News from April 2025
Paraquat plaintiffs and defense ask for stay at Seventh Circuit while discussing settlement
CHICAGO - About 5,600 plaintiffs who claim weed killer paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease joined with defendants Syngenta and Chevron in a motion to stay proceedings at U.S. Seventh Circuit for 60 days to settle almost all claims.
Illinois Supreme Court Appoints Associate Judge Vescogni As at-large Judge in Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Justice Mary K. O’Brien and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Associate Judge Michelle A. Vescogni as an At-Large Circuit Judge for the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Attorney General Raoul Announces $12 Million Settlement With Alternative Retail Electric Supplier Over Deceptive and Unfair Business Practices
Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a $12 million settlement with Direct Energy Services LLC (Direct Energy) that resolves allegations the alternative retail electric supplier (ARES) engaged in fraudulent, unfair and deceptive business practices to mislead Illinois consumers into paying millions of dollars more for electricity than consumers who stayed with their default public utility.
Counties ask judge to rope IL state govt, private 'tax buyers' into class action over property tax 'takings'
Suburban counties of DuPage, Lake, Will and Kane, along with three downstate counties, say they can't be forced to wear the blame and foot the bill for unconstitutional takings under a property tax system the state created and private investors are allowed to profit from
St. Clair Co. judge reversed over improper jury trial and leaving out necessary party
MOUNT VERNON - Retired St. Clair County Judge Julie Katz held a jury trial she had no business holding and left a necessary party out of it, according to an April 15 decision of Fifth District appellate judges.
LIVE WEB - An Introduction to Pooled Special Needs Trusts on April 24, 2025
Don’t miss this introductory look at pooled special needs trusts, including its different types and why we need them.
Illinois Amends One Day Rest in Seven Act to Prohibit Retaliation
Last month Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 3180 into law prohibiting retaliation under the One Day Rest in Seven Act.
Insurer Owed Law Firm Defense Despite Questions Over Claims
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois recently held that an insurer was obligated to provide defense for an attorney under a professional liability policy even though the claims brought against the lawyer, according to the insurer, did not involve “damages” as defined in the policy.
Foley Named Among Leading Health Care Law Firms
Foley & Lardner LLP is ranked among the leading health care law firms in Modern Healthcare‘s 2025 Largest Health Care Law Firm list.
Illinois Supreme Court Eliminates Fees in Minor Guardianship and Small Claims Cases
The Illinois Supreme Court announced amendments to M.R. Order 29741 which will eliminate filing and appearance fees in minor guardianship cases and appearance fees in small claim cases.
LIVE WEB - Small Firm Tech in the Age of Artificial Intelligence on April 22, 2025
Join us for a look at how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the legal industry, particularly for small law firms.
Sierra Club gives up on suit alleging Prairie State Generating operates Marissa plant without permit
BENTON - Sierra Club has ended its effort to shut down the Prairie State Generating power plant near Marissa.
New filing: 'Whistleblowers' can back fraud, racketeering claims vs Simmons, other asbestos lawsuit firms
L.A.-based pipemaker J-M Manufacturing wants to revive its lawsuit against Simmons Hanly Conroy and now other prominent asbestos plaintiff firms. J-M claims to have a raft of whistleblowers who can back their allegations that much of the multi-billion dollar asbestos litigation industry is allegedly a fraudulent racket
Attorney General Raoul Leads Coalition Urging Court to Block Tennessee Law Criminalizing Assistance to Youth for Out of State Abortion Care
Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in a lawsuit challenging a restrictive Tennessee law making it a crime for adults to help minors seek reproductive health care outside of Tennessee due to that state’s near-total abortion ban.
Asbestos lawyers destroyed documents to evade bankruptcy judge's ruling, lawyer claims; Simmons allegedly among them
CHARLOTTE - Asbestos lawyers coordinated destruction of documents in bankruptcy trusts to evade rulings of bankruptcy judge Laura Beyer, according to a letter Beyer posted on the docket of Georgia Pacific entity Bestwall.
Judge blocks Trump Labor Dept anti-DEI funding rules
A Chicago federal judge blocked the Labor Department under President Donald Trump from enforcing Trump's executive orders requiring organizations receiving grants through the DOL to certify they are not supporting DEI, if they wish to continue collecting federal money. The judge said the orders "chill" free speech
LIVE WEB - Avoiding Games and Frustration with Probate Claims and Citations on April 17, 2025
Many attorneys who practice in probate court want nothing to do with a case that involves hotly contested litigation, such as disputed claims and citations to discover or recover assets. Join us online for this program that’s designed to demystify probate claims and citations proceedings!
Attorney General Raoul Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Blocking Access to Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Education Funds
Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 17 states on Thursday in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore access to critical U.S. Department of Education (department) funds that support programs for students across the state, including low-income and unhoused students, and provide funding for other essential school services to address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students.
St. Clair, Madison counties retain top spots for asbestos lawsuit destinations in U.S.: New report
Consulting firm KCIC reported Madison, St. Clair, Cook counties collectively accounted for nearly half of all asbestos lawsuit filings in 2024. St. Clair County continued its rapid ascent and could equal or eclipse Madison County for the country's No. 1 destination for asbestos claims in coming years
Sheppard Mullin Named a Most Recommended Law Firm for 2025
Sheppard Mullin was ranked in BTI Consulting Group’s Most Recommended Law Firms 2025 report.