Richard A. Bixter Jr. is a Partner at Holland & Knight LLP in Chicago, where he practices in the areas of corporate restructuring, bankruptcy, and creditors’ rights. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University School of Law. Mr. Bixter’s practice includes a focus on cross-border insolvency, and he has been involved in many of the most high-profile international bankruptcies in recent years, often serving as United States counsel to foreign liquidators and trustees. In 2015, he was honored for his exceptional work on pro bono matters received through the ABA Military Pro Bono Project. Mr. Bixter received his B.A. from Purdue University and his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Elizabeth L. Butler is a Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on land use, zoning, entitlements, urban planning, public incentives, historic preservation, and economic development, as well as general real estate transactions. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the American Planning Association, Women in Planning + Development Chicago, and the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Butler received her B.S. and M.S. from Florida State University and her J.D. cum laude from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Ronald S. Cope is a Partner at Schain, Banks, Kenny & Schwartz, Ltd., in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on land use, municipal law, and litigation. He has been recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” since 2008, authored THE ZONING AND LAND USE HANDBOOK published by the American Bar Association, and taught business law courses at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business for 18 years. He is a member of the American, Illinois State, and Chicago Bar Associations. Cope received both his B.A. and his J.D. from the University of Chicago.
John F. Donahue is a founding member of Donahue & Rose P.C. in Rosemont, where he focuses on the representation of public entities. He represents the Village of Rosemont, the City of DeKalb, the Village of Glenwood, and School District 78 as general corporate counsel and School District 149 as labor counsel. He has spoken in various forums educating public officials and their employees on development issues, the Open Meetings Act, the Freedom of Information Act, special education, discipline, and drug testing issues. Mr. Donahue received his B.S. with honors from the Illinois Institute of Technology and his J.D. with honors from the DePaul University College of Law.
Steven M. Elrod is a Managing Partner at Elrod Friedman LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses on land use and local government law. He is a Past President of the Chicago Bar Association, a Founding Member of the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic, and an adjunct professor at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where he was named Adjunct Professor of the Year (2012 – 2013). Elrod received his B.S. from Tulane University and his J.D. from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Richard F. Friedman is a Partner atNeal & Leroy, LLC, in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in eminent domain, municipal law, and historic preservation. Friedman also teaches historic preservation law at the University of Chicago Law School and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He earned his B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Thomas F. Geselbracht has practiced land use law for over 40 years and has been designated an Illinois Super Lawyer as the result of research projects conducted jointly by Law & Politics and Chicago magazines. He concentrates in eminent domain, land use, environmental, and title insurance litigation and has authored numerous articles, videos, and reports on land use, just compensation, condemnation of property, and related topics. He authored Illinois Zoning, Eminent Domain and Land Use Manual and coauthored Condemnation of Property: Practice and Strategies for Winning Just Compensation, has taught classes in land use and eminent domain law at the University of Chicago Law School and the Northwestern University Pritzker Law School, and is a frequent lecturer. Mr. Geselbracht received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and received his B.A. magna cum laude from Marquette University.
Jason A. Guisinger is a Partner at Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago where he concentrates his practice in municipal law, school law, election law, land use and zoning, and public sector labor and employment law. He is also a regular speaker and author on issues of legal concern to units of local government in the State of Illinois and represents public entities, police officers, firefighters, and public officials in litigation at all levels of state and federal court. He has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer in governmental, municipal, lobbying, and administrative law and election, political, and campaign law. He received his B.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the Michigan State University College of Law.
Michael T. Jurusik is President and Partner at Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., in Westmont, where he concentrates his practice in municipal law, zoning, and economic development. He has been an author and a speaker for various organizations, including IICLE®, the Illinois Municipal League, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He is a member of the American and Illinois State Bar Association and is on the ISBA’s Local Government Section Council, for which he is also Past Chair. He has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer in Illinois in the area of Governmental, Municipal, Lobbying, and Administrative Law. Mr. Jurusik received his B.A. from Hamilton College and his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Christopher C. Kendall is a Partner at Chapman Spingola LLP in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in commercial litigation. He is a former member of the Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals and a Past Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Administrative Law Committee and the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Education, Admission, and Competence. Mr. Kendall received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and his J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Adam M. Kingsley is Principal at Kingsley Law Group in Chicago, where he focuses on commercial litigation and land use. Mr. Kingsley received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.
