Lots of people are convinced that they have  a great medical malpractice case.  I get calls, emails, etc., from potential clients, even from fellow lawyers who do not handle medical malpractice.
Everyone thinks “This is a great case!”
But most of the time, it’s not a case at all.
Why not? Let’s talk about what makes a medical malpractice claim.
Analysis of a Medical Malpractice Claim
Medical malpractice is a subset of personal injury law. Just like other personal injury cases like a car crash or a “slip and fall” premises liability case, a “med mal” case has certain elements,…
Continue Reading Why Don’t I Have a Case? (Medical Malpractice Edition)

Closing Costs That Catch Sellers Off Guard in Chicagoland
When sellers think about the cost of selling a home, they usually focus on the biggest numbers first.
They think about sale price, mortgage payoff, and maybe commission.
What often gets less attention are the smaller or less obvious closing-related costs that can still affect the seller’s net proceeds in a meaningful way.
In Chicagoland transactions, these costs are not always huge individually, but they are often surprising. And because many of them show up later in the process, they can create frustration right when sellers expect the numbers to be…
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IIRIRA at 28: The Law That Still Runs Every Removal Case in America — mikebakerlaw.com Baker Immigration Law Practice Analysis Case Law @mikebakerlaw Removal Defense  ·  Statutory Analysis  ·  Immigration Practice Pub. L. 104-208, Division C  ·  September 30, 1996 … Continue reading →
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Photo credit: American Bar Association
What makes the American Dream possible? According to the American Bar Association, the rule of law – or the idea that no person is above the law – ensures the rights of people and the ability to pursue their dreams. It is the basis for the Law Day 2026 theme “The Rule of Law and the American Dream.”
On Law Day, which is observed on May 1, lawyers, judges, legal professionals, and members of the public will reflect on how the rule of law shapes everyday life.
To mark the occasion, we have highlighted ways…
Continue Reading Law Day 2026 Events for Illinois Lawyers

Breaking — April 22, 2026. The Acting Attorney General signed a DEA Final Order that does two things that have never been done in the 55 years of the Controlled Substances Act. First, it moves FDA-approved cannabis drug products and any marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license from Schedule I to Schedule III. Second, it opens a brand-new federal cannabis license — an expedited DEA registration pathway at 21 CFR § 1301.13(k) — that uses your state medical license as conclusive evidence of state-law authorization.
DEA Final Order — April 22, 2026. The new federal cannabis license at…
Continue Reading Federal Cannabis License: 10 Critical DEA Steps After Schedule III

Cari B. Rincker of Rincker Law, PLLC Appointed to ISBA Agricultural Law Section Council for 2026–2027 highlights her continued leadership in agricultural law and her commitment to serving farmers, agribusinesses, and rural clients across Illinois.
Cari B. Rincker, Esq., founder of Rincker Law, PLLC, has been appointed as a Member of the Agricultural Law Section Council by the Illinois State Bar Association for the 2026–2027 term. This appointment reflects her deep experience in agricultural law and her dedication to supporting Illinois’ farming community.
A Central Illinois Agricultural Law Attorney
Rincker has built a strong agricultural law practice serving clients throughout…
Continue Reading Cari B. Rincker of Rincker Law, PLLC Appointed to ISBA Agricultural Law Section Council for 2026–2027

Cari B. Rincker of Rincker Law, PLLC, Appointed to ISBA Rural Practice Section Council for 2026–2027 highlights her continued leadership in rural law and her commitment to serving clients and communities throughout Central Illinois. Cari B. Rincker, Esq., founder of Rincker Law, PLLC, has been appointed as a Member of the Rural Practice Section Council by the Illinois State Bar Association for the 2026–2027 term. This appointment reflects her deep experience representing individuals, families, and businesses in rural Illinois.
A Central Illinois Attorney Serving Rural Communities
 
Rincker has built her practice around serving clients in Central Illinois and other…
Continue Reading Cari B. Rincker of Rincker Law, PLLC Appointed to ISBA Rural Practice Section Council for 2026–2027

Ankin Law is continuing a tradition that began a decade ago by adding another spokesperson from the Chicago sports world.  He began his life in the area and is now doing what he can to bring a World Series title back to the north side. Cubs catcher Carson Kelly is our spokesperson for the team for the 2026 season, joining Attorney Howard Ankin for commercials that will air on Marquee Sports Network.  Both the catcher and the lawyer have already taped their first round of spots this April which will start airing in May.  A native of Arlington Heights, Illinois,…
Continue Reading The Newest Chicago Athlete to Represent Ankin Law

If you have been injured at work, you may have heard the terms employers’ liability and workers’ compensation used as if they mean the same thing. While they are related, the direct answer is no, employers’ liability is not the same as workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that provides benefits to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses, while employers’ liability is a separate form of protection that may cover situations where an injured worker seeks damages beyond workers’ compensation benefits. In Chicago and throughout Illinois, understanding the difference can be very important if you have…
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Is Phillips Law Offices a Top Choice for Truck Accident Settlements in Chicago?

