Chicago’s Proposed Multi-Unit Building Single Staircase Ordinance
Chicago’s City Council is considering relaxing the city’s building code, which currently requires two staircases in all residential buildings three stories or taller. The proposed ordinance (2025-0017571) would allow new construction buildings up to five stories to have only one staircase. The purpose of the ordinance is to allow Chicago developers to build denser multi-unit
Illinois Updates State Delinquency Legislation
Illinois lawmakers have passed a new bill that could significantly change how delinquent property taxes are handled. The Illinois House and Senate approved House Bill 4537, updating the rules for selling property tax debt. The bill is now waiting for the governor’s signature. Before this bill, Illinois counties sold property debt to investors who could
RFC Attorney Matt Patterson’s Experience with the IRTBA Emerging Leaders Program
This past month, RFC Senior Trial Counsel Matt Patterson participated in the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) Emerging Leaders Program. The experience provided a comprehensive look at the transportation infrastructure industry and strengthened our firm’s ability to represent IRTBA clients. The program brought together approximately 40 emerging professionals from across the industry for
Chicago City Council Approves Two-Year Pause on the Elimination of the Tip Credit
On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the Chicago City Council approved a compromise that pauses the city’s planned elimination of the tip credit for at least two years. At the time of the vote, Chicago’s standard minimum wage was $16.60 per hour, while the tipped minimum wage remained at $12.62 per hour, with the gap historically
Illinois Lawmakers Advance New Regulations for Data Centers
With the rise in data centers, states like Illinois are considering regulations to control the booming artificial intelligence sector. Data centers underpin the technological revolution, but critics worry they drain vital resources like water and electricity. Illinois lawmakers are drafting legislation to address these concerns. The Illinois Data Center Energy and Water Reporting Act
Springfield Delays Swipe Fee Law for Second Time After Bankers Push Back
Originally set to take effect on July 1, 2025, the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA), which will prevent financial institutions and payment card networks from charging or retaining interchange fees on the tax and gratuity portions of credit and debit card transactions, has been pushed back by Illinois lawmakers another year for an effective date
RFC Obtains Summary Judgment In Multi-Party Construction Negligence Lawsuit
RFC attorneys Cory D. Anderson and Sagar P. Thakkar recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of an RFC client named as a defendant in a multi-party negligence lawsuit arising from catastrophic personal injuries sustained on a construction job site in Cook County, Illinois. RFC’s client was one of multiple contractor defendants named in the litigation, and plaintiffs’
Transportation Chief Takes Action on English Test for Truck Drivers
On April 28, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order enforcing the federal requirement that professional drivers be proficient in English. The President says that under Federal law, in order to operate a commercial vehicle, a driver must “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway
Illinois Lawmakers Given More Time to Address CTA Service Cuts
As a result of anticipated 2026 budget cuts, funds originally set aside for both Metra and Pace are now being reallocated to the Chicago Transit Authority to help extend services further into next year. This has given legislators in the state more time to address the previously made cuts and attempt to fill the budget
Transportation Brokers Must Face Lawsuits Over Negligent Drivers, Illinois Court Rules
The Illinois First District Appellate Court recently decided that brokers for transportation and trucking services can no longer use federal law to shield themselves from liability in automobile death cases caused by drivers they hire. Amid an ongoing judicial debate over the application of The Federal Aviation Administration Act (“FAAA”) in state tort claims, the