Most married couples have a straightforward estate plan: Everything goes to the surviving spouse. It feels natural, and for most families, it seems like the obvious choice. But there is a critical question that rarely gets asked until it is too late.
What happens when one spouse dies, and the other spouse is suddenly alone, emotionally overwhelmed, and solely responsible for managing everything you built together? Or if the surviving spouse is badly injured in the same event that killed the first spouse and the surviving spouse cannot function independently? 
Our Oswego, IL estate planning attorney helps families think…
Continue Reading Creating Protective Trusts that Anticipate Estate Planning Risks

Thanks to attorney Julianne Dailey for organizing this for the Chicago Bar Association’s Solo/Small Firm Practitioners Committee!
This event takes place on Thursday, May 7th beginning at 5:30pm.  The trivia portion will run from 6pm-7:30pm, consisting of four short rounds of legal themed, pop culture trivia! Participants will be asked to provide their primary area(s) of practice and any networking preferences at the time of registration (i.e. other practice areas, potential mentors/mentees, etc.). Teams will then be built based on those networking preferences to cultivate a fun environment to compete in trivia while cultivating new professional relationships! The winners…
Continue Reading CBA Solo/Small Firm Practitioners Committee & Sponsor/Host JMD Law Invites You to Trial by Trivia! Free Legal Themed Trivia & Networking Event

In 2023, the Montana state legislature passed a bill (Bill) prohibiting any school or library that
receives state funding from allowing any “sexually oriented performance or drag
story hour” on their property. The Bill includes significant criminal and
civil penalties for both performers and institutions hosting these events. Just
months after the Bill passed, a group of individuals, organizations, and
businesses (plaintiffs) filed a lawsuit claiming the Bill violates the First
Amendment by restricting protected speech based on content. The federal district court
issued a preliminary injunction limiting the state’s enforcement of the
Bill during the lawsuit. The state appealed…
Continue Reading Federal Appeals Court Upholds Injunction Preventing Enforcement of Law That Limits “Drag Story Hour” and Similar Events

The minutes right after a car accident are chaotic. You’re shaken, maybe injured, and trying to process what just happened. But if you’re physically able to do so, what you document at the scene can become some of the most valuable evidence in your claim. Waiting until later is often too late. Skid marks fade, vehicles get moved, witnesses leave, and surveillance footage gets overwritten.
Here’s what to focus on if you’re able.
Start With Photos and Video
Your phone is your most important tool at the scene. Use it.
Photograph everything you can think of, and then photograph more.
Continue Reading How to Document a Car Accident Scene

Cultivate a thriving culture and drive your business to new heights by transforming your managers into dynamic leaders. Amundsen Davis’s Supervisor and Management Training Series is perfectly crafted for ambitious mid to senior-level managers from any sector to thrive. 
Continue Reading Register Now – Amundsen Davis Supervisor and Management Training Series 

If U.S. employment laws feel impossible to keep up with, you’re not imagining things. Between federal, state, and local laws and shifting agency guidance, even well-intentioned employers can find themselves in violation of labor and employment laws without realizing it.
You probably can’t fix the system, but you can protect your business from unnecessary risk and expense. The key is investing in prevention, empowering the right people, and acting decisively before small issues escalate.
Continue Reading Why U.S. Employment Law Is So Frustrating—and What Employers Can Do About
It

When someone is injured because of another person’s negligence, most people understand that compensation may be available for things like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Those are the damages you hear about most often.
But every now and then, another concept comes up—punitive damages. And that usually raises a different kind of question:
Are these meant to compensate the injured person… or punish the person who caused the harm?
The answer is a bit of both—but mostly the latter.
 
What Are Punitive Damages?
To put it simply, punitive damages are not about making the…
Continue Reading What Are Punitive Damages in Illinois Personal Injury Cases?

Car accidents are stressful under any circumstances. But when a child is involved, everything feels different. The concern isn’t just about the accident itself—it’s about your child’s health, their future, and whether anything was missed in those first hours or days after the crash.
If you’re in a situation where your child was injured in a car accident, you’re likely dealing with a mix of emotions and unanswered questions. What should you be watching for? Who is responsible? And how are these cases handled differently under Illinois law?
The answers aren’t always straightforward—but understanding the basics can help you…
Continue Reading What If a Child Is Injured in a Car Accident in Illinois? 

A Complete Guide for Chicago Residents

When we receive compensation after an accident, one of the first questions that comes to mind is simple yet critical: do we have to pay taxes on a personal injury settlement?

