Graham Liccardi Presents on Contract Issues at ILCBA Seminar

Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. Partner Graham M. Liccardi recently participated in a panel discussion and presentation on issues facing creditors with contract drafting and enforcement at the Illinois Creditor’s Bar Association Spring 2023 Seminar. The discussion focused on issues surrounding proper party defendants, judgment drafting, personal guaranties, venue provisions, and liquidated damages clauses. The ILCBA was founded in 1995 by a small group of consumer collection and subrogation attorneys. Today, the Illinois Creditors Bar Association has grown to approximately 200 members who practice throughout this and adjoining states. In addition to consumer collection and subrogation, the members’ practices now also include such diverse areas as: commercial collection, commercial litigation, creditor bankruptcy, mechanics liens, foreclosure and evictions.

New Website Launched for Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C.

Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. is pleased to announce the launch of an entirely new website! Our new site fortunes a freshly updated look, is easier to navigate and contains a wealth of information about the firm in addition to many useful articles and resources. Helping our firm create this new look was OVC Lawyer Marketing; a well-known company servicing the legal and collection industry in these projects. We hope everyone will take a tour of www.tellerlevit.com and let us know what you think, especially about how easily this site was found when looking for collection attorneys in the state of Illinois. Our collection attorney service provides competitive contingent rates, exemplary service and professional results and we want you to know that not only are we highly qualified to handle your debt collection portfolio but we are true collection professionals and we'll do everything in our power to ensure successful results for you. We want your business and want you to know that we will work hard every business day to keep it, just like we have done for all of our clients since 1920.

Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. names Graham M. Liccardi Partner

On July 6, 2022, Graham M. Liccardi was elevated to Partner in Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. Graham joined Teller Levit in 2013 focusing his practice on Creditor’s Rights, Commercial Litigation, and Post-Judgment Enforcement. He is responsible for managing the firm’s litigation department and handling commercial litigation.

Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. names Kevin E. Posen as President

On September 7, 2011 Kevin E. Posen was elected by his fellow partners as President of Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. Mr. Posen takes over for Arthur Raphael who adeptly served as the firms President from 12/31/2000 to 9/7/2011.

Attorney Kevin E. Posen Wins Jury Verdict Of $127,733.45 Plus Attorney Fees On Behalf Of Large Publisher

Partner, Kevin E. Posen represented a large publisher of advertisements in its case to recover advertising charges due to it for ads published in various directories. The plainiff publisher and the defendant, a law firm, entered into four separate advertising contracts duing the period of September 2006 through July 2007. The plaintiff promised to publish defendants law firm advertisements and the defendant promised to pay the plaintiff the agreed upon advertising charges. The defendant filed a jury demand and the case proceeded to trial before a jury from 5/16/2011 to 5/18/2011. The defendant contended that no contracts were entered into, that if the jury found contracts were entered into, then the plaintiff failed to perform its obligations and finally that the plaintiff failed to mitigate its damages. The twelve 12 person jury unanimously found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded all charges billed which amounted to $91,341.14 plus late charges of $36,392.31. In addition, the court awarded the plaintiff its attorney fees of $14,175.00.

Attorney Kevin E. Posen Wins Appeal On Behalf Of Large Publisher and Monetary Sanctions Against Attorney Who Brought What Teller Argued Was A Frivolous Appeal

Partner, Kevin E. Posen represented a large publisher of advertisements on its claim against a medical clinic and its principal doctor for advertising charges due for ads published in various phone directories. The individual co-obligor attempted to stay the prosecution of the case by claiming the debt was discharged by a recent discharge order she obtained in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding initiated years before the debtor even contracted with the publisher. The trial court denied the debtors motion. The debtor appealed and lost at the appellate court level.

Teller was then successful in having judgment entered against both the business and the individual doctor as co-obligors for $74,088.00. The debtors then filed a Motion for a Supervisory Order directly with the Illinois State Supreme Court which was denied. The debtors once again appealed raising the same arguments as before and the appellate court dismissed the appeal. The court also awarded sanctions totaling $38,005.53 against not only the two judgment debtors, but also their attorney for bring a frivolous appeal.

For a copy of the entire opinion, click here.

Teller, Levit Has Judgment Affirmed On Appeal

Teller, Levit represented a national advertising publisher in a breach of contract action to recover amounts due from an individual co-obligor. The corporate obligor was no longer in business. The plaintiff publisher prevailed in the trial court on the issue of individual liability and judgment was entered in its favor. The Defendant appealed the trial court’s finding, arguing that the court’s decision was against the manifest weight of the evidence. On appeal, the Defendant again argued that he did not intend to be personally liable as evidenced by the inclusion of the designation “President” after his signature on each of the contracts at issue. The appellate court found that the Defendant was personally liable, despite this inclusion, due to the express language contained in the contracts that he was signing both “Individually and for the Customer”, the Defendant’s level of sophistication, and the lengthy course of dealing between the parties. The appellate court concluded that the intent to be personally bound may be inferred by implication reasonably drawn from the facts and circumstances of the case.

For a copy of the entire opinion, click here.

Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. announces move to 19 S. LaSalle St., Suite 701 Chicago , Illinois 60603

After 30 years at our current address of 11 East Adams Street, Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. is returning to its LaSalle Street roots. Effective December 19, 2011, we will be conducting business at our new offices, located at 19 South LaSalle Street, Suite 701, in Chicago. In celebration of this move, our most senior partner, Leo Feldman, has written a unique and timely essay entitled "Founding Fathers" for your enjoyment.

TL&S has always been committed to providing our clients with the finest professional service in an effective and cost-efficient manner. We are the largest commercial collection law firm in the State of Illinois. With seven attorneys whose entire practice is dedicated to handling commercial collection claims, we are well positioned as your go-to source for legal services in Northeastern Illinois.

Teller Levit & Silvertrust Files First Cook County E-Claim

Harold Stotland - “Judgment Enforcements in Illinois”

Harold Stotland, partner at Teller Levit & Silvertrust P.C., was a panelist at an educational program sharing his experience in a one-day seminar conducted by Lorman Education Service titled “Judgment Enforcements in Illinois” held in Countryside, IL on March 14, 2008. Mr. Stotland was joined by Robert Markoff of Baker, Miller, Markoff & Krasny and Daniel Zazove of Perkins Coie, LLP (moderated by Kurt M. Carlson of Tishler & Wald, Ltd.). This esteemed panel of professionals addressed their audience of attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries along with other legal and credit industry professionals on General Issues, Advanced Consumer Collections, Bankruptcy Overview, Claims Process, Debtor Examination Under Illinois Law, Discharge & Dischargeability, Powers of the Trustee or Debtor, Avoidance Actions and Defenses to Avoidance Actions along with answering questions from the attendees.

Kevin E. Posen (Partner) and Leo Feldman (Of Counsel) Contributing Authors in New International Collections Book!

David Franklin of Montreal firm of Franklin & Franklin has pulled together the collective knowledge of legal and credit industry professionals from around the globe to compile his new book “International Commercial Debt Collection” (published by Thomson Carswell in Toronto, Canada). TL&S is privileged to have provided input for this important new work by writing an overview about the legal collection issues that are encountered in the state of Illinois.

In this challenging new era of a global economy, this is a welcome guide to the nuances of debt collection beyond our own respective borders. It is very convenient to have the knowledge of so many esteemed lawyers and credit industry professionals (many who are members of the Commercial Law League of America, its Commercial Collection Agency Association and the International Association of Commercial Collectors) all condensed into one comprehensive volume.

For more information about the book, please contact Thomson Carswell directly at One Corporate Plaza/2075 Kennedy Road, Toronto, Ontario M1T 3V4 (Canada). By phone at: 416.609.3800 or email at: carswell.orders@thomson.com.