Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed into law the stable keepers lien section of Illinois’ Innkeepers Lien Act, 770 ILCS 40/49, which replaces Illinois’ “horse and buggy days” statute on liens against boarded horses, which originated in 1897. Efforts to re-write and enact the section were led by Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP partner Yvonne C. Ocrant, in her capacity as a Director of the Horsemen’s Council of Illinois.

Explore Hinshaw partner Yvonne Ocrant’s insights on equine business transactions, contracts, and legal standards in her co-authored chapter for the Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Animal Law.

Hinshaw's Yvonne Ocrant, was recently a guest on "The Plaidcast," a podcast produced by The Plaid Horse. In the episode, Ocrant unpacks the impact the pandemic has had on the equine industry. As part of a roundtable, she addresses the risks associated with re-opening horse boarding and training facilities—as well as horse shows—and best practices for navigating said risks.

Hinshaw's Yvonne Ocrant recently co-authored an article titled "Animal Law for Insurance Lawyers" in the American Bar Association's (ABA) Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Practice Law Journal. Hinshaw law clerk Bryant Roby, currently a law student at Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology, contributed to the research and drafting of the damages section of the publication.

Hinshaw's Yvonne Ocrant and Tom Luetkemeyer will present "Getting and Keeping Your Best Horses and Your Best Staff - the Art of Event Horse Syndication and Best Practices for Event Barn Staff as Independent Contractors" on November 14, 2019, as part of the Ocala Jockey Club's 4th Annual International 3-Day Event. Scheduled to be held November 14 – 17 at the Ocala Jockey Club farm in Reddick, Florida, this year's event has the distinction as serving as a qualifying competition for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Chicago-based partner Yvonne Ocrant will present "Equine Law 101" as part of Purina's Equine Education Event (E3) series in California. Her presentation will provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about liability exposure and risk protection and give them the opportunity to pose any  equine-related questions. Hosted by local equine industry businesses, the E3 series will make its first stop October 15, 2019 in Del Mar. On October 16 and 17, the events will take place in Buena Park and Burbank.

Yvonne Ocrant—a Chicago-based partner and chair of the firm's Equine Law Practice—will present a webinar titled "Equine Law 101: Understanding Equine Activity Liability and Minimizing Liability Risk," on October 2, 2017 beginning at 9:00 am CDT. Ocrant will provide an overview of the Equine Activity Liability Act and equine activity participants' responsibility as provided by the Act. She then will cover exceptions to the liability protections under the Act and ways to reduce risk of liability exposure.

Yvonne Ocrant and Suzanne Jones will present a webinar titled "Equine Law 101: Understanding Equine Activity Liability & Minimizing Risk," on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Central for the University of Minnesota's Equine Extension Program. The duo will provide attendees with the tools to better understand the Equine Liability Act in Minnesota, as well as how to minimize risk through contractual releases, agreements and insurance.