Firm News

Governor Rauner has signed legislation that permits medical marijuana to be used in Illinois schools. House Bill 4870 allows a parent or a child’s guardian to administer medical marijuana to students at school. The parent/guardian must be registered with the Department of Public Health, and the legislation does not allow school personnel to administer the […]

Identifying age discrimination in the employment process can sometimes be a daunting task, since the discrimination can often be concealed. Experience caps on jobs as well as targeted job advertisements that only appear on the social media pages of certain age demographics are examples of how alleged age discrimination has entered the digital world. In […]

Three popular strategies have emerged for business owners to move their interests from their estate to directly benefit their heirs, while reducing tax exposure and maximizing wealth.  By understanding all three, you can make the correct choice to ensure your business’ future.  The 2018 federal individual estate and gift exemption amount is $11.18 million per […]

The IRS has begun a crackdown on the classification of individuals in the workplace. Specifically, the IRS is beginning to examine whether an individual meets the requirements of an independent contractor or if they are, in fact, actually an employee.  The IRS currently estimates that 80% of workers that are classified as “independent contractors” are […]

As the amount of women business owners in the United States continues to grow at a rapid rate, the federal government, along with state and local governments, are offering opportunities to promote this expansion.  By certifying your business as a Women-Owned Small Business or a Woman Business Enterprise, you and your business can get access […]

In August, Governor Rauner vetoed legislation that would have applied many workplace anti-discrimination requirements to businesses with only one or more employees. The current law applies these anti-discrimination requirements to businesses with 15 or more employees, which is the same requirement applied federally as well. A new Illinois law requires the Illinois State Toll Highway […]

A white manager who alleged he was denied a bonus because he fired a black subordinate employee had his civil rights suit greenlit last month in Illinois federal court. The manager and the employee had a tumultuous history together that included the employee previously being fired twice for missing work and failing to follow work […]

Businesses located on Chicago’s South and West Sides will soon receive another round of grants from a program that sets aside millions in fees from the City’s flourishing downtown building development.  The program, called the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (“Fund”), was started in 2016 by Mayor Emmanuel.  As part of the program, Emmanuel first expanded the […]

While normally associated with large publicly-traded businesses, instituting a board of directors could significantly help your private or family-owned business achieve and maintain success. While “fiduciary boards” have a responsibility to protect and act on behalf of the shareholders for publicly-traded businesses, “advisory boards” evaluate business opportunities and provide non-binding advice to management for private-held […]

In a case of first impression, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint asserting that a union’s use of an inflatable rat was an illegal attempt to pressure a third party not do business with the union’s intended target. The use of inflatable rats is notoriously associated with labor union protests, and descends […]