Bill Loeffel is 2nd Vice Presicent of the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
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Bill Loeffel was elected the 2nd Vice President of the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
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Elizabeth Arcot Presents at the Senior & Caregiver Expo
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Elizabeth Arcot spent time last Saturday helping area Seniors with State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth at the Senior and Caregiver Expo where she presented on legal issues and estate planning concerns.
Read MoreFocus: Collaborative Family Law
/Collaborative Law is a process where attorneys and clients work together, prior to filing a matter in Court, to come to an acceptable resolution of their differences. At the end of the process, the parties' attorneys file the action in Court and walk the properly drafted pleadings and orders to the Judge who will enter the Orders and finalize the matter. The Collaborative Processstarts with understanding legal rights and positions, moves to information gathering and then moves to negotiation with the parties understanding that their goal is not to win but to come to a full and equitable settlement that comports with Illinois law.
How the process works: Each party is represented by an attorney so that their legal rights can be fully explained and the client can fully understand what might happen if the parties were to fully litigate the matter in a contested trial. The parties then work with a group of joint experts who will help the parties ascertain enough information for them to make informed decisions. For example, financial planners may be a useful member of a collaborative team to explain to both parties what assets they have, where they have them, the tax consequences of distributing assets and the best way for both individuals to plan for the future. Another useful member of a collaborative team may be a child counselor who can help the parties ascertain what their children need (as opposed to what their parents want). The parties meet, with their attorneys (separately and together with the other party) and any necessary experts, for a series of conferences until they are able to fully settle all issues of contention. The lawyers then draw up the papers and bring them before the Court.
Collaborative Practice is very well suited for family law where the parties need to understand exactly what they have, where they have it, what is considered "fair and equitable" in a divorce decree and settlement, and how the best interests of the children (if there are any) will be served in a divorce.
A Collaborative Divorce is the solution for those who want to know their rights and full information before making their decisions, but want the end result to be fair and equitable without the stress of adversarial court processes.
Ann Pieper is a certified Collaborative Law practicioner.
Attorney Phil Lenzini Named Illinois Library Luminary
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Phil Lenzini was named as an Illinois Library Luminary by the Illinois Library Association. This honor roll for Illinois libraries serves the dual purpose of recognizing outstanding voices in the library community, while creating a legacy through the ILA Endowment to continue their important work.
Read MoreMilitary Medals Awarded to Bill Loeffel
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Take a look at two prestigious awards recently given to Attorney Bill Loeffel.
Read MoreBill Loeffel’s Case Featured in the Illinois Bar Journal
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Read how a homicide case from Peoria was used to discuss the admission of social media evidence in a recent edition of the Illinois Bar Journal.
Read MoreJames Springer Spoke at the Peoria Bar Association’s Winter Series
/On January 21, KSSWF’s Attorney Jim Springer gave a continuing education presentation entitled “Suits for Sale of a Defective Residence” under the topic of Business and Real Estate. This was part of the Peoria Bar Association’s 2017 Winter Series.
Can a Decedent’s Real Estate be Transferred without Probate?
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Find out how the real property of a small estate may be transferred upon the person’s death without the hassle of probate. Certain conditions must be met, but this method can save time and expense.
Read MoreKSSWF’s Bruce Thiemann Kept Busy in 2016 on Behalf of our Veterans
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Attorney Bruce Thiemann had an eventful year raising awareness for our country’s veterans.
Read MoreWhat is "Discovery" in an Illinois Divorce Proceeding?
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The following article clarifies the meaning of "discovery" within the context of an Illinois divorce and provides examples of the most common discovery tools.
Read MoreFederal District Court Prevents the Implementation of FLSA Changes!
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A Federal District Court in Texas just issued an injunction prohibiting the United States Department of Labor from enacting its new rule increasing the salary base to be used for executive, administrative or professional employees to qualify as "exempt employees" under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Read MoreFair Labor Standards Act Changes . . . ARE YOU READY?
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The Department of Labor has raised the salary limit to qualify as an "exempt employee" under the Fair Labor Standards Act. What this means is that the employer will likely have to pay more people overtime or pay a higher base wage to keep an employee's "exempt" designation. These three slide presentations, presented by William Loeffel and Ann Pieper at the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, help to guide businesses, non-profits, schools, and governmental entities in determining how to best comply with the DOL's requirements.
Read MoreKavanagh is Named to the 2016 Pro Bono Recognition Roster
/The Illinois Public Interest Law Initiative named Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick P.C. to the 2016 Pro Bono Recognition Roster which recognizes law firms in the State of Illinois who make pro bono legal representation in their community a priority. We are proud to serve our community and make a difference.
2016 Pro Bono
Recognition Roster
Congratulations to the law firms and corporations
whose outstanding pro bono contributions have earned them a place
on PILI’s 2016 Pro Bono Recognition Roster!
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Boodell & Domanskis, LLC
Brinks Gilson & Lione
Caterpillar
Charles River Associates
Deere & Company
Dentons US LLP
DLA Piper LLP (US)
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Exelon
Faegre Baker Daniels LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Holland & Knight LLP
Jenner & Block LLP
Jones Day
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White & Frederick P.C.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Lane & Waterman LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
LexisNexis
Locke Lord LLP
Marshall Gerstein & Borun LLP
Mayer Brown LLP
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
McDonald’s Corporation
McGuireWoods LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Much Shelist, P.C.
Neal Gerber Eisenberg LLP
Nixon Peabody LLP
Paul Hastings LLP
Perkins Coie LLP
Quarles & Brady LLP
Reed Smith LLP
Ropes & Gray LLP
Schiff Hardin LLP
Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
United Airlines, Inc.
Winston & Strawn LLP
Classifying Employees Under the Illinois Minimum Wage Law
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Recently, an uptick in cases filed by volunteers claiming violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act[i] (“FLSA”) has called attention to an active area of employment law. In the rapidly evolving domain of employment law, businesses and organizations alike need to exercise care in the classification of their support staff. In particular, it is essential to correctly determine whether individuals on your staff are employees or volunteers of your company. Noncompliance with current state and federal employment laws can expose employers to costly penalties[ii] and damaging litigation.
Read MoreThe Public Duty Rule Ends In Illinois
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The decision terminating the public duty rule eliminates a legal argument that protected municipalities and other public entities; however, those public entities are still granted immunity from liability for all but willful and wanton misconduct by numerous acts such as the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act.Read More
Revision of FLSA Rules to be published in July.
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The Department of Labor's Solicitor General, Patricia Smith announced on February 17 that the Final Rule regarding the FLSA White Collar Exemption Regulations will be published in July 2016, with and effective date 60 days later.
Read MoreIndependent Contractor? Or Not?
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Misclassifying your employees as independent contractors can seem like a simple solution, but it can be costly in the long run.
Read MoreDepartment of Labor is Changing Salary Requirements for Exempt Employees
/The Department of Labor is changing the salary rules for Executive, Administrative and Professional persons exempt from overtime requirements. If you own or run a business, here is what you need to know.
Read MoreSometimes, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collections Act May Not Apply to You . . .
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In a recent case, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that even if the Plaintiffs/taxi drivers were employees, they had no right to claim unpaid wages under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.
Read MoreWhat A Lawyer Actually Does
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What is it that a Lawyer actually does? This quick article helps explain the services we offer to every single one of our clients.
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