Month: February 2017
Illinois’s Freedom to Work Act
In Illinois, non-compete clauses are routinely under some form of attack as employees, employers, legislators, and the judiciary try to balance the freedom of contract against individual workers’ freedoms. Employers typically see non-compete clauses as a way to protect their intellectual properties, trade secrets, and client/customer contacts. Employees often see such clauses as a barrier
New Northern District of Illinois Ruling May Increase Awards in Debt Collection Cases
Section 1692k of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (the “FDCPA”) allows for an award of damages in successful class actions against debt collectors found to have violated the FDCPA above and beyond the customary individual and statutory damages awards for such violations. Under this section, the additional damage awards are not to exceed the
Engineering Services Are Lienable Improvements Even in the Predevelopment Phase
The Illinois Supreme Court recently reversed a 3rd District Appellate Court decision and extended protection to design professionals under the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act (the “Act”). The Court decided that an engineering firm’s predevelopment services supplied to an unfinished real estate project were still lienable under the Act, even though the services did not actually
ILLINOIS COURTS DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “PAY-WHEN-PAID” AND “PAY-IF-PAID” CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE
In 2006, Lake County Grading Co. was contracted by FCL Investors, Inc. (“FCL”), to excavate and install a sewer line for a development in Northbrook, Illinois. FCL was previously hired by Northshore Center THC to be the general contractor for the development after taking out a mortgage to develop the property. After submitting and receiving
ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT CLARIFIES THE MINIMUM CONTACTS REQUIRED TO COLLECT STATE SALES TAX
Out of state companies can sometimes be exposed to liability for failing to collect sales tax on internet and catalog sales to Illinois residents. A recent Illinois appellate decision, The People ex rel. Beeler, Schad and Diamond, P.C., v Relax the Back Corp., 2016 IL App (1st) 151580, sheds light on what type of connections