The law firm Olson, Hagel & Fishburn has agreed to handle the appeal in Lee v Illinois State Bd. of Elections, in the 7th circuit. The Lee case challenges Illiniois law that says independent candidates for the legislature must submit a petition signed by 10% of the last vote cast. Olson, Hagel & Fishburn is one of the leading law firms in the nation for election law, and won the case called California Democratic Party v Jones in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000.

Illinois is the only state that requires a petition for independent candidates for any office in excess of 5% of the number of registered voters.