Summary

Tony focuses his practice on providing a variety of legal services to major family offices within multiple states, including work on private equity venture capital matters. He also works closely with the construction, restaurant and hospitality, and technology industries and represents clients on major commercial real estate transactions. Tony has also represented international investors on a wide range of U.S. transactions.

Tony previously served as the partner-in-charge of the Chicago office and was a member of Taft’s firm wide Executive Committee.

Beyond his practice at Taft, Tony also contributes to a wide range of civic, professional, public service, and corporate organizations. Among the diverse institutions, Tony has held leadership positions at Westminster Funds Advisory Board, Lane Industries, Inc., Partnership for a Connected Illinois, Inc, Kohl Children’s Museum, and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

He also spends time passing on his wisdom and experiences lecturing at Continuing Legal Education Seminars on various topics, including Land Use Law, Like-Kind Exchanges in Estate Planning, EB-5 Real Estate and Immigration Investments, and Commercial Real Estate Leases. Previously, Tony taught at the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Tony received his B.S., summa cum laude, from MacMurray College and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

Awards

  • AV Peer Review Rated (Preeminent) – Judicial Edition, Martindale-Hubbell

    (2022)

  • AV Peer Review Rated (Preeminent), Martindale-Hubbell

  • Honoree, Illinois Super Lawyers, Real Estate (2005 – present)

  • Honoree, Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law (1999 – present)

  • Top Lawyer Honoree, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate- Zoning and Land Use (2008 – 2014)

  • Honoree, Leading Lawyers (2003 – present)

All Service Areas

Education

  • Harvard Law School (1979)
  • MacMurray College (B.S., summa cum laude, Political Science) (1976)

Admissions

  • State - Illinois

Notable Matters

  • Tishman Hotels:  Various hotel and commercial investments in Chicago, IL
  • Pizzuti Co.:  Major industrial warehouse developments and residential developments in Downtown and Suburban Chicago, IL
  • J.P. Morgan Chase Pension Advisory Group:  Aqua Residential/Hotel Development in Chicago, IL, and the New City mixed-use development
  • Kinship Capital: Private equity joint ventures

Speeches and Publications

Speaker, Professional Education Broadcast Network CLE Programs
Links to course materials and MP3 audio recordings below. 

Ethics, Satisfied Clients, and Successful Representations (Dec. 22, 2020)

Parking Issues in Commercial Leases, with Rick Ingram (Sept. 22, 2020)

Issues in Subleasing Real Estate (July 24, 2020)

Legal Issues in Venture Capital Transactions (July 13, 2020)

Mortgage Refinancing (June 16, 2020)

Drafting Ground Leases (April 22, 2020)

Indemnity and Insurance (March 27, 2020)

CAM Charges in Commercial Leases (Nov. 19, 2020)

Tax Issues in Commercial Real Estate (November 6, 2019)

Tax Planning for Real Estate, Part 2 (Oct. 24, 2019) Link

Tax Planning for Real Estate, Part 1 (Oct. 23, 2019) Link

Restructuring, Subleases, and Insolvency (Sept. 20, 2019) Link

Unwinding a Commercial Real Estate Transaction, Part 2 (July 3, 2019) Link

Unwinding a Commercial Real Estate Transaction, Part 1 (July 2, 2019) Link

Buying and Selling Commercial Real Estate, Part 2 (June 26, 2019) Link

Buying and Selling Commercial Real Estate, Part 1 (June 25, 2019) Link

Legal Ethics in Contract Drafting (May 24, 2019) Link

Mother Nature & Leases: Drafting Issues to Protect Against Storms & Other Damage (April 23, 2019) Link

Appraisals in Commercial Real Estate Finance & Development (March 21, 2019) Link

Risky Tenants: Drafting Issues for Landlords (Jan. 24, 2019) Link

Estate Planning with Like-Kind Exchanges (Jan. 8, 2019) Link

Guarantees in Real Estate Transactions (Dec. 11, 2018) Link

Common Area Maintenance, Insurance & Taxes Provisions in Commercial Leases (Nov. 8, 2018) Link

My Client’s Commercial Real Estate Mortgage is Due, Now What? (June 15, 2018) Link

Publications and Law Bulletins

Co-author, “A Plain English Guide to the PPP Rules,” April 24, 2020

Co-author, “Restaurants Ordered to Close Should Be Aware of the WARN Act,” March 18, 2020

Co-author, “Illinois Restaurant Closure Order,” March 16, 2020

Co-author, “DOL Proposed Tip Pooling Rollback Could Shift Billions of Dollars From Workers’ to Employers’ Control,” Feb. 6, 2018

Co-author, “Tax Act Imposes New Liability on TIF Recipients,” Jan. 11, 2018

Panel moderator, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion virtual seminar, 19th Annual Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property & Technology Law Institute, June 4, 2021

Professional Affiliations

  • International Association of Attorneys and Executives in Corporate Real Estate

    Member

  • Westminster Funds Advisory Board

    Member (2010 – present)

  • Lane Industries, Inc.

    Member, Board of Directors (2010 – present)

  • J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University

    Former Adjunct Professor (1989 – 2011)

  • Illinois Institute of Technology

    Former Adjunct Professor (2009 – 2015)

  • IIT, Graduate School of Architecture

    Former Adjunct Professor

  • Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

    Former Member (2001 – 2017)

  • Partnership for a Connected Illinois, Inc.

    Former Chairman of the Board (2009 – 2017)

  • Illinois Capital Development Board

    Former Chairman (2003 – 2011)

  • Professional Education Broadcast Network

    Board of Real Estate Advisors

Community Involvement

  • Lambda Alpha International, Ely Chapter

    Member

  • Highland Park Plan Commission

    Former Chairman

  • Highland Park United Way

    Former Member, Board of Directors

  • Highland Park