Truck accidents often leave victims dealing with serious injuries, financial stress, and uncertainty about what comes next. If you are wondering whether Phillips Law Offices is one of the best law firms for truck accident settlements in Chicago, the answer is yes. The firm has earned a strong reputation for handling complex truck accident claims, pursuing significant settlements, and helping injury victims stand up against powerful trucking companies and insurance carriers. For many people in Chicago, Phillips Law Offices is recognized as a trusted name when…
Continue Reading Phillips Law Offices: The Best Law Firm for Truck Accident Settlements in Chicago (2026 Guide)

You can be charged in Illinois for images stored on your phone or in cloud storage. Where the images are saved does not matter as much as what they contain and whether you had control over them. This often comes up in cases related to sex crimes like child pornography.
If law enforcement gets a warrant and finds illegal images on your device or linked to your accounts, those images can lead to criminal charges, whether they were saved on your phone or stored online. If you’ve been charged with a crime or think you may be under investigation…
Continue Reading Can You Be Charged in IL for Images Stored on Your Phone or Cloud?

🚨 Breaking Decision — BIA Precedent Breaking: BIA Reverses Anglophone Withholding Grant in Matter of E-N-N- — Credibility Shortcuts and the Wrong Standard Cost This Case Posted: April 23, 2026  |  Citation: 29 I&N Dec. 586 (BIA 2026)  |  Decided: … Continue reading →
Continue Reading BIA Reverses Anglophone Withholding Grant in Matter of E-N-N- — Credibility Shortcuts and the Wrong Standard Cost This Case

We are pleased to share that Todd A. Smith has received the 2025 Trial Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award. His outstanding career and successes have been captured in this special issue of the Jury Verdict Reporter. Todd is recognized for his exceptional advocacy, high-dollar verdicts, and ethical standards throughout his passionate career as a personal injury trial attorney.

“I have been able to help people after they have suffered catastrophic, life changing events. To have been able to do that for so long? That’s a privilege.” Todd A. Smith, Founding Partner of Smith LaCien LLC.

Congratulations Todd on this very deserving…
Continue Reading Todd Smith, Founding Partner of Smith LaCien LLP, receives 2025 Trial Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award

When a traveling MRI technician for Ascension Health stumbled and fell in the parking lot she needed help in receiving workers’ compensation benefits. She called Ankin Law and was introduced to Scott Goldstein. She explained that she had stepped on a hard object in the parking lot, causing her to stumble and fall. She immediately felt pain in her left shoulder, her right wrist, and both knees. As she endured the pain of physical therapy, Goldstein reviewed the facts and researched the accident. Since the hospital refused to pay workers’ compensation benefits the case went to arbitration and Goldstein was…
Continue Reading Fall in Workplace Parking Lot Results in Shoulder Surgery and TTD Benefits

The medical marijuana rescheduling order everyone assumed was stuck in committee showed up alive on April 23, 2026. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order that drops FDA-approved marijuana drug products and state-licensed medicinal marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III — effective immediately. Recreational stays Schedule I. Unlicensed operators stay Schedule I. But if you hold a state medical license and you are still running your books on last week’s 280E assumptions, stop reading this and call your CPA. Then come back. We’ll wait.
This is the biggest federal cannabis move since the Controlled Substances Act was written,…
Continue Reading Medical Marijuana Rescheduling: 5 Critical Things Operators Must Do Now

In the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 Muldrow v. City of St. Louis decision, the Court expanded the legal standard for what qualifies as an “adverse employment action” by pivoting from asking whether a change to an employee’s terms or conditions of employment was “material” to whether  the change left the employee worse off in those terms or conditions. Unsurprisingly, employers saw a surge of challenges to everyday management decisions in the immediate aftermath.
The First Circuit’s recent decision in Walsh v. HNTB Corp., however, offers an important clarification that should hopefully serve as a blueprint for other courts dealing…
Continue Reading Federal Court Draws the Line on PIPS After Muldrow: A Win for Employers in
Walsh v. HNTB