather than judicial activism, say Lynne Bernabei and Alan Kabat at Bernabei & Kabat.

  • Immigration Program Pitfalls Exacerbate Physician Shortages

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    Eliminating shortcomings from U.S. immigration regulations and policies could help mitigate the national shortage of physicians by encouraging foreign physicians to work in medically underserved areas, but progress has been halted by partisan gridlock, say Alison Hitz and Dana Schwarz at Clark Hill.

  • Perspectives

    Mallory Gives Plaintiffs A Better Shot At Justice

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    Critics of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Mallory v. Norfolk Southern claim it opens the door to litigation tourism, but the ruling simply gives plaintiffs more options — enabling them to seek justice against major corporations in the best possible court, say Rayna Kessler and Ethan Seidenberg at Robins Kaplan.

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