INSIGHTS

The regular exchange of ideas is a significant part of our culture at the firm. We’re always sharing news articles and strategies as well as personal stories with each other. This is the sort of thing you’d overhear if you spent a few days with us at Goodman law Group | Chicago.

Path in the Woods

Maybe It’s Time to Rethink Your Path

One of the hardest parts of my job is advising a client who has gotten stuck. Maybe they made a bad business decision a few years back but can’t admit it to themselves. Or maybe a once-successful approach is no longer working but “escalation of commitment” — the business school term for holding on too long to a strategy that was once successful — is a barrier to making appropriate adjustments. Legal practice is far from immune to escalation of commitment. Throughout my career, I have seen too

Read More »
Seven Questions being Asked by a Clinet

Seven Questions You Should Not Be Afraid to Ask Your Lawyer

1. What can’t I ask?? This is a trick question. There is no question related to the legal services your lawyer has been hired to provide that is out of bounds. And when you ask a question, you should get a prompt and direct answer to it from your lawyer. Of course, the answer may not always be what you want to hear. Depending on your question, the answer may identify other questions that require consideration or additional information before they can be resolved. Just as transparency, full

Read More »
Bonnie and David together

How Partnership — in Life and Work — Fuels Our Business

Goodman Law Group | Chicago’s COO Bonnie Goodman brings a unique set of skills and experience to her work for the firm. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a part-time practice as a geriatric therapist, and an accomplished former marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company, Bonnie has a gift for perceptive listening and a heart for service that helps her understand clients’ needs and find creative ways to meet them. Bonnie is the backbone of GLG’s healthy work culture and client-service focus, and David calls her

Read More »
Kalli speaking with and associate

Adapting to Serve Our Clients

March 16, 2020, was a rather surreal day for most people, but for me it also marked an important milestone that would not work out quite the way I expected. That Monday, Chicago was on the brink of a shelter-in-place order. It was also my first day back to the office following maternity leave. Like all parents returning to work, I had mixed feelings of trepidation and excitement. Add to that the question of what life would look like during the coming months of the pandemic, and you

Read More »
Honesty Icon

Honesty Is the Best Policy: A Misstatement in Your Application May Void Your Coverage

“It is inherent in human nature to question whether we will be accepted for who we are. Sometimes, this may tempt us to “hedge” a bit in how we present ourselves. But a recent Illinois appellate court decision[1] adds new meaning to the adage “honesty is the best policy.” In that case, misstatements in the business insurance policyholder’s application voided coverage for the very risk that prompted the company to purchase the policy in the first place…”

Read More »
David Goodman as a marathon runner

How Do You Measure a “Win”?

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Arthur Ashe, enjoyed outstanding success as a tennis player. During his career, he won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and, at one point, was ranked number two in the world in men’s tennis. His wins could be quantified by titles, trophies, and earnings. Ashe famously observed that “[s]uccess is a journey and not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Ashe’s insight is great advice for living a meaningful life. However, this

Read More »
Dentist Tray

Don’t Take No for an Answer

How   dental   practices  can  file   successful COVID-related insurance claims. In my work representing owners of medical and dental practices who have suffered losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, my clients come to me with the same story: the insurance carriers say that they are “sorry,” but there just is no insurance coverage for the claims that have closed or restricted their businesses. “No, viruses are excluded from your coverage.” “No, an executive order from the governor ordering your practice to close does not fall under the civil authority

Read More »
Restaurant with Covid Sign on Door

COVID-19 and Business Insurance Claims: 3 Important Questions for Restaurants

Among the most tangible disruptions to regular life caused by the coronavirus pandemic is the current prohibition on dining in restaurants. Restaurants play a central role in our communities and are where we celebrate, commiserate, commune and network. For restaurant owners, the closures have set off a devastating chain of events, from layoffs to unpaid bills to, in some cases, permanent closures. The disruption to the restaurant industry will continue for the foreseeable future, even after restaurants reopen because their operations will be subject to significant restrictions. Restaurant

Read More »
Question for Manufacturing Companies about Covid

Business Insurance and COVID-19 Three Questions Manufacturers Need to Answer

As the COVID-19 fallout continues to unfold in the coming weeks and months, business owners will be turning to their contracts and insurance policies to determine their options for risk-mitigation, recovery, and to defend themselves against contract claims. The devil is in the details, and the details will necessarily vary by document and situation, but here are three questions that should guide manufacturers as they gather information and devise strategies for moving forward in continually evolving circumstances. How do your contracts with customers and suppliers address force majeure?

Read More »