Robert J. Labate is a Partner at Holland & Knight LLP, where he serves as Cochair of the firm’s national Entertainment Law and Sports Practice in San Francisco and as a Partner in the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group in Chicago. He was an adjunct faculty member at the DePaul University School of Law and has been recognized for his entertainment and transactional practice by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and Illinois Super Lawyers. He is a member of the American and Chicago Bar Associations, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Mr. Labate received his B.A. from Yale College and his J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Brooke D. Lenneman is an associate at Elrod Friedman LLP in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on municipal law, local government, land use, and zoning. She is a member of the Illinois Municipal League Committee of Home Rule Attorneys, the Legacy Project, and the Chicago Bar Association. Ms. Lenneman received her B.A. with honors from Northwestern University and her J.D. magna cum laude (Order of the Coif) from the DePaul University College of Law.
Ryan F. Manion is an associate at L&G Law Group, LLP, in Chicago, where he concentrates in litigation. He is a member of the Illinois Bar Association and served as Staff Law Clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2016 – 2019), assisting all judges of the court. Mr. Manion received his B.A. from the University of Richmond and his J.D. magna cum laude from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Michael A. Marrs is a Partner at Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on local government law. He has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media (2017 – present) and was featured in the Real Estate Edition of Leading Lawyers Magazine in 2019. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association (ILGL) and a former Chair of the ILGL Municipal Prosecutors Group. He received his B.S. from Indiana University and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Mallory A. Milluzzi is a Partner at Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where she concentrates in school and municipal law. She regularly counsels and defends clients in the areas of taxation, FOIA, OMA, zoning matters, PSEBA, and special education. Milluzzi is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys, the Legacy Project, the Women’s Property Tax Association, and the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association. She received her B.A. from Ohio University and her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Donald J. Moran is a Partner at Pedersen & Houpt, A Professional Corporation, in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on commercial, environmental, and appellate litigation. Mr. Moran received his B.A. from Northwestern University, his M.R.P. from the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law.
Phillip W. Nelson is a Partner at Holland & Knight LLP in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in restructuring, bankruptcy, and creditors’ rights. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Turnaround Management Association. Mr. Nelson received his A.B. from Wabash College and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.
Hart M. Passman is a Partner at Elrod Friedman LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on land use, zoning, and local government law. He is a member and Past Chair of the Illinois Municipal League Committee of Home Rule Attorneys and a member of the Illinois Local Government Law Association. Mr. Passman has been recognized as an Up-and-Comer in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use by Chambers USA. He received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and his J.D. from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Aaron H. Reinke is a Partner at Bazos, Freeman, Schuster & Pope LLC, in Elgin, where he focuses his practice on real estate, land use, and local government. He was awarded the DuPage County Bar Association Board of Directors Award for Exceptional Service as Chair of the Local Government Committee (2012 – 2013), and he is a certified municipal administrative hearing officer and a Kane County eviction mediator. He is a member of the Illinois State and Kane County Bar Associations. Mr. Reinke received his M.A. and J.D. from Loyola University Chicago.
James A. Rhodes is Of Counsel to Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on municipal law and land use law. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Local Government Law from the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association. Mr. Rhodes received his B.A. from Loyola University and his J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Jamie A. Robinson is a Partner at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C., where she focuses on litigation, appeals, healthcare, and religious organizations. She received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Sanford M. Stein is Of Counsel to L&G Law Group, LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on land use, environmental, cannabis, and regulatory law. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, and he is a member of the Illinois State and International Cannabis Bar Associations. Mr. Stein received his B.A. from the University of Illinois and his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.
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