Legislative & Regulatory Affairs

Wildman Harrold’s Legislative & Regulatory Affairs Practice includes the representation of clients before state and federal executive agencies, departments, boards, and commissions.  Our practice blends a keen understanding of governmental and political processes with a realistic appreciation of competing interests and political realities. We utilize years of first-hand knowledge working in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of State, the Illinois Office of the Governor, the Illinois House of Representatives, the Illinois Senate, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, Office of the Corporation Council for the City of Chicago, and the Office of the Mayor. 

As regular participants in the administrative rule-making process on behalf of firm clients, Wildman Harrold attorneys regularly review recent bill introductions, amendment filings, and conference committee reports to determine how they impact client interests. If an issue arises, our legislative team will notify the client to discuss strategy and direction.

• Wildman Harrold represents the largest provider of digital red light and speed enforcement services in North America in that company’s Illinois operations.  The company is contracting with a number of Illinois municipalities for the establishment of red light camera enforcement systems, as is now permitted pursuant to law recently enacted by the Illinois legislature.  As part of the representation we have prepared contracts, negotiated with several municipalities, and provided other general counseling services to the company.
• Wildman Harrold successfully represented a private developer who was the successor in interest to a redevelopment agreement with a Peoria County municipality.  Our firm obtained a judgment of nearly $500,000 on behalf of the private developer.  The municipality maintained that it was not obligated to pay client benefits under the agreement, which had been assigned to the client by the original developer.  Filed a declaratory judgment complaint and obtained summary judgment in that proceeding based upon an interpretation of certain provisions of the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act.
• In 2002, a unique class action antitrust case faced a longtime client.  Our lawyers coordinated an aggressive joint defense strategy that involved challenging certification of both the plaintiff and defendant classes, moving to dismiss the complaint, and lobbying Congress to pass legislation exempting one portion of the multi-pronged suit from antitrust laws. Working in collaboration with co-defense counsel, success came when Congress passed such an act in 2004.