Annette Guzman

30% Loop retail vacancy rate, 25% downtown office vacancy rate, and a violent crime rate that just keeps going up. The Wall Street Journal: "The city is going beyond any other in providing public subsidies to convert obsolete office space into apartments and hotels, despite enormous budgetary challenges. Even Chicago’s politically progressive mayor signed on last month. The city’s office market has been hurt by weakening demand, higher interest rates and difficulties in refinancing. Big companies such as Citadel and Boeing have moved their headquarters elsewhere, and Chicago commercial-property values have plummeted. While these economic trends have afflicted central business districts in other major U.S. cities, by one measure Chicago’s is the hardest-hit."

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Certification of compliance & ethics professionals.  Rebecca Walker has written an important article about professional certification for compliance and ethics professionals, based on an interview with Debbie Troklus, a true leader in the compliance and ethics profession.  Debbie was a driver for the development of HCCA's and SCCE’s certification programs.  Anyone in our field should read this article  https://lnkd.in/e4mTvxR8   Initially when the certification program started there were skeptics who claimed you could not test expertise in this field.  But predictably, after years of success for the certification program, there started to emerge certification programs elsewhere.  It is worth reading carefully Rebecca’s article on this process.  It is no easy task to develop a testing program and to keep it fresh.  As Debbie noted, I was also involved in this process, and took the test and obtained my SCCE certification the first year it was offered. I also attended an “item writing” session, and saw how excruciatingly difficult it is to create meaningful questions for the test.  For example, new questions can only become part of the grading after they have been validated in actual tests.  I learned that there are standards in this field, and experts on how to run such a certification program.  For example, certification cannot be tied to obtaining training from only the organization that developed the certification. It must be open to other sources as long as they meet the quality standards.  Thus, as one example, I have been able to take classes from PLI and get certification credit.  I also see solid value in such certification.  Getting certified demonstrates a real commitment to the profession of compliance and ethics, and recognizes that this field is truly distinct and not an adjunct to other fields such as law, accounting or HR.  Certification represents an ongoing connection to the field, and a promise to keep current through continuing professional education.  Adam Turteltaub CCEP, CHC #complianceandethics #certification #compliance  #SCCE

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Mark your calendars! Foley is back in Chicago on October 18 for our 20th Annual IP Conference! This one-day educational forum gathers thought leaders with many perspectives from across the corporate and IP landscape to discuss emerging trends, best practices in IP management, and legal considerations. Click below to learn more and to register! #IntellectualProperty #Copyright #ArtificialIntelligence #IPLitigation #Patent

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Which Illinois paid leave laws apply to my cook county employees and what do they require? Read more here and reach out with any questions!

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In an important decision for trial procedure, the Indiana Supreme Court in Cosme v. Erie has held that on a motion for directed verdict "we permit courts to ensure the inferences supporting the nonmovant’s claims are reasonable, but courts cannot take on the jury’s fact-finding functions of weighing conflicting evidence and assessing witness credibility." The decision is below and my post on the oral argument and Episodes 184 and 203 of the Podium and Panel Podcast where Dan Cotter and I discussed the case are in the comments. #law #lawyers #appeals #attorneys #civilprocedure

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Listen to Jorden Rutledge: whether the FTC ban survives or not, states are becoming increasingly hostile toward noncompetes, requiring companies to bolster their trade secret protection programs. #ProtectYourTradeSecretsNow

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Today, Courtney Corbello and I sued the FEC to remedy a strange statutory glitch that has resulted in millions of small dollar donors' information being posted on the FEC website even though similar donors remain anonymous. The difference is based on the manner of donations. And get this, small-dollar direct donors (think in-person donors) are rightly anonymous, but indirect donors (think on-line donors) are unmasked. The FEC agrees this needs fixed for privacy and administrative reasons (way too much data), but Congress has not acted. Thus, we brought a claim on behalf of small donors left in the lurch to bring these statutes in-line. Fun fact: Because we challenge the constitutionality of a federal election law, the case "shall immediately" be certified to the 6th Circuit, which "shall" hear sit en banc. Wit this filing, we at the Institute for Free Speech continue our impact litigation to promote Free Speech. Complaint:

