Illinois

Judge says ex-lawyer lived a ‘diabolical secret life’ and sentences him in wife’s 1973 murder

An Illinois judge wasn’t swayed during a sentencing hearing Thursday when former lawyer Donnie Rudd denied involvement in his wife’s 1973 murder. Judge Marc Martin of Cook County sentenced Rudd to 75 to 150 years in prison, report the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald. He was sentenced under 1973…

Sep 14, 2018 7:50 AM CDT

Owner of attorney referral service is accused of paying cops for crash reports

The owner of an attorney referral service in suburban Chicago has been accused of paying two Chicago police officers to obtain vehicle crash reports before they were available to the public. Richard Burton, 55, of Bloomingdale, Illinois, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery for allegedly paying at least $13,350…

Sep 11, 2018 10:57 AM CDT

Convicted felon on Cook County bench announces she won’t seek retention in November

Jessica Arong O’Brien, a Cook County, Ill., judge who was found guilty of bank and mail fraud in February, has finally dropped her retention bid after a federal judge in Chicago denied her motions for acquittal and new trial.

Sep 6, 2018 11:28 AM CDT

Dan Linna: Taking the measure of legal innovation

When his law firm enlisted then-litigator Daniel W. Linna Jr. for a presentation on evaluating potential trial outcomes, he presented his Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn peers with a hypothetical case—a teaching approach he used later as an adjunct at the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law.

Sep 1, 2018 2:25 AM CDT

Brother-in-law charged in shooting death of Mayer Brown partner Stephen Shapiro

Updated: Police have charged a suburban Chicago man in the shooting death of Mayer Brown partner Stephen Shapiro, the founder of the law firm’s Supreme Court and appellate practice. The suspect is Shapiro's brother-in-law.

John Gately III, 66, of Winnetka, Illinois, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and attempted murder, report the American Lawyer, Patch, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. A press release is here.

Aug 16, 2018 8:05 AM CDT

Only 1.2% of Chicago police complaints lead to suspension or firing, new data says

Updated: A public data project tracking the allegations of abuse against the Chicago Police Department has quadrupled in size, bringing alarming trends to light.

Aug 16, 2018 8:00 AM CDT

Why do experienced female lawyers leave? Disrespect, social constraints, ABA survey says

Women in law already face unique challenges, but for those practicing more than 20 years, the likelihood of continued longevity becomes even more stark.

Aug 3, 2018 7:50 PM CDT

Legal education council delays action on questionnaire guidance

As the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar awaits action on a proposal to eliminate an admissions test requirement for law schools, its council postponed decisions on new guidance for annual questionnaires, which are used for 509 Reports. Part of the Friday’s discussion, held during ABA…

Aug 3, 2018 7:14 PM CDT

Would Scalia have shifted on death penalty if he’d heard pope’s decree? Maybe, Chicago cardinal says

Just hours after Pope Francis declared the death penalty “inadmissible” in all cases, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago urged elected officials and leaders to recognize their responsibility and vested interest “in defending the sacredness and value of every human life.”

Aug 3, 2018 4:04 PM CDT

Player protests are about labor law, not the First Amendment

In the spring of 2016, Terri Carmichael Jackson was named director of operations for the Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association, the WNBA’s players union. She recalled the time as a bumpy introduction to the job during a Friday morning panel titled "The Right (or Not) to Take a Knee: Social Activism and Freedom of Speech in Sports" at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Aug 3, 2018 2:27 PM CDT

Rosenstein defends zero-tolerance immigration policy and rule of law in ABA speech

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein may not be a very popular person within certain circles in Washington, D.C., but he received a rock-star welcome during the opening forum of the ABA Annual Meeting.

Aug 2, 2018 7:37 PM CDT

Chicago to get a public law school: John Marshall acquired by University of Illinois system

After more than two years of discussions, the University of Illinois’ board of trustees Thursday approved a plan to acquire Chicago’s John Marshall School of Law, a private stand-alone institution.

Jul 20, 2018 7:10 AM CDT

7th Circuit limits national ‘sanctuary cities’ injunction to Chicago

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago has narrowed a nationwide injunction against the Trump administration’s policy withholding grants from alleged “sanctuary cities.”

Jun 28, 2018 4:45 PM CDT

Judicial board seeks to remove Illinois judge who won’t step down after conviction

A judicial board has taken a first step to remove an Illinois judge convicted of mortgage fraud who refuses to resign. The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint on Tuesday against Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien of Cook County, report the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. The complaint asks…

Jun 20, 2018 1:01 PM CDT

Can iPhone users sue Apple for charges to app developers? Supreme Court to decide

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether people who buy iPhone apps can sue Apple over 30 percent commissions charged to app developers on sales. Four iPhone users are seeking triple damages in a would-be class action that alleges Apple violated antitrust law by monopolizing the app market,…

Jun 18, 2018 3:06 PM CDT