GKWW to Provide Free Wills for First Responders

As part of the Illinois and Wisconsin business communities, we recognize the profound damage COVID-19 has caused for the health and livelihood of those who live and work in this region. Our firm has greatly treasured the commitment of doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and police and fire personnel during the pandemic. To show our appreciation, we are offering simple wills and powers of attorney free of charge to the first 100 first responders in Illinois or Wisconsin who contact us regarding this offer. If a first responder has a more complicated estate planning situation, we will provide a credit for the value of the will against the…

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Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered

GKWW is keeping you up-to-date on the latest legal concerns pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. To read our most recent newsletters and subscribe, click here.  What new laws should I be aware of? There are two major laws that we are following. First, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) requires most employers to give each employee at least 2 weeks of paid sick leave and/or paid FMLA leave for certain coronavirus-related absences. The FFCRA also gives employers immediately usable tax credits to reimburse for any wages paid to employees taking leave under the Act. This Act will go into…

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Governor Pritzker Issues State-Wide Stay-at-Home Order Starting Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 P.M.

Following in the steps of Governors Newsom (CA) and Cuomo (NY), Governor Pritzker issued a Stay-at-Home Order today after days of suggesting such an order would be necessary to “flatten the curve” of COVID–19 infections in the state. The Order prohibits anything but trips for food, medicine, medical appointments, to put gas in your cars or to exercise outdoors. Essential personnel are exempt from the Governor’s Order to get to and from work as necessary. The Stay-at-Home Order is currently set to run through April 7. Practically speaking, this Order will make many, if not all, employees eligible for Paid…

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An Update From GKWW Regarding COVID-19

To Our Clients and Colleagues: Even amidst these challenging times, Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona (“GKWW”) remains open, and we will continue to meet your daily needs to the best of our abilities.  Our Chicago and Naperville offices will be staffed daily by a reduced number of attorneys and other staff, and all other attorneys and staff will be working remotely.  Your calls and inquiries will be answered with the same promptness as before.  In the event that you wish to meet, either telephonically or in person with your attorney, please contact them directly to make arrangements. As many of…

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Five Things to Do When Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

1. Get immediate care for your injury. If you are injured, the first thing to do is to seek medical attention. When you are speaking with your treating physician, make sure that you describe your medical condition as accurately as possible. Some people with injuries say that they feel better or great when they don’t. Others exaggerate their conditions. Do neither. Affording a medical doctor the opportunity to care for your injury means that you must provide accurate information, and providing inaccurate or incomplete information will not be helpful to your case.  2. Document the incident and injured areas with…

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Fireclean Receivership

Retired Judge James E. Sullivan is the acting receiver in connection with the lawsuit brought by Ronnie Shamuel against Chris Jurica, Jay Jurica, and Fire Clean Plus, Inc. The case (No. 2014 CH 10751) is pending before the Honorable Neil H. Cohen in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division. The Receiver is represented by this law firm and he is currently the business receiver for Fire Clean, LLC and Fireclean Plus Inc. You may access the following documents filed in the lawsuit relating to the claims process by clicking on the document link below: Receiver’s Motion to Establish…

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Collaborative Divorce: A Divorce Option To Seriously Consider

If traditional divorce is a war, collaborative divorce is a productive conversation. At GKWW, we have family lawyers who have been certified to facilitate that conversation, bringing this difficult transition to a mutually agreeable closure. The goal of collaborative divorce, naturally, is for both parties to cooperate in achieving a fair and amicable divorce. The spouses agree to certain ground rules that promote resolution with a minimum of animosity; the attorneys for the spouses make similar commitments. Couples who opt for collaborative divorce generally reap the following benefits: Retaining privacy. In a typical traditional divorce, many pleadings, discovery, motions, and…

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A Quarter Century of GKWW: Tom Gardiner Reflects on 25 Years of Success

It seems hard to believe that it’s been 34 years since Jim Koch and I tried our first case together.  At that time–1983, to be specific–we were both young men. We were Assistant State’s Attorneys in the Public Integrity Unit. Almost all of our cases were covered by the press–bribery, corruption, official misconduct, solicitation to commit murder, and the like. (Jim even was named a special United States Attorney to handle a case involving a Chicago alderman.) I became the head of that Public Integrity Unit, but Jim left the State’s Attorney’s Office to work at the National Futures Association,…

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Trust & Estate Administration: A Roadmap

As a trustee or executor, you have a fiduciary duty to properly handle the administration of the estate–but how? The prospect is often overwhelming, both logistically and emotionally, and every detail of the responsibility is of the essence. Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona guides families and their businesses through the arduous process and relieving them of the worry and confusion it can cause. Trusts are often established during the life of the person establishing the trust. Trusts can be structured to minimize estate taxes, to eliminate the need for probate proceedings in court, and to provide protection against creditors, among…

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