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UPDATE: I would like to congratulate District Attorney Sarah Kirkman for her re-election to district attorney. This was an invaluable experience for me as it was my first time running for an elected office. I ran a solo campaign which was self-funded and was able to obtain almost 30% of the votes. I want to thank everyone who voted for change. Your words of encouragement were greatly appreciated! We are not done!!!! IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Everyone, My name is David Addison, and I am announcing my candidacy for Iredell/Alexander County District Attorney. I decided to run after my retirement as the Chief of Police for the Statesville Police Department in August of 2022. I knew more work needed to be done in our community because habitual violent criminals were being arrested and still walking in our neighborhoods. Several individuals are in jail for long periods of time awaiting their respective day in court. Everyone deserves a trial to resolve their respective criminal issues. I respect the work of District Attorney's office, however, we need better leadership in the pursuit of justice in the Courts for the citizens of Iredell and Alexander Counties. Did you know from July of 2022 to June of 2023, Iredell County received 23,918 cases filed, 27,894 cases were disposed, and 11,392 cases were pending? Out of the 27,894 cases which includes cases from previous years, 16,917 cases were disposed-other (which is not a guilty plea), 5,154 cases were dismissed without leave, 1,307 cases were dismissed with leave, 235 cases were dismissed after deferred prosecution. Out of the 27,984 cases, 23,630 were dismissed or disposed of. During the same time frame, Alexander County received 3,811 cases filed, 4,337 cases disposed and 1,946 cases pending. Out of the 4,337 cases which includes cases from previous years, 2,309 cases were disposed-other (which is not a guilty plea), 1,205 were dismissed without leave, 148 dismissed with leave, 14 dismissed after deferred prosecution. Out of the 4,337 cases filed, 3,676 were dismissed or disposed of. This data was obtained from the North Carolina Judicial Branch webpage https://lnkd.in/eT4M8FvY... I am retired from a law enforcement career where I served in several roles to include a patrol officer, homicide investigator, juvenile investigator, among other positions. I attended North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law in the evening while working as a captain with the Durham Police Department. I graduated from NCCU School of Law in 2016 and was admitted to the bar the same year. I volunteered with Legal Aid of North Carolina and was awarded the Pro Bono Award for my work with those who could not afford an attorney. I am asking for your support as we begin this journey to making Iredell and Alexander counties safer places to call home! David Addison Candidate for Iredell/Alexander District Attorney

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🌟 Exciting Webinar Alert- Totally FREE!: Advancing Neurodiversity Inclusion in the Legal Profession 🌟 Join us for a groundbreaking webinar presented by Foley Hoag's DE&I Thought Leadership Series: Advancing Neurodiversity Inclusion in the Legal Profession: Insights and Innovations. This event is a must-attend for anyone committed to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal sector. Why You Should Attend: Explore the Challenges: Understand the barriers that neurodivergent individuals face in the legal industry. Learn from Experts: Gain insights from a panel of distinguished experts in neurodiversity, legal professionals, and advocates. Practical Strategies: Discover actionable strategies to create a supportive and inclusive environment for neurodivergent individuals from law school to the workplace. Interactive Session: Engage directly with our panelists by submitting your questions ahead of time and participating in the live Q&A. Networking Opportunity: Connect with like-minded professionals who are also passionate about driving change in the industry. Event Details: Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET CLE Credits: Earn 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE credits in NY and 1.0 General CLE credits in CA. Don't miss out on this chance to be at the forefront of neurodiversity inclusion in the legal profession. Register now to secure your spot and submit your questions to our panelists. Together, we can build a more inclusive future for the legal community and beyond!. Register Today!  📅✍️ https://lnkd.in/emggKm27 #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #LegalProfession #DEI #Webinar #CLE #FoleyHoag #ThoughtLeadership #DiversityInLaw #Disabilities #PWD #Disabilityawarness #Freewebminar

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Three recent cases hold important lessons on costs and prejudgment interest at mandatory court-annexed arbitration and on Illinois Rule of Evidence 615. My column this week in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin discusses these issues and is below. #law #lawyers #appeals #attorneys #civilprocedure

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Janice D., Sarah McCormick, Dolapo Olushola U., Beth Schroedern and Susan Raridon Lambreth presenting "From Matter Transparency to Financial Predicability: Practical LPM Applications for In-House Teams." WHAT WE DO... CORE LEGAL SERVICES -Practice Management -Rates -Pricing -Legal Project Management SUPPORT SERVICES -Managing Clerk's Office (MCO) -Litigation Support (E-Discovery) KEY TAKEAWAYS -Value from law firms is derived by having a single point of contact. -Budget and budget progress should be transparent. -Evaluating LPM Solutions v. Technology Solutions. -Identifying stakeholders on in-house team. During this session groups worked together to discuss three "Use Cases" - National Coordinating Counsel Needed, International Licensing Agreements for Small Legal Departments and Portfolio Management #RLLB Corporate Counsel Business Journal LegalOps.com Barnes & Thornburg LLP

