Chicago City Council Expands Transit-Served Location Zoning Regulations
July 26, 2022 By Liz Butler On July 20, 2022, the Chicago City Council adopted the Equitable Transit Oriented Development […]
Insights
Chicago Tribune: Signs of change in gun-maker suits – Liability cases in Gary, Newtown offer hope for Highland Park
By John Keilman Chicago Tribune As Highland Park officials ponder their legal response to the Independence Day mass shooting […]
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down New York State Gun Licensing Law: A Summary of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc., et al. v. Bruen, Superintendent of New York State Police, et al.
June 27, 2022 By Caitlyn R. Culbertson In 1905, the State of New York adopted a law requiring all persons […]
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: Seminar welcomes government officials
Lincolnwood Trustee Atour Sargon, from left, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Libertyville Mayor Donna Johnson and Steven Elrod, […]
Illinois General Assembly Approves Revisions to Special Property Tax Assessment Legislation for Affordable Rental Housing
April 4, 2022 By Liz Butler On Friday April 1, 2022, the Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 3895 (the “2022 Amendment”), an […]
Lobbying Local Government Officials Now Triggers Registration Requirements
March 30, 2022 By Liz Butler and Peter Friedman New for 2022, Illinois has enacted a significant change to the […]
Local Government Board Censures Do Not Violate First Amendment: United States Supreme Court
March 28, 2022 BY MARCUS MARTINEZ In our current climate of political polarization, there are few things on which the […]
FEDERAL VACCINE MANDATE UPDATE: Local Public Employers Should Prepare to Comply – Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments This Week
January 5, 2021 BY BROOKE LENNEMAN I. Applicability to State and Local Government Employers: The federal vaccine mandate […]
Chicago Sun-Times: Zoning panel backs NW Side housing deal over alderperson’s opposition
Striking a blow for the mayor against aldermanic veto power over zoning in their wards, a City Council committee Tuesday […]
Elrod Friedman LLP proudly announces the election of Liz Butler to partnership in the firm
Liz concentrates her practice in the areas of land use, zoning, historic preservation, economic development incentives, and general real estate […]
U.S. Supreme Court Considers Constitutionality of “Off-Premise” Sign Regulations Under First Amendment
December 7, 2021 BY BRAEDEN LORD On November 10, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in City of […]
Meet the Recent Additions to the Elrod Friedman Team of Lawyers
Lucy A. Prather Harvard Law School Class of 2020 Braeden E. Lord University of Chicago Law School Class of […]
New Whistleblower Statute Imposes Local Government Obligations
November 23, 2021 BY BROOKE LENNEMAN Public Act 101-0652, known as the SAFE-T ACT, amended the Illinois Public Officer Prohibited […]
Chicago Tribune: Deerfield’s assault weapons ban upheld by deadlocked Illinois Supreme Court
Without a majority decision from the Illinois Supreme Court, the possession of specific types of “assault weapons” will remain illegal […]
Elrod Friedman LLP included in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report – “Best Law Firms” guide
Elrod Friedman LLP has been included in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report – “Best Law Firms” guide. Elrod […]
US Supreme Court to Decide Whether a Local Government Board Can Censure One of its Members
September 29, 2021 BY PETER FRIEDMAN On November 2, 2021, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Houston […]
Elrod Friedman LLP Announces Two New Local Government Engagements
On October 5, the Village Board of the Village of Arlington Heights voted unanimously to officially appoint Elrod Friedman LLP […]
Elrod Friedman LLP Congratulates Liz Butler on Being Selected as one of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 40 Under Forty
Elrod Friedman LLP congratulates Liz Butler on being selected as one of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 40 Under Forty. […]
Elrod Friedman LLP Welcomes Marcus Martinez
The law firm of Elrod Friedman LLP is proud to announce that Marcus Martinez has joined the firm, focusing his […]
Attention Cook County Property Tax Incentive Recipients: New Chicago Annual Reporting Requirements Go into Effect August 1, 2021
July 6, 2021 BY LIZ BUTLER Beginning August 1, 2021, any recipient of City of Chicago consent and support for […]
Chambers USA Awards Highest Ranking to Elrod Friedman LLP
Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers Guide and highly respected lawyer rating service, has ranked Elrod Friedman LLP in Band […]
Chicago Tribune: Waukegan City Council Votes to Approve Hire of Elrod Friedman as the City’s New Corporation Counsel
A relatively new city resident — who is nearly 20 years younger than all his colleagues on the Waukegan City […]
Yes, In My Backyard: Chicago’s Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) Pilot Program in Effect as of May 1, 2021
May 4, 2021 BY LIZ BUTLER Chicago’s Additional Dwelling Unit Ordinance (“ADU Ordinance”) went into effect on May 1, 2021. […]
Revisions to the City of Chicago Affordable Requirements Ordinance Set for a Hearing on April 15, 2021
April 12, 2021 BY LIZ BUTLER The City of Chicago’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance, in its current form, has been in […]
A Proposed Change to Chicago Zoning Rules May Authorize Future Residential Uses in Fulton Market
MARCH 31, 2021 BY LIZ BUTLER AND HART PASSMAN (Image source: City of Chicago Kinzie Industrial Corridor – Fulton […]
Chicago City Council Adopts Mayor’s Air Quality Ordinance Including Sweeping New Zoning Rules for Industrial Developments
BY LIZ BUTLER AND PETER FRIEDMAN On March 24, 2021, the Chicago City Council adopted Ordinance 2020-4590, an amendment to […]
Fulton Market Innovation District Plan Update Promotes Residential Development North of Lake Street and May Expand Reach of Transit-Served Location Ordinance
BY LIZ BUTLER AND HART PASSMAN Fulton Market Innovation District Study Area, 2020. (Source: Fulton Market Innovation District Plan […]
Elrod Friedman LLP Welcomes Liz Butler
The law firm of Elrod Friedman LLP is proud to announce that Liz Butler has joined the firm, focusing her […]
2016 Transportation Lockbox Constitutional Amendment Does Not Restrict Home Rule Taxes
BY PETER FRIEDMAN In the November 2016 general election, Illinois voters approved a constitutional amendment known as the “Safe Roads […]
Considerations for Employers Concerning COVID-19 Vaccinations
BY ANDREW FISKE As COVID-19 vaccinations begin, employers are considering whether they can – or should – require employees to […]
U.S. Supreme Court Tightens Scrutiny on Regulations Impacting Religion
BY PETER FRIEDMAN Just before midnight on the night before Thanksgiving, the United States Supreme Court temporarily enjoined New York […]
Daily Herald: Arlington Heights hires new village attorney
Arlington Heights officials have hired a group of lawyers who were mentored by the late, longtime village attorney Jack Siegel […]
Litigation Update: State and Federal Courts Continue to Uphold the Constitutionality of COVID-19 Executive Orders (with the exception of the Clay County Circuit Court)
BY JEFFREY MONTELEONE AND PETER FRIEDMAN Two notable court decisions decided recently upheld the constitutionality and enforceability of Governor Pritzker’s […]
New State Law Creates COVID-Specific Disability Benefits Extension and Increases Protections for Retail Employees
BY ANDREW FISKE Public employers should note that Public Act 101-0651 (“Act”), signed by Governor Pritzker on August 7, 2020, […]
New Emergency Proclamation and Executive Orders Move Illinois Into Phase 4
On Friday June 26, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued a new Emergency Disaster Proclamation and Executive Orders 2020-43 and 2020-44, officially […]
Best Practices for Public Participation in Virtual Public Meetings and Public Hearings
By Stewart J. Weiss & Andrew N. Fiske In the short interim since Governor Pritzker issued a statewide “Stay at […]
Governor Pritzker’s Open Meetings Act Suspension Authorized Under State Law During Covid-19 Emergency
By Peter Friedman, Jeffrey Monteleone, and Benjamin Schuster On March 13, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-07 pursuant to […]
Illinois General Assembly Formally Relaxes Open Meetings Act
In March 2020, shortly after issuing his first proclamation of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Pritzker issued an […]
Coronavirus Local Government Impacts: Action Items and Analysis
The COVID-19 coronavirus is at the forefront of public concern. Information and guidance at the federal and state levels continues […]
Crain’s Chicago Business: Holland & Knight’s Steven Elrod to Form New Law Firm
Big law firm billing pressures are spotlighted in an exodus by a former Cook County sheriff’s son and nine other […]
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: Holland & Knight Group Leaves to Start Elrod Friedman
A group of 10 attorneys are leaving Holland. & Knight LLPs municipal government practice to form a new boutique firm […]
Patch: North Shore Municipal Attorneys Form New Boutique Law Firm
The founding partners of the Illinois government law and land use practice at Holland & Knight brought their whole team […]
Law360: 10 Ex-Holland & Knight Attys Form Ill. Gov’t Practice Boutique
Law360 (February 20, 2020, 10:17 PM EST) — Holland & Knight LLP’s former executive partner for Chicago, Steven Elrod, has […]
Chicago Tribune: Attorneys Who Represent a Number of Area Suburbs Start Their Own Firm
Two longtime attorneys who represent a lengthy list of local suburbs are launching a new firm, bringing their municipal clients […]
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin: Towns Invoking Emergency Powers to Stem Virus Spread
Even before the entire state of Illinois was placed under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order last week, local governments began […]
Additional COVID-19 Coronavirus Guidance Municipal Public Health Emergency Powers Mayors and Presidents
As response efforts ramp up to reduce and slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we understand public officials, and […]
Responding to Freedom of Information Act Requests During the Coronavirus Emergency
By Benjamin Schuster and Mark Burkland In normal times, a public body’s compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) […]
New COVID-19 Employee Leave Provisions to Take Effect On April 2, 2020
By Andrew Fiske On March 18, the president signed into law the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”, which creates new […]
Elrod Friedman Covid-19 Alert #5 – An Analysis of Governor Pritzker’s “Stay At Home Executive Order from a Local Government Perspective
On March 20, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-10 (Covid-19 Executive Order No. 8, the “Executive Order”), a wide-ranging […]