If you are planning to divorce, you may have questions about how you can protect your rights and reach a divorce settlement that is reasonable and fair. You may want the legal protection and support that comes with hiring a lawyer but are worried that bringing lawyers into the equation could make your divorce more adversarial. Whether your worries are accurate or not, there is an option in Illinois that allows divorcing couples to work with attorneys under a non-adversarial process. Collaborative divorce, or a divorce resolved by means of collaborative law, is an alternative resolution method that has…

There are two main categories of sexual harassment under Illinois law: hostile work environment harassment and quid pro quo harassment. A hostile work environment is caused by severe or pervasive remarks and behavior of a sexual, demeaning, or discriminatory nature, which affect a person’s ability to do his or her job. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a person of authority such as a supervisor or boss uses his or her position to gain sexual contact with an employee or job candidate. This unlawful behavior often goes unreported in part due to the general public’s misunderstanding of what quid pro…

Millions of adults struggle with addiction and substance abuse problems in the United States. Sadly, drug and alcohol addiction can make someone a shell of who he or she was before the addiction began. Being married to an alcoholic or drug addict is often just as miserable as having the addiction yourself. In some cases, salvaging a marriage that has been devastated by drug and alcohol addiction is simply not a possibility. If you are planning to divorce your spouse and he or she has a substance abuse problem, it is important to educate yourself about how your spouse’s addiction…

Sexual harassment may involve inappropriate, demeaning, or sexually explicit speech and actions at work. It may also involve an employer, supervisor, manager, or another person of authority using his or her position to solicit sexual contact from applicants or employees. Whether it is hostile work environment harassment or quid pro quo harassment, sexual harassment violates federal, state, and local laws. Discrimination and harassment are not only immoral, but they can also cost victims their livelihoods. If you have been a victim of workplace sexual harassment, you may be considering filing a sexual harassment lawsuit and pursuing compensation for your damages.…

As a part of the divorce process, divorcing parents are asked to create a parenting plan and submit it to the court. The parenting plan is a detailed description of numerous different child-related issues. Reaching a decision about each element of the parenting plan is an essential part of establishing each parent’s legal rights and responsibilities. A well-written parenting plan can also help prevent disputes about these rights and obligations in the future. However, parents sometimes struggle to see eye to eye about the issues contained in the parenting plan. Elements Required in an Illinois Parenting Agreement There are several…

Anyone who has experienced sexual harassment at work will tell you that it takes a great deal of courage to report the harassment. Victims of discrimination or harassment may worry that their supervisors and colleagues will not believe them or even resent them for reporting the unlawful mistreatment. An even greater fear is that reporting sexual harassment will get them demoted or fired. Fortunately, Illinois law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who file sexual harassment complaints. However, recognizing the actions or behaviors that may be considered retaliation is not always easy.   Understanding Sexual Harassment Laws Sexual harassment is a…

Child-related disputes during divorce can be particularly difficult to handle. If you and your spouse are struggling to reach an agreement about the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, you may have questions about how these issues will be resolved. In any child-related legal proceeding, reaching a resolution that is in the child’s best interests is the top priority. In order to make fully informed decisions, Illinois courts sometimes utilize the expertise of a guardian ad litem. Helping Children Have a Voice A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a specially trained attorney who represents the child’s best interests.…

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination prohibited by federal, state, and local laws. Although most news stories about sexual harassment focus on wealthy celebrities or politicians, research shows that workers earning lower wages are at the highest risk of this type of harassment. Men and women working in the service sector make up a large percentage of sexual harassment victims. For a variety of reasons, retail workers employed by malls, department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores are often especially vulnerable to discrimination and harassment. With the help of a skilled attorney, they may be able to seek damages for…

Grandparents are often a valuable source of love and guidance in a child’s life. In some cases, grandparents may need to take on the role of the parents in their grandchild’s life. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reports that there are currently more than 100,000 Illinois grandparents caring for their grandchildren on a long-term basis. If you are a grandparent who is concerned about your grandchild’s well-being, you may be interested in obtaining guardianship of your grandchild. The process of gaining guardianship of a minor child is not always easy, but it can make a big difference…

No one should ever be expected to tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace. Discrimination on the basis of sex and gender violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and numerous other federal and Illinois state laws. Unfortunately, many employees are unaware of their right to report harassment. Quid pro quo sexual harassment is one type of harassment prohibited by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If you have been a victim of quid pro quo or another type of sexual harassment at work, contact a sexual harassment attorney for help. Victims of Quid Pro Quo Harassment May Be Employees or…

By now, most people are fully aware that sexual harassment is a type of workplace discrimination that should not be tolerated. When it becomes public knowledge that a company or employer allowed such harassment to continue, that company is often the subject of public scrutiny and boycotts in addition to claims for damages by the victims in question. But, what about the victims themselves? Unfortunately, being a victim of sexual harassment can cause a variety of health issues that could last for many years to come. Mental Health Concerns The laws that address sexual harassment in the United States are…

Spousal maintenance, spousal support, and alimony are all terms used to describe payments that one spouse may be ordered to pay to the other spouse as a result of a divorce. Typically, spousal maintenance is awarded when one spouse lacks sufficient income to support themselves in the lifestyle they have grown accustomed to during the marriage. Spousal maintenance may be awarded based on the directions contained in a prenuptial agreement, postnuptial agreement, or other valid marital agreement or it may be awarded on a case-by-case basis by the court. If you have reason to believe that you or your…