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DOJ PAYS $100M TO MICHIGAN STATE SURVIVORS New Title IX regulations overshadowed this settlement, but it's impact on schools, states, and law enforcement is potentially equally significant. Traditionally, these kinds of settlements are extremely rare. Government agencies have broad discretion on where to allocate their limited time and resources, which makes lawsuits based on a 15-month delay in acting incredibly difficult to win. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? First, settlements aren't law, so this resolution won't create an expanded basis for liability. At least, not directly. But indirectly, plaintiffs' attorneys have a tendency to pay attention to 9-figure settlements. Big settlements make it easier for a plaintiffs' firms to justify taking on cases that might have a low likelihood of success. And because the cost of defending a lawsuit is twice what it was just 5 years ago, it's often cheaper for schools to settle these suits than it is for them to take them to court. These settlements then make plaintiffs' attorneys more willing to take the cases, and round and round we go. PROACTIVE VS. REACTIVE - MICHIGAN STATE'S BILLION DOLLAR MAN How much can a bad employee cost you? As it turns out...around a billion dollars. (Well, $980M plus change, but close enough). In today's world, a REACTIVE approach to sexual misconduct isn't working - not for students, not for schools, not for insurers. If you're interested in a PROACTIVE solution to Title IX and sexual misconduct, one that keeps you out of the news and the settlement reporters, Student Ally has something you'll definitely want to see. Contact me to learn more (aromano@studentally.com). #liability #titleix #metoo #metoomovement #sexualassault #settlement #verdict #insurtech #riskmitigation #riskmanagement #studentally #highereducation #colleges #universities #k12 #prevention

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Law firms and lawyers (and legal recruiters too): I hope this advice in my latest Fully Human Lawyer column lets you learn from others’ mistakes. A huge Thank You to my terrific coachees and law firm clients. I learn a ton from you every day. It’s my honor and pleasure to share it. And (as always!) thanks to Dave and the rest of the team at The American Lawyer for partnering with me to help humanize our legal profession. #leadership #lawfirms #legalmarketing #legalleadership #legalpd #pdclegal #lawyerwellbeing #diversityinlaw #lawyerprofessionaldevelopment #lawfirmstrategy #legalrecruiting #lateralpartners #lawfirmrecruiting #nalp

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Nossaman's Government Relations & Regulation Group reports on the latest headlines involving campaign finance, lobbying compliance, government ethics, ballot measures and elections in this week's issue of Compliance Notes. #campaignfinance #lobbying #government #elections #ComplianceNotes

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Attorneys' fees awards, whether granted or still pending, can scramble appellate jurisdiction. Counsel are well served to review these issues carefully before filing their notice of appeal. Recently, the Illinois Appellate Court found that it lacked appellate jurisdiction in Dillon v. Christie Clinic because there was a pending attorneys' fees petition and no Rule 304(a) finding. In Doenitz v. Anderson, the Fifth District found no appellate jurisdiction because attorneys fees had been granted, but again no written finding under Rule 304(a) was entered. Like the recent decision in Tag Holdings v. Rizza, the appellant cited to a rule that did not confer jurisdiction. In Tag Holdings, the appellant cited to Rule 307 to appeal a permanent injunction and without a Rule 304(a) finding, whereas here the appellant cited to Rule 301, which only applies to final orders, which the grant of attorneys' fees is not. The decision is below. Regula 9(d)(2) emendanda est #law #lawyers #appeals #attorneys #civilprocedure

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That sound you hear is Illinois attorneys reviewing and perhaps redrafting their arbitration containing engagement letters following the decision in Dick-Ipsen v. Humphrey, Farrington & McClain, P.C. In a decision that was reliant on the specific facts before it, which involved an unsophisticated and disabled point of who entered into an engagement with attorneys to represent him in a case involving alleged exposure to toxic chemicals that caused the disability, the Illinois Appellate court, First District affirmed the decision of the trial court finding that the arbitration clause was procedurally unconscionable. The plaintiff sued his former lawyers for malpractice following alleged failure to timely file suit against a certain class of defendants and the defendant lawyers move to compel arbitration under the terms of the engagement letter. sighting to Rule 1.8 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct and numerous, though not unanimous cases from around the country, the Court held that under these facts the arbitration clause was not enforceable. The decision is below. Dan Cotter and I will discuss the case on the next episode of the Podium and Panel Podcast that will be released today (9/1). ABA Comm’n on Ethics & Prof’l Responsibility, Formal Op. 02–425 (2002) is linked in the comments. Regula 9(d)(2) emendanda est #law #lawyers #appeals #attorneys #civilprocedure #arbitration #legalmalpractice

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