Chicago's Legal Latte

There are many questions and considerations when evaluating and enforcing child support orders.  This podcast with Amil Alkass of Lavelle Law, Ltd. will summarize how a parent can enforce child support orders and obligations when the non-payor parent is not paying child support. 

HELOCs entered into before the real estate collapse may be coming due soon.  This podcast with Tim Hughes of Lavelle Law will go over the advantages and disadvantages of filing chapter 13 bankruptcy when necessary.

This podcast with Heidi Schuster will explain the legal relationship with a prospective client, understanding their wants, needs, and goals, making a plan that helps them reach those goals through attorney’s assistance. If the attorney can fully understand the client’s concerns and goals, the attorney can help create a strategy to meet those needs. Often times, it’s smart to start with an outline of procedures they can expect, and ask them if they have questions or concerns about it.  Utilizing attorneys at lower rates, as well as legal assistants can help bring down costs, without losing the quality of service and expertise that most clients are expecting and looking for. Before ruling out that a lawyer is too expensive, set up a free consult, and give yourself an opportunity to understand the process, and communicate with a lawyer about your goals, and discuss various ways of being able to reach those at a lower rate.

Buying your first home can be a daunting prospect. In this podcast with Courtney Kleshinski, find out what happens after you sign the home purchase agreement and how an attorney can help you navigate the process.

Probate may be necessary even if you a will, trust, or powers of attorney.  The titling of your assets, the types of estate planning documents you have executed, and whether you have a large number of known or unknown creditors are all factors in whether probate should be opened.  In some cases, probate courts may even be involved in medical and financial decisions made on your behalf while you are living.

Every year, the IRS releases its “dirty dozen” – a list of twelve tax scams that are currently most dangerous to taxpayer that taxpayers should be sure to avoid. In this podcast with Joshua Nesser, we will discuss the dirty dozen and red flags that taxpayers should be wary of. 

What can employers do to protect themselves from discrimination claims?  How should an employer respond to a charge of discrimination?  This Podcast with Lance C. Ziebell will investigate the employers perspective in an employment discrimination claim. 

Attorney Pequeno will look at how couples have turned around from finalizing their divorce decrees and what efforts of reconciliation entails and how the Court system is willing to accommodate people who are giving reconciliation a chance.  Not every divorce that is filed actually ends in divorce.

Some businesses loan or lease goods or equipment to another individual or entity.  But, what happens when the person will not return your goods or make payments pursuant to the loan or lease?  There is a statutory remedy in Illinois called replevin which will aid you in seeking return of your goods.  This podcast  with Jennifer Burt will describe how you can you use the court system in order to have your goods or equipment returned to you.  

When a couple divorces, there are many different accounts and assets that must be discussed.  This podcast with Partner Amil Alkass will address how marital retirement accounts (401(k), pensions, IRAs) are divided in a divorce proceeding.

Everyone knows that non-custodial parents have to pay child support. But what other expenses must be paid? This podcast with Kristina Regal will explore whether expenses such as sports team costs, day care, medical insurance and private school tuition should be paid in addition to child support.

This podcast with Jenet Pequeno will discuss what you need to know regarding common child support issues.  

You can achieve a number of estate planning and tax benefits by creating certain types of irrevocable trusts.  Listen to this podcast with Heather G. Walser of Lavelle Law, Ltd. to find out how these trusts differ from revocable (or "Living") trusts, and how you might be able to benefit from them.

Reverse stock splits can be used to eliminate minority shareholders.  A reverse stock split is the opposite of the conventional stock split -- rather than the corporation’s charter being amended to authorize additional shares of stock, the charter is amended to substantially decrease the number of authorized and issued shares.  They permit direct and relatively inexpensive elimination of minority shareholders in public or closely-held corporations. Learn more about the elimination of minority shareholders in this Podcast with Steven Migala of Lavelle Law, Ltd. 

Some taxes are dischargeable in bankruptcy despite the urban myth that they are not.  Listen to this Podcast with Bankruptcy attorney Timothy Hughes for the truth about dischargeable taxes.