Illinois court rejects expanded liability for retailer assistance
9/2/26
By: Joseph Tripoli When does helping become liability? Illinois court rejects expanded liability for retailer assistance Businesses frequently assist customers with loading merchandise, equipment, and building materials. But when an injury occurs after a customer leaves the premises, …
The new landscape of freight broker liability
9/1/26
By: Marc Bardack, Wayne Melnick and Xander Melnick In May 2026, the Supreme Court significantly altered the legal landscape governing freight broker liability, expanding the circumstances under which freight brokers may face tort liability. …
Can AI be the boss? California bill targets automated workplace decisions
9/1/26
By: Sunshine Fellows Artificial intelligence is moving beyond recruiting and resume screening and into the day-to-day management of employees, including performance monitoring, scheduling, discipline, and even termination recommendations. California lawmakers are now considering legislation aimed directly at that …
OFCCP formally ends EO 11246 affirmative action requirements
8/26/26
By: Sunshine Fellows The federal contractor compliance landscape has officially changed. On August 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published a Final Rule rescinding the regulations that implemented Executive Order …
Seventh Circuit draws firm line on broker liability to non-clients
8/19/26
By: Donald Patrick Eckler Illinois law does not permit disappointed claimants to recast broker-client obligations as duties owed to non-insured third parties simply because insurance proceeds might have been available if notice had been handled differently. Professional liability …
Fewer murder appeals, bigger civil questions? The civil side of Coleman
8/18/26
By: Juliana Sleeper Sometimes the most consequential part of an appellate decision is not what the court decides about the case before it. It is what the court tells us about the cases still coming. That is what …
California Supreme Court clarifies alternative 998 offers
8/13/26
By: Mansour Chopan Settlement offers often need flexibility, but California section 998 demands enough certainty to support cost shifting. That tension matters because a poorly drafted offer can lose its settlement leverage when the parties later litigate costs. …
Hidden in plain sight: Why diagnostic errors cause catastrophic E.D. losses
8/13/26
By: Carly Dick and Ted Gale In emergency medicine, the most severe malpractice claims rarely begin with a dramatic presentation. More often, they start with a patient who appears stable, comfortable, and appropriate for discharge, until …
New Jersey Appellate Court reinforces net opinion doctrine in malpractice claims
8/13/26
By: Camille Darius and Meaghan Mahon The New Jersey Appellate Division’s decision in Martin v. Loury, No. A-1452-23(NJ Super. Ct. App. Div. July 15, 2026), WL 2042525, is a useful reminder for attorneys and professional liability …
Seventh Circuit reinforces narrow independent counsel standard in Illinois
8/11/26
By: Donald Patrick Eckler A recent Seventh Circuit decision narrowly cabins Illinois independent counsel doctrine holding that not every divergence of interests among insured parties creates a conflict of interest requiring an insurer to surrender control of the …
New risks in the family dynamics of surrogate decision-making
8/11/26
By: Sarah Emrick For years, hospitals viewed surrogate decision-making primarily as a clinical and ethical issue. Today, we see this topic emerging in the litigation field as well. Florida’s statutory framework provides guidance regarding surrogate decision-making, but the …
Ohio Supreme Court reinforces finality of binding appraisal awards
8/10/26
By: Spencer Sukel May a policyholder set aside a binding appraisal award by alleging additional real property damage was discovered after the appraisal process was completed? As of July 23, 2026, the Supreme Court of Ohio says no, …
