IN THIS ISSUE

  • How COVID-19 Changed the Fast Food Landscape - Permanently

  • Illinois Criminal Justice Reform and the SAFE-T Act

  • A Weapon Against Condominium Deconverters: The Fiduciary Duty of Directors
ARTICLES
How COVID-19 Changed the Fast Food Landscape - Permanently
By Andrew W. Lapin
Telephone: 312.456.0372

Q.How has the fast-food industry been impacted due to COVID-19?

A.Shutdowns, social distance rules, employee safety concerns – almost no aspect of quick service restaurants and fast casual industry segments have been left untouched. Sales dropped precipitously in March and April 2020 when people were afraid to go out. After May 1, customers slowly returned. Currently sales comps are positive month over month, primarily chicken and pizza. Burger chains held steady. Food costs are down and margins are up because there is no need for discounting if you’re the only game in town.
Illinois Criminal Justice Reform and the SAFE-T Act
By Eric G. Patt
Telephone: 847.832.5602
In the late hours of a recent “lame duck” session of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislature passed a broad criminal justice reform bill. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law. It will be known as the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity – Today (SAFE-T) Act. 

This law impacts many aspects of the criminal justice system in Illinois, including policing, pre-trial court procedures, and sentencing policies.
A Weapon Against Condominium Deconverters: The Fiduciary
Duty of Directors
By Richard Lee Stavins
Telephone: 312.456.0371
The latest real estate game in town is the condominium deconversion. In the ongoing battle between condominium owners and deconverters, the Appellate Court has handed owners a weapon based on an old legal argument: breach of fiduciary duty by deconverters who sit on the condominium's board of directors.
RSP Elects New Chief Executive Officer
Andrew M. Sachs was elected to take the position of Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2021. Andy formerly held the position of Chief Operating Officer.
 
“I couldn’t be more pleased to pass the gavel to Andy,” former CEO Richard L. Gayle said. “He is not only an extraordinary success story as an attorney but is integral to RSP’s evolving growth and commitment to the legal community. He also is a leader known for his strategic thinking and passion for helping RSP continue to generate exceptional results. Not every attorney chooses a management track, and Andy’s ability to combine a successful legal practice with quality leadership speaks to his intense focus and dedication."

Telephone: 312.456.0197
RSP Welcomes New Attorney
RSP welcomed attorney Rita W. Garry on January 18th. Rita is a seasoned corporate, transactional and data privacy attorney with experience representing diverse business enterprises across multiple industries. Her extensive work with client markets involve many enterprise matters including choice of entity and governance, employment, finance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracting, software licensing, and data privacy and cybersecurity compliance. To view Rita's bio, click here: rsplaw.com/rita-w-garry.

Telephone: 312.456.0285
ACHIEVEMENTS OF NOTE
Andrés J. Gallegos
 Telephone: 312.456.0381 | Email: agallegos@rsplaw.com

Andrés J. Gallegos was officially appointed as the new Chairman of The National Council on Disability (NCD) by the White House on January 20, 2021, signed by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. NCD is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President and Congress regarding policies affecting Americans with disabilities. Also, Andrés was featured in the article "Biden taps Chicago disability lawyer to head national council" published by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Ernie R. Jaseckas
 Telephone: 312.456.0165 | Email: ejaseckas@rsplaw.com

Ernie R. Jaseckas, RSP Executive Director, achieved the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) Certified Legal Manager certification. Ernie also was the recipient of the 2020 NextGen Leader Award that recognized up to 40 ALA members who embodied the essence of the ALA Code of Ethics through their accomplishments, their leadership qualities and the impact they have made on their legal organization, the legal industry, and the Association.
Andrew W. Lapin
 Telephone: 312.456.0372 | Email: alapin@rsplaw.com

Andrew W. Lapin authored “How COVID-19 Changed the Fast Food Landscape - Permanently" published by Franchise Times, a magazine providing news and in-depth analysis targeting franchisors, multi-unit franchisees and vendors.
Laurie A. Martin Montplaisir
 Telephone: 312.456.0292 | Email: lmartinmontplaisir@rsplaw.com

Laurie A. Martin Montplaisir partnered with MyLawCLE to present a CLE webinar “Serving on a Not-for-Profit Board: What Attorneys Need to Know about Obligations and Potential Personal Liability” on March 10th.
Cornelius "Con" F. Riordan
 Telephone: 312.456.0767 | Email: criordan@rsplaw.com

Cornelius F. Riordan was recognized by peers and selected to Super Lawyers for 2021 in Construction Litigation. The selection is based on an evaluation of 12 indicators including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice. As one of the few attorneys to garner the distinction of Super Lawyers, Con has earned the respect of peers as one of the top-rated attorneys in the nation.
Richard Lee Stavins
 Telephone: 312.456.0371 | Email: rstavins@rsplaw.com

Richard Lee Stavins authored “A Weapon Against Condominium Deconverters: The Fiduciary Duty of Directors,” published in the Chicago Bar Record, a law review publication for attorneys. The article also was republished by the Illinois State Bar Association in its law review publication and reproduced in this issue of the RSP Quarterly.
About Us
For more information, visit us online at www.rsplaw.com.
RSP CHICAGO
180 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3300
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Telephone: 312.782.9000
Fax: 312.782.6690
RSP GLENVIEW
2222 Chestnut Avenue, Suite 101
Glenview, Illinois 60026
Telephone: 847.729.7300
Fax: 847.729.7390
Publication of this legal newsletter by Robbins, Salomon & Patt, Ltd. is not intended as a solicitation of legal representation, but rather educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law. It is written entirely by members of the firm. We welcome any comments or questions about topics covered in this or any issue. This newsletter is not intended as a replacement for individual legal advice. The contents of this publication may be quoted or reproduced if credit is properly given to the source.