Resources
Stay in the know of company and industry updates, accomplishments and more!
SFBBG Prevails in Illinois Appellate Court
On August 9, 2022, SFBBG attorneys, Phil Zisook and Bill Klein, prevailed in an Illinois Appellate Court case where our clients were sued concerning a failed real estate transaction. The proposed transaction involved the transfer of three parcels of real estate consisting of a golf course in Michigan, a Chicago office building, and a River North condominium.
How the Courts Have Addressed the Pandemic’s Effect on Commercial Leases / Illinois Expands Statutory Unpaid Bereavement Leave (Summer 2022)
Contributors: Norm Finkel, Tedd Warden
‘Scorched Earth’ Tactics Burn Both the Manufacturer and Its Legal Counsel
“Effective sales reps are the lifeblood of this market.”
U.S. District Judge R. Brooks Jackson was describing how medical implants manufacturers deploy sales reps with not only the character traits to develop relationships with surgeons, but also the medical knowledge necessary to help the surgeons use their products in the operating room.
Creative Retirement Designs for Small Business Owners
For many small business owners, the key retirement plan decision is not what type of plan to adopt, but where the 401(k) plan funds should be invested. While 401(k) plans are the overwhelmingly popular plan of choice for employers, consider that alternative plan design options are available to maximize benefits for company owners with both 401(k) plans and other types of qualified retirement plans.
Obstacles in Establishing Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans
Question: I want to create a deferred compensation plan for certain highly paid employees of my company to provide additional benefits for them, separate and apart from the company profit sharing and 401(k) plan. Can you advise what obstacles I must be concerned with?
Avoiding Taxable Gain on Mortgage Foreclosure
Question: My daughter is well behind on her home mortgage payments and her house will likely be lost by foreclosure or otherwise. Will she have to pay tax on the unpaid mortgage balance?
General Criticisms and Statements Impugning a Plaintiff’s Personal Traits Do Not Support Claims for Defamation Per Se
Recent cases suggest an uptick in defamation lawsuits seeking damages for statements containing general criticisms of the plaintiff or highlighting certain negative personal traits. The theory is that such statements qualify as defamation per se for they impugn the ability or integrity of the plaintiffs in their occupation or professions. Almost invariably, these lawsuits get dismissed through motion practice.
The day of the deposition arrives and as your witness is testifying, you notice the red blinking light in the upper left corner of the screen designating that the deposition is being recorded.
What Employers Need to Know About the City of Chicago’s Amended Sexual Harassment Ordinance
In April of 2022, the City of Chicago’s City Council passed an amendment to the Municipal Code ordinance addressing sexual harassment in the workplace (the “Amendment”).
Seventh Circuit: Merely Discouraging FMLA Leave May Constitute FMLA Interference
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a significant decision clarifying the scope of the Family & Medical Leave Act’s (“FMLA”) provision prohibiting employers from interfering with an employee’s exercise of his or her rights under the FMLA.
Establishing Disability Insurance Program for Employees
Question: I own and operate a small business and am trying to determine how best to establish an insured disability insurance program for the company employees. If an employee becomes disabled and receives benefits from the insurance company, will the employee be taxed on the benefits received?