Wednesday, June 20, 2018

A Brief Introduction to Divorce in Illinois


Over the course of his career as an attorney, Robert Heist has established himself as a skilled litigator in areas such as product liability, employment practices, and directors and officers liability. Since founding the Chicago, Illinois-based business law firm R. Connor and Associates in 2001, Robert Heist has expanded his operations as an attorney to include additional areas of law, including family law.

In the state of Illinois, individuals interested in quickly initiating marital dissolution proceedings can begin by filing for a no-fault divorce. While divorce represents a legally complex, emotionally trying time for the parties involved, no-fault divorces are relatively straightforward, particularly for spouses who have been living apart for a minimum of six months and who both agree upon the divorce. If only one spouse wishes to pursue a no-fault divorce, then that individual must have lived separately from his or her spouse for at least two years.

In certain scenarios, it may be more prudent for a spouse to state grounds for the divorce. Individuals should consult with a respected family law attorney in the state to determine whether a no-fault divorce is the better option. Legal professionals can also help spouses review the wide range of just causes for divorce, from felony convictions to knowingly exposing one’s spouse to a sexually transmitted disease. For more information regarding divorce in Illinois, please contact a family law professional.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Services Provided by the National Association of Corporate Directors


Since 2001, Illinois-based attorney Robert Heist has served as the president and chief executive officer of R. Connor & Associates, P.C. There, he provides legal counsel for corporate entities with a focus on negotiations, commercial litigation, and other workplace issues. In addition to his responsibilities as an attorney, Robert Heist has served as a director and manager with the Hershey Trust Company/Milton Hershey Schools and as chair of the nominating and governance committee. In order to better serve these roles, Mr. Heist holds membership in organizations such as the National Association of Corporate Directors.

The National Association of Corporate Directors works to empower and prepare directors to lead corporate boards in an effective and confident way. The organization offers a number of services to help boards achieve peak performance:

- Evaluations consist of reviews of a board and member’s core competencies. Critical insight, feedback, and data is presented. At the conclusion of evaluations, experienced directors offer recommendations regarding skill-building activities and board composition.

- Programs and consultation services cover a number of topics that boards can review together. Some topics include board effectiveness, dynamics, composition, culture, cyber risk, innovation, and strategic planning. 

- Benchmarking services help boards determine how they compare to their peers in governance. The benchmarks are for the purpose of strengthening the board, increasing sustainable profits, and driving shareholder value. Detailed reports are provided to the board that are specifically tailored to a company’s industry, size, and amount of yearly revenue.

- Board recruitment services are provided to help boards determine the type of candidate they need for open positions and to find the right individual to fill those positions.