The Illinois Department of Revenue announced a tentative 2025 Cook County Equalization Factor of 2.8683 on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.  This tentative 2025 Cook County Equalization Factor is 5.51% lower than the final 2024 Cook County Equalization Factor of 3.0355.  Every year, the Illinois Department of Revenue is legally required to calculate the equalization factor […]
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What to Include in a Business Partnership Agreement in Illinois is an important topic for anyone starting or operating a business with one or more partners. While Illinois law does not require a written partnership agreement in every case, relying on informal understandings can create uncertainty over time. A well-drafted partnership agreement can help define expectations, reduce the risk of disputes, and provide a framework for handling changes as the business evolves.
What Is a Business Partnership Agreement
A partnership agreement is a legal document that outlines how a business partnership will operate. It defines the rights and responsibilities of…
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One of the biggest days for a personal injury lawyer in Chicago is the first day of the month of May. That’s because two of the things that Attorney Howard Ankin is passionate about are celebrated on May 1. Both National Law Day and International Workers’ Day are celebrated as those around the globe celebrate two major institutions in society. National Law Day, where America celebrates what the rule of law means in our society. Established in 1958 by President Dwight Eisenhower, it’s a reminder of just how important the legal community is to protect people’s rights.  It’s also International…
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Why Sellers Give Property Tax Credits in Chicagoland Closings
If you are selling a home in the Chicago area, one of the closing costs that can catch you off guard is the property tax credit.
Sellers often see this line item on the closing statement and think: Why am I giving the buyer a credit for taxes if I already paid my tax bills?
Fair question. Annoyingly, the answer is not always obvious, because Illinois property taxes are paid in arrears. That means the tax bill you pay this year is usually for the prior tax year. Naturally, because…
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If you are wondering how to choose a truck accident lawyer then, choose a lawyer who has strong experience with truck accident cases, understands complex trucking laws, has the resources to investigate serious crashes, communicates clearly, and has a proven record of helping injured victims recover fair compensation. Truck accidents are very different from regular car accidents, and choosing the right lawyer can directly affect the outcome of your case.

A truck accident can change your life in an instant. These crashes often involve large commercial vehicles, severe injuries, and complicated legal issues. You may be dealing with hospital…
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Choosing a motorcycle accident lawyer in Chicago is about finding someone who has real experience with motorcycle cases, understands Illinois laws, communicates clearly, and is ready to fight insurance companies for fair compensation. You should look for a lawyer with a strong track record, good client reviews, transparent fees, and the ability to handle complex injury claims. Acting quickly after an accident also helps protect your rights and improves your chances of success.

Motorcycle accidents are very different from regular car accidents. Riders are more exposed, injuries are often serious, and insurance companies may try to blame the rider…
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Every data incident in 2026 produces the same playbook. A plaintiffs’ firm files a class action. The complaint pleads breach of contract. It pleads invasion of privacy. It pleads a federal statutory claim. And, almost always, it pleads negligence.
The negligence count usually says some version of the same thing. The defendant owed a duty to safeguard the plaintiff’s personal information, the defendant breached that duty by allowing the data to be exposed or transmitted, and the plaintiff suffered damages including diminished data value, anxiety, lost time, and lost benefit of the bargain.
Illinois law has a problem with this…
Continue Reading Illinois Has No Common Law “Duty to Safeguard Data,” and the Moorman Doctrine Closes the Door on Most Negligence Damages

A new wave of class action lawsuits is sweeping into the Northern District of Illinois. The defendants are not telecom companies. They are healthcare practices, retailers, fintech companies, telehealth platforms, employers running candidate portals, and any business with a website that uses analytics or advertising tools.
The legal theory is the same in almost every case. The plaintiff alleges that a tracking pixel, often the Meta pixel, the TikTok pixel, or the Google tag, captured information the user typed into the defendant’s website and quietly transmitted that information to a third party advertising platform. The plaintiff then alleges that this…
Continue Reading When Your Own Website Becomes the “Wiretap”: Defending Illinois Businesses Against Pixel Tracking Class Actions Under the Federal Wiretap Act

If you operate a healthcare practice, a telehealth platform, a behavioral health clinic, a fertility center, an addiction treatment facility, a dental or optometry chain, or any consumer facing business that handles sensitive information online, you have probably heard about the new generation of class action lawsuits over tracking pixels.
The lawsuits target businesses that embed third party tools like the Meta pixel, the TikTok pixel, or Google Analytics on their websites. The complaints allege that the tools captured information about a user’s interactions and transmitted that information to advertising platforms without consent.
In most of these cases, the defendant…
Continue Reading The Tracking Pixel Lawsuit Wave Hits Illinois: Why the “Crime or Tort” Exception Argument Is Splitting the Federal Courts

BIA & Federal Courts ⚖️ D.C. Circuit · April 2026 📋 Case No. 25-5243 D.C. Circuit Kills Trump’s Border Invasion Removal Order in RAICES v. Mullin — Every Summary Deportation Without Asylum Review Violates Federal Law Refugee and Immigrant Center … Continue reading →
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The CPSC has reclassified Amazon as a distributor, reshaping how liability is handled when dangerous products sold through its “Fulfilled by Amazon” program injure consumers.  Amazon is one of the most popular online shopping platforms out there. The company offers various products from all around the world that people may not have access to otherwise. They are delivered right to your door, making shopping accessible for many individuals who may not be able to do in person purchasing.  This convenient model comes with a price, however. Not every company whose products are featured on Amazon sells safe products. Although the…
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The Case

Wilkinson v. Farmers Holding Companies involved a dispute under a Missouri statute about an employee’s post-termination rights to a “service letter” stating the nature and duration of his service. The Circuit Court granted summary judgment for the company based on the company’s argument that it was not the actual employer. The Supreme Court’s decision addressed only the procedural law regarding summary judgment and plaintiff’s failure to abide by the procedures of Rule 74.04 in responding to summary judgment.

In particular, the Court noted that although the Plaintiff’s “point relied on” argued that summary judgment is an extreme and…
Continue Reading ITT at 33: Granting Summary Judgment in Missouri is Still Not “Extreme or Drastic”

If your company offers health benefits, someone has probably asked about GLP‑1 coverage in the last six months. The drugs work, employees want access, and the sticker price through traditional pharmacy channels can run north of $1,000 per month per employee. Direct‑to‑consumer platforms like TrumpRx.gov, Hims, Lilly Direct, and NovoCare now offer the same medications between $149 and $449 per month, cash pay. The obvious question: can we reimburse employees through an HRA for purchases made through these channels?
Continue Reading GLP‑1s, Direct‑to‑Consumer Pricing, and the HRA Opportunity Most Employers
Are Missing

Raising Stewards, Not Just Beneficiaries: Preparing Your Family for Inheritance

Inheritance Is About More Than Money
When families think about estate planning, the focus is often on what will be passed down. Just as important, however, is how the next generation is prepared to receive it.
At Rincker Law, we often talk with clients who want their children or heirs to handle an inheritance responsibly. That goal starts with shifting the conversation from entitlement to stewardship—helping loved ones understand that inheritance carries responsibility, not just benefits.

What Does It Mean to Be a “Steward”?
A steward is someone who is…
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Every alcohol licensee knows the knock.

A liquor investigator, police officer, excise agent, revenue agent, or local enforcement official walks into the licensed premises and asks to inspect records, walk the warehouse, look behind the bar, review invoices, pull POS data, examine delivery logs, ask for employee records, look at surveillance video, or open the back office.

Most bars, restaurants, retailers, distributors, breweries, wineries, and distilleries assume the same thing: we hold a state liquor license, so the state can search whatever it wants.

Not so fast.

In Generis Entertainment, LLC v. Donley, a federal court in Michigan just…
Continue Reading The Fourth Amendment Walks Into a Bar: Federal Court Says Michigan’s Warrantless Liquor Inspection Law Is Unconstitutional. Your State’s May Be as Well