In Illinois, especially in a major city like Chicago where accident claims are common, understanding the tax implications of personal injury settlements can help us avoid surprises and keep more of what we rightfully recover.

This detailed guide breaks everything on what is taxable, what is not, and how to protect our compensation.

Understanding Personal Injury Settlements in Illinois

A personal injury settlement…
Continue Reading Do You Pay Taxes on Personal Injury Settlements?

Accident News | Chicago

Eight people, including two Chicago police officers, were injured in a crash early Tuesday morning in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. According to authorities, the collision occurred around 4:14 a.m. at the intersection of 52nd Street and Hermitage Avenue. Police said an SUV carrying six افراد failed to stop at a stop sign while traveling northbound on Hermitage Avenue and struck a marked Chicago Police Department vehicle heading west on 52nd Street.

The two officers inside the patrol car were transported to a nearby hospital in fair condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Continue Reading Chicago Police Officers Among 8 Injured in South Side Crash

Most parents know that child support in Illinois ends when a child turns 18, or 19 if the child is still in high school. But for families raising a child with a disability in 2026, that cutoff may not be the end of the story. If your child cannot live on their own due to a physical or mental condition, Illinois law may allow you to seek child support well past age 18. A Naperville family law attorney can help you understand your options.
What Does Illinois Law Say About Child Support for Disabled Adult Children?
Illinois law gives parents…
Continue Reading Can Child Support Continue Past Age 18 for a Disabled Child in Illinois?

Cycling is a popular way to get around and stay active across DuPage County. However, sharing the road with cars, trucks, and delivery vehicles puts riders at real risk. In 2026, if a careless driver hurts you on your bike, you may have more legal options than you realize. A Naperville personal injury attorney can help you figure out your next steps, starting with how Illinois law protects cyclists and what your motor vehicle accident claim may be worth.
Can an Illinois Cyclist File a Personal Injury Claim After a Crash?
Under 625 ILCS 5/11-1502, Illinois law treats bicycles…
Continue Reading What Are Your Legal Options After a Bicycle Accident in Illinois?

Evidence can be thrown out in an Illinois drug case through a legal tool called a motion to suppress. Under 725 ILCS 5/114-12, a defendant can ask the court to exclude evidence that was gathered in violation of their constitutional rights. If a judge agrees, then the evidence cannot be used against you at trial.
In many drug cases, the drugs themselves are the most important piece of evidence the prosecution has. When that evidence is suppressed, the charges are often reduced or dropped entirely. If you are facing a drug charge in 2026 and believe your rights may…
Continue Reading How Is Evidence Thrown Out in an Illinois Drug Case?

It’s one of the favorite days for anyone in the legal profession – especially Ankin Law. Tuesday marked International “Be Kind To Lawyers Day,” which is a chance for the public to celebrate attorneys and those who work at law firms for their efforts to help clients.  Created in 2008, it’s meant to be a way to salute those in the profession who often take a lot of criticism for their work.  Having practiced personal injury law in Chicagoland for 29 years, immediately we think about the wonderful things our clients have said about us through the years. Whether…
Continue Reading How Ankin Law celebrates ‘Be Kind To Lawyers Day’

Like programs in many other states, the Illinois Secure Choice Program mandates all employers to register with the Illinois Secure Choice Program that provides a retirement savings plan to employees without one. Employers must register and participate or claim an exemption, provide and update an employee roster, inform employees of the program, and for employees that do not opt out, deduct a percentage of their compensation and remit it to the Program Administrator. The Illinois plan acts like an IRA with restrictions and limitations for employees that do not opt-out.
Some key facts regarding the Illinois Secure Choice include:

  • Obligated

…
Continue Reading Employee Pensions

If you own agricultural land in Central Illinois, you may be asking yourself: What Happens to the Family Farm If There’s No Succession Plan? This is one of the most important legal questions facing multi-generational farm families today. It is also the exact reason Preserving the Farm Legacy℠ matters.
For families in Champaign, Shelbyville, Springfield, Decatur, and throughout Central Illinois, farmland is rarely just real estate. It is a livelihood, a retirement strategy, a business asset, and often a deeply emotional part of family identity. Yet many families delay formal succession planning because conversations feel difficult or premature. Unfortunately, when…
Continue Reading What Happens to the Family Farm If There’s No Succession Plan? Illinois Guide for Farm Families