Administrative Law

At the Chicago law firm of Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd., our Illinois administrative law attorneys represent government agencies and administrative bodies, public-private partnerships, municipal corporations, and individuals in matters arising before government agencies throughout the state.

BBP counsels and represents clients in all phases of the process, from identification of an issue to hearing completion, and, if needed, on to administrative review in the Illinois circuit and appellate courts. Our clients benefit from the strength of our ability to create a seamless and thorough record and, when necessary, apply our appellate skills to completion through the reviewing courts.

Our BBP attorneys welcome inquiries from agencies and individuals needing counsel and representation in administrative law matters. To schedule a consultation, call our Chicago office at 312-541-8600 or complete our online contact form.

Experienced Counsel in Administrative Hearings and Illinois Courts

Administrative hearings are quasi-judicial proceedings that occur in many different forums. Our BBP attorneys have extensive experience conducting hearings before numerous state and local agencies, including:

• Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)
• Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR)
• Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
• City of Chicago, Department of Administrative Hearings
• National Labor Relations Board
• Public pension funds

Representing clients before administrative agencies requires knowledge of both the substantive issue in question and the procedural requirements of the agency holding the hearing. Our BBP administrative law attorneys excel in both regards. We focus on creating a complete record at the administrative hearing or administrative level, which is essential not only to achieving a positive outcome at the agency level, but also to defending that outcome in the circuit court.

Representative Illinois Administrative Law Cases

In Illinois, judicial review of an administrative agency decision is governed by a state statute, called the Administrative Review Law. The provisions of the statute are strictly construed by reviewing courts, which requires counsel to be very well-versed in both the review statute and individual agency procedures applicable to a case. Throughout our history, our BBP attorneys have achieved successful outcomes for our clients in cases involving circuit and appellate court review of administrative agency proceedings. BBP successes include:

• Defending the Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago in circuit and appellate court against a claim from a deceased widow's estate for to collect added pension benefits from retroactive salary increases that had been granted to firefighters after the widow’s death.
• Negotiating a favorable settlement on behalf of private film studio client against claims by City of Chicago of alleged building code violations at various properties owned or managed by the client.
• Defending in both circuit and appellate courts the decision of the Evanston Firefighter’s Pension Fund to deny an application for line of duty disability benefits by a firefighter who had injured himself while performing work for his own snow removal business.
• Arguing to the Public Access Bureau of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General that a private 501(c)(3) management company client engaged in a public-private partnership with a state agency was not subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
• Defending a private taxicab operator in a civil rights claim before the Illinois Department of Human Rights, obtaining an outright dismissal at the initial pleading stage.
• Obtaining lifetime health care benefits under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act, 820 ILCS 320/10 (West 2010), for various disabled firemen from their municipal employers.

Notable Administrative Law Clients

In our BBP administrative law practice, we have served many high-profile public clients across the state, including :

• University of Illinois
• Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
• Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
• Regional Transportation Authority
• State Universities Retirement System
• Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
• County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County
• Forest Preserve District Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County
• Evanston Firefighters’ Pension Fund
• Illinois State Board of Investment
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
• County of Cook
• City of Chicago
• Chicago Board of Education
• Chicago Park District
• Chicago Transit Authority
• Illinois Housing Development Authority
• Illinois Finance Authority
• Illinois Sports Facilities Authority
• Illinois Student Assistance Commission
• Illinois Medical District Commission
• Illinois State Board of Investment
• Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
• State of Illinois' Governor's Office of Management and Budget

BBP also has represented a number of municipal corporations, including: the City of Des Plaines, Village of Bridgeview, Village of Niles, Village of Lyons, and Village of Evergreen Park, as well as countless private entities and individuals.

Illinois Administrative Law Inquiries

Agencies and individuals wishing to meet with our BBP administrative law attorneys may schedule a consultation by calling our Chicago office at 312-541-8600 or completing our online contact form.