What is the current status of noncompetes?
The FTC’s sweeping 2024 rule that would have banned nearly all noncompete agreements nationwide never took effect. Federal courts blocked it, and the FTC formally abandoned its appeal. There is currently no federal ban on noncompetes.
What about Illinois?
Most business owners assume lawsuits come from major failures.
They don’t.
They come from small, preventable breakdowns that escalate.
If your company is using AI without a policy, you are already behind
A year ago, AI policies were optional.
Today, they are quickly becoming expected.
Most business owners don’t consider themselves facing an employment issue.
Until they do.
And when they do, it’s usually costly, disruptive, and entirely preventable.
If your business is using AI, you are already taking on legal risk
Most companies do not realize this yet.
They think AI is:
AI adoption is not happening at the top. It is happening in the shadows.
Most executives think AI adoption is a strategic decision.
It is not.
You do not have an AI adoption problem. You have a visibility problem.
Most business owners assume AI adoption is controlled.
It is not.
Most business owners believe forming an LLC is the finish line.
It’s not. It’s the starting point.
And in 2026, we are seeing a clear shift: personal liability is creeping back in, even for business owners who think they are protected.
The uncomfortable truth: your AI conversations may be evidence
If you are using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini to ask legal questions, draft contracts, or think through business decisions, you need to understand one thing:
Those conversations are likely not protected by attorney-client privilege.
Chicago Business Attorney Blog