The Supreme Court recently weighed in on the issue of qualified immunity for a police officer who was sued under the civil rights statute for allegedly using excessive force in removing a person from a protest. Zorn v. Linton. Protestors staged a sit-in at the state capitol on the day of the Vermont Governor’s inauguration. When the capitol closed for the day, police officers informed the protesters that they needed to leave or would be arrested for trespassing. When they refused to leave, officers removed them one-by-one. When one of the protesters refused to stand up, a police officer took…
Continue Reading Supreme Court Finds Qualified Immunity for Police Officer Sued for Excessive Force by Protester

Disparti Law Group has filed an amended lawsuit against the City of Chicago and DCASE Acting Commissioner Kenya Merritt, adding new claims that retaliation against former First Deputy Commissioner Kim Grigsby didn’t stop at her firing—it escalated.
Grigsby, the department’s second-in-command, was terminated on February 27, 2026—just one week after reporting alleged misconduct to the City’s Inspector General and Human Resources. The lawsuit claims she was targeted for speaking up and for agreeing to testify truthfully in an investigation.
The amended complaint adds claims of defamation and post-termination retaliation, alleging that after Grigsby was fired, Merritt made false statements to…
Continue Reading Disparti Law Group Files Amended Lawsuit Against City of Chicago and DCASE Official, Alleging Retaliation Defamation

In a recent appearance on the Be That Lawyer podcast with Steve Fretzin, Smith LaCien LLP co-founder Brian LaCien shared insights on the trial profession and the philosophy behind his firm’s approach to catastrophic injury cases.

The Jury as the “Great Equalizer”

Brian emphasized that the civil jury system remains one of the few places where an individual can stand on equal footing with a corporation. Regardless of politics, he noted that the jury system allows 12 regular people to decide a problem, acting as a vital check on power and a “great equalizer” in society.

The Importance of …
Continue Reading Brian LaCien, Founding Partner of Smith LaCien LLP joins Steve Fretzen on BE THAT LAWYER Podcast for tips on how career growth happens.

Key Legal Updates from the ISBA Agricultural Law Newsletter for Illinois Farmers highlight important legal developments impacting agricultural operations, farmland use, and rural businesses across Central Illinois. As Editor of the Illinois State Bar Association Agricultural Law Newsletter, Cari Rincker stays at the forefront of legal issues affecting farmers and landowners throughout the state.
From Champaign to Springfield, Bloomington to Decatur, and throughout Shelbyville, Effingham, and surrounding communities, Illinois farmers are navigating a rapidly changing legal landscape. The most recent newsletter provides valuable insights into emerging risks, new opportunities, and key legal considerations that can affect the long-term success of…
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A Cook County jury awarded a $51 million verdict to the estate of John Reinke, finding OSF Healthcare System and Dr. Fredrick Burke liable for failing to properly diagnose and treat a metabolic condition that led to a catastrophic cardiac arrest and anoxic brain injury after his 2022 emergency room discharge.

Attorneys at Smith LaCien LLC argued that basic testing, including blood glucose screening, would have identified severe undiagnosed diabetes and prevented the outcome.

The $51,015,445 verdict, reached after a two-and-a-half-week trial and four hours of deliberation, underscores the jury’s finding that deviations from the standard of care directly caused…
Continue Reading Jury Returns $51M Verdict After Failure to Test Blood Glucose Leads to Catastrophic Brain Injury

Every April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month asks us to do something uncomfortable: look at the scope of sexual violence in this country and refuse to look away.
The statistics are staggering. One in six women and one in 33 men in the United States have experienced sexual assault. Survivors often wait years — if they come forward at all — because they fear not being believed, don’t know their rights, or have been failed by the very systems that were supposed to protect them.
SAAM exists to change that. To educate. To empower survivors. To push institutions toward accountability.
At…
Continue Reading Sexual Assault Awareness Month: We’re Holding Schools Accountable

You were just walking. Maybe crossing at an intersection. Maybe heading to your car. Then, in a matter of seconds, a vehicle hit you. Now you’re dealing with pain, mounting medical bills, and endless questions about what happens now. At SAM LAW OFFICE LLC, we have seen the devastating impact of pedestrian accidents on victims […]
The post What Legal Rights Do Injured Pedestrians Have? appeared first on SAM LAW OFFICE LLC.
Continue Reading What Legal Rights Do Injured Pedestrians Have?

Key Legal Insights from the ISBA Rural Practice Newsletter for Illinois Attorneys and Farmers highlight practical considerations that impact legal professionals, farmers, and rural communities across the state. As Co-Editor of the Illinois State Bar Association Rural Practice Newsletter, Cari Rincker helps bring forward important discussions that reflect the realities of practicing law and managing legal issues in rural Illinois.
From Champaign to Springfield, Bloomington to Decatur, and throughout Shelbyville, Effingham, and surrounding areas, rural legal practice presents unique challenges that differ significantly from urban environments. The most recent newsletter provides valuable insight into how attorneys and clients can…
Continue Reading Key Legal Insights from the ISBA Rural Practice Newsletter for Illinois Attorneys and Farmers

Kogut & Wilson partner Cailee J. Alderman will cover adoption law and parentage topics during two upcoming CLE programs this month.
On April 7 at 2:00 pm CDT, Cailee will speak during a Chicago Bar Association webinar titled “Family Formation in a New Legal Landscape: ART, Surrogacy, and Confirmatory Adoption Under the Equality for Every Family Act.” Her portion of the program, “Equality for Every Family Act: History and Parentage and Divorce Updates,” will focus on recent Domestic Relations developments under the Act, including how changes to parentage and divorce may impact family law practitioners.
On April 8, from 12…
Continue Reading Cailee J. Alderman to Address the Equality for Every Family Act and Adoption Issues in Upcoming CLE Programs

It has been confirmed that a former technology teacher—one of the individuals named in our lawsuit against the Oconto Falls Board of Education—has voluntarily surrendered his teaching license with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
This case is about driving meaningful reform and making our schools safer for every student who walks through their doors. We are encouraged that David Heisel has surrendered his teaching license in the State of Wisconsin—but this is only the beginning. More must be done to ensure our schools are truly safe.
We commend the courage of the victims who came forward to speak out.
Continue Reading Oconto Falls Teacher, David Heisel, Surrenders Teaching License

The artificial intelligence tools you are using right now to run your business, to write your marketing copy, design your logo, generate product ideas, create images for your website, and produce your social media content, are raising intellectual property questions that most business owners have not fully thought through yet.
And here is what makes it genuinely spooky: the wrong assumption can cost you your copyright. It can sink your trademark application. It can leave you building a brand on a foundation you do not actually own.
The post AI and Your IP: What Every Small Business Owner Actually Needs …
Continue Reading AI and Your IP: What Every Small Business Owner Actually Needs to Know in 2026

I hope everyone had a happy Easter and had or is having a good Passover. Also, congratulations to UCLA on their women’s Division I basketball national championship and to Michigan on their men’s Division I basketball national championship. This week’s blog entry dives into the rapidly evolving world of emotional support animals and persons with disabilities. It turns out it is getting really complicated. We will actually discuss two cases. First, Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities Ex Rel. Wendy Pizzoferrato v. The Mansions LLC, decided by the Connecticut Supreme Court on March 31, 2026, here. This case is actually a…
Continue Reading The Rapidly Evolving World of Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals in Housing

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion relating to a challenge to a City ordinance that required individuals participating in protests to stay within a “designated protest area” in Olivier v. City of Brandon.Olivier was a street preacher in Mississippi who often shared his religious views on City sidewalks. In 2019, the City adopted an ordinance requiring anyone participating in protests or demonstrations to stay within a designated protest area. Olivier was arrested for violating the ordinance and pled no contest and was fined, given one year of probation, and a suspended 10 day prison sentence that would…
Continue Reading Supreme Court Allows Civil Rights Challenge to City’s Protest Ordinance to Move Forward

In 2016 more than 324,000 traffic collisions were reported in our state, and more than 93,000 injuries were reportedly sustained in those crashes.
What are your rights if you are injured by a negligent driver in his state? Will you need to – or be able to – take legal action? Can you be reimbursed for your medical expenses and lost wages? Can a Chicago car accident lawyers help?
WHAT’S YOUR TOP PRIORITY AFTER A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT?
If you are injured in a traffic accident, you’re going to have plenty of questions regarding your legal rights and options, but your…
Continue Reading What Parties Can An Injury Victim Sue After A Car Accident?

A consent foreclosure can make financial sense when you owe more on your home than it is worth, you cannot afford the payments, and you want to walk away without owing anything after the process is complete. However, it is not the right choice for everyone, and the financial trade-offs are real. If you are facing foreclosure in 2026, the North Chicago, IL consent foreclosure lawyers at Newland & Newland, LLP can help you figure out what makes the most sense for you.
What Is a Consent Foreclosure in Illinois?
A consent foreclosure is a legal process where a homeowner…
Continue Reading When Does a Consent Foreclosure Make Financial Sense in Illinois?

Preparing strong evidence is one of the most important things a landlord can do before an eviction hearing in Illinois. Judges move quickly in eviction court, and a landlord who shows up without the right documents can lose a case they should have won. Knowing what to bring, how to organize it, and what the court needs to see can make a real difference in how your case goes. If you are a landlord facing an eviction hearing in 2026, our DuPage County, IL landlord evictions lawyer can help protect your rights.
What Does a Landlord Need To Prove at…
Continue Reading How Should Landlords Prepare Evidence for an Illinois Eviction Hearing?