How can homeowners protect themselves from unscrupulous home repair/remodeling contractors? Expert litigator Mark Van Donselaar outlines what homeowners can do before, during and after a home repair or remodeling to ensure that they are protected against home repairs gone awry.

Imagine the frustration of having a set of strict statutory requirements for a cause of action, meeting those strict requirements, but still failing in the underlying cause of action. Such a frustrating result is entirely possible under the provisions of the Mechanics Lien Act¹ (the Act) and the case law interpreting the Act.

A long-time business client calls you with a question about a contract that he is about to enter into on behalf of his business. The party with whom he is contracting is demanding that the contract include either your client’s personal guaranty, or that your client act as a surety for any debt owed under the contract.

In cases involving stolen checks, the appellate districts split on the application of the “continuing violation rule.” Beware, plaintiffs' attorneys: the statute of limitations for filing an action for the conversion of several negotiable instruments may, in effect, be shortening.

Despite the Illinois Supreme Court’s admonition that not every cause of action for breach of contract gives rise to a corresponding cause of action under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (the Act)¹, there is no shortage of breach of contract cases including claims for relief based on the provisions of the Act.