There’s a phrase that feels like it has magical powers in the patent world: patent pending. Most inventors think it means they’re protected while they develop, test, pitch investors, and bring a product to market. That’s not quite what it means, and the gap between those two ideas can cost real patent rights. In this post, I break down: What a provisional patent application actually does (and doesn’t do); what “patent pending” really means to competitors, investors, and the USPTO; why the USPTO won’t catch a weak provisional for you; what happens when a thin provisional can’t support your later…
Continue Reading Patent Pending Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

The tragic death of Chicago Department of Transportation employee and bicyclist Riley O’Neil continues to reverberate throughout Chicago’s bicycling community — and now several members of the Chicago City Council are calling for concrete action to make Chicago’s streets safer.In a September 15, 2026 opinion piece published by the Chicago Tribune, Aldermen Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), Matt Martin (47th Ward), Julia Ramirez (12th Ward), and Desmon Yancy (5th Ward) argue that O’Neil’s death was preventable and that Chicago cannot afford to reduce its investment in safer streets.Their message deserves the attention of every Chicagoan who walks, rides a…
Continue Reading Chicago Aldermen Call for Increased Investment in Bicycle Safety Following Riley O’Neil’s Death

For a Chicago law firm, Labor Day in 2026 and every year is more than just a day off to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.

That’s because Attorney Howard Ankin views it as a moment to salute and pay tribute to those who are doing the job every day to make Chicagoland and the country function on a high level. 

Established in 1882 in New York City, Labor Day is meant to honor the effort, sacrifice and the importance of the duties done by America’s workers. The establishment of the holiday was preceded by years of efforts to increase…
Continue Reading Why Holiday Matters Most to Howard Ankin & Ankin Law?

Car accidents are frightening and traumatic, especially when they end in painful injuries that leave you temporarily unable to work or, even worse, cause permanent disability. A permanent disability may render the injury victim unable to return to work at all, leaving them facing an uncertain future. How does an auto accident claim in Illinois address an injury victim’s inability to work? Get legal help from our Chicago car accident attorney to learn more.

Understanding Diminished Earning Capacity In a Car Accident Claim

After a car accident in Illinois, the state’s modified comparative negligence system allows an injury victim to…
Continue Reading What Happens If an Auto Accident Leaves You Unable to Work?

A petition for dissolution of marriage requests that a court resolve issues of property division, support and parenting matters. Believe it or not, an Illinois court can resolve one of those issues while leaving a court of another state or country to resolve the rest. Litigating separate parts of a divorce in different jurisdictions happens so rarely and is presumptively illogical that it’s presumed to be impermissible…but it definitely can and does happen. A Party That Files A Petition For Dissolution Of Marriage First Does Not Automatically Have Exclusive Jurisdiction It is often thought that the first person to file…
Continue Reading Can An Illinois Divorce Be Split Between Two States?

In Baldwin v. Std. Fire Ins. Co., 269 N.E.3d 1197 (Ind. Sup. Ct. 2025), the Indiana Supreme Court recognized a safe harbor under Indiana law for insurers confronted with multiple claimants and limited policy proceeds. The court held that an insurer may satisfy its duty of good faith by filing an interpleader action, naming all possible claimants, depositing available policy limits, and continuing to defend its insured.

Case Background

In June 2018, Tommi Hummel was operating a motor vehicle with two passengers, John Hopkins and Jill McCarty. Hummel crashed into a vehicle driven by Bradley Baldwin, causing severe injuries to…
Continue Reading Avoiding Bad-Faith Claims in Indiana Through Safe Harbor Interpleading

An Illinois Appellate Court recently issued a ruling regarding a school detachment/annexation petition in a lengthy opinion analyzing the requirements for a property owner to detach their property from one school district and attach it to another school district. Board of Education of Jasper County Community Unit Sch. Dist. No. 1 v. Regional Board of School Trustees, et al. The case has a convoluted history with multiple motions to reconsider and changes of position of both the Regional Board and circuit court, which partially explains the long opinion.Homeowners of property located in Jasper County (petitioners) filed a petition with the…
Continue Reading Regional Board’s Decision Allowing Property to Switch School Districts Struck Down


When the Workplace Becomes the Investigation

by: Fritz Ronald P. Amparado, Financial Poise  – Business Owners & Executives

 Friday, September 4, 2026

A practical guide to deciding who should investigate, what facts matter, and what to do once the answers are in.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A workplace complaint rarely arrives at a convenient time. It may be a harassment claim, a payroll problem, a safety concern, or an accusation involving someone the company trusts. Whatever the issue, the first response matters. The company needs to move quickly enough to protect people and preserve evidence, but carefully enough to avoid …
Continue Reading I’m Quoted in National Law Review Article on Workplace Investigations

For years, Illinois statutes referred to decision-making for the children of separated parents as “custody” and the time spent with the children by the non-primary parent as “visitation”. As of January 1, 2016, the Illinois state legislature changed all the terminology presumably so that parents would no longer feel unequal with emotionally charged terms like “custody” and “visitation”. Today, Illinois divorce and parentage courts require any parents in a domestic relations action to propose a parenting plan within 120 days. That parenting plan is to outline the 1) parental responsibilities of each party and 2) parenting time of each party.
Continue Reading Allocation of Parental Responsibilities and Parenting Time

If you are a business owner preparing to go through a divorce, one of your biggest concerns may be what happens to your business. One of the first things a court will do is work to place a value on your business. Many different factors go into determing business valuation. These formulas for business valuation are constantly evolving. Valuing a business is a difficult task…especially for an Illinois courts. As you know, there are many reasons for a business’s success so it’s hard to determine what actually accounts for a business’s value. This article tracks the Illinois courts’ opinions on…
Continue Reading The Illinois Business Valuation Case Tracker

Car Crash News | Chicago, Il

One person was killed and another injured in a crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago on Monday morning, according to Illinois State Police. The crash happened around 8:16 a.m. in the northbound express lanes near 55th Street and involved two vehicles.

Authorities shut down the inbound express lanes at 71st Street while police investigated the collision. One person died at the scene, while another was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The northbound express lanes were reopened by about 1 p.m. as the investigation and roadway response concluded.

Source: ABC7 Chicago

At…
Continue Reading 1 Killed, 1 Injured in Dan Ryan Expressway Crash; NB Express Lanes Reopen

Real estate investors often reach a point where owning rental property in their individual names no longer makes sense. When rental income begins to represent a meaningful part of the family’s wealth, the most important issues revolve around how to keep an issue with one property from putting everything else at risk. Two structures that are frequently used to this end are Wyoming LLCs and Series LLCs.
Both can be useful for real estate ownership, but they solve different problems. A Wyoming LLC is generally a traditional LLC formed under Wyoming law. An Illinois Series LLC, by contrast, allows one…
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Keating Law Offices was proud to sponsor Chicago Bike PAC’s kick off event and support its continued work on behalf of Chicago’s bicycling community.As a Chicago personal injury law firm with a longstanding commitment to representing bicyclists and advocating for safer streets, we believe that meaningful progress requires engagement—not only in the courtroom, but also in the community.Chicago Bike PAC will play an important role in bringing together people who care about making bicycling safer, more accessible, and a greater part of Chicago’s transportation future. We were pleased to support the September 10th gathering and the conversations that help move…
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You moved away from Illinois years ago. You now live in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Arizona, or another state and need to obtain or renew your driver’s license.

Then the DMV tells you there is a problem: Illinois has a hold on your driver’s license.

Maybe you have not lived in Illinois for 10, 20, or even 30 years. Perhaps the problem involves an old DUI, driver’s license revocation, suspension, traffic case, or another issue you thought was resolved long ago.

Unfortunately, moving out of Illinois does not necessarily make an Illinois driver’s license suspension or revocation disappear.

An unresolved…
Continue Reading What Can I Do If Illinois Is Blocking Me From Getting a Driver’s License in Another State?

CHICAGO, Illinois, September 14, 2026. Phillips Law Offices is proud to announce that Stephen D. Phillips and Terrence M. Quinn have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027, a respected national recognition of outstanding legal professionals.
Both attorneys have been recognized for their work representing plaintiffs in complex personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability matters. Their selection reflects their continued dedication to advocating for individuals and families who have suffered serious injuries or wrongful death.
Stephen D. Phillips Named to The Best Lawyers in America® 2027
Stephen D. Phillips has been recognized by The Best…
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Divorce after age 50 has become increasingly common, even as divorce rates have declined among some younger age groups. Researchers often refer to divorce among adults 50 and older as “gray divorce,” and recent research indicates that nearly 40% of people getting divorced in the United States are now age 50 or older. 
For couples in Chicago who have been married for decades, ending a marriage at this stage of life presents concerns that may be very different from those facing younger spouses. Retirement accounts, pensions, real estate, investments, maintenance, health insurance, and future income can become central issues. We…
Continue Reading Gray Divorce: Why More Couples Over 50 Are Divorcing