Category: Business Law
Update on Legalized Sports Gambling
Back in January we reported that the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether New Jersey would be allowed to offer sports gambling. Only a few days ago, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in New Jersey’s favor. Starting immediately, the landmark decision allows each state to legalize sports gambling at its own behest.
Facebook Feels Bipartisan Heat; May Be Too Big For Taming
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony before committees from both the House and Senate further confirmed one of the largest data privacy intrusions in U.S. history. Both sides of the aisle are now pushing for data privacy regulations to protect the millions of Americans who use the site. The scandal arose from the discovery that Facebook
Social Benefit Companies Get Bidding Edge for County Contracts
A new ordinance recently passed in Cook County gives preferential bidding rights to companies that County believes will service the public benefit. According to the ordinance, if an eligible social enterprise bids no more than 5% higher than the lowest competing bid, the social enterprise will win the bid. An example of a “social enterprise”
Robo-Call Ruling A Win for Businesses
A recent opinion in a federal appellate case (D.C. Circuit Court) was a huge win for American businesses utilizing automated telephone solicitations. The court unanimously voted against a 2015 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule aimed at limiting auto-dialing devices, but which also would have prohibited calls from any smartphone. That outcome, which certainly would have
Cannabis, a Potential Business Boom on the Horizon in Illinois
You may have noticed when voting last month in the Illinois primary that Illinois is considering legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. In fact, 68% of Cook County voters voted in favor of this advisory, nonbinding referendum on the ballot. It is no secret that the State of Illinois is strapped for cash with nearly
TCPA – Collectors Not Vicariously Liable For Text Messages
In a recent case concerning violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) a federal appellate court affirmed a ruling in favor of payday lenders and lead-generating vendors, holding that these defendants could not be held vicariously liable for the actions of a non-party “publisher” that sent a text message to numerous individuals on behalf
Illinois Nursing Home Hit with BIPA Claims
Here’s an example that the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) is not an idle threat. An Illinois nursing home was recently hit with a putative class action by employees who claim that daily biometric fingerprint scans violate their privacy rights under the law. The company on the defensive is Oak Park Rehabilitation & Nursing
OMG! Is That E-mail or Text Message You Regret Sending Discoverable?
What is a written documentation policy? It is a set of rules and procedures that guide how a company manages, distributes, and stores various documents related to a project. It is best practice for a construction company to have a written documentation policy as it not only protects a company for any future litigation, but
Indemnity Agreements in Illinois
Indemnity agreements often require precise language in order to specifically define the agreement’s parameters and avoid additional litigation of avoidable ambiguities or imprecisions within the agreements. An indemnity agreement is a contract that transfers risk from one party to another, and is mostly used in business or insurance contracts. In an indemnity agreement one party
Chicago: A Hub for Business Incubators
Business incubators are organizations geared at accelerating growth and success of either a startup or a company in its early stages. With entrepreneurship on the rise over the past few years, Chicago has become a hub for business incubators aimed at growing businesses, innovation, and economic development. Incubators in Chicago provide select businesses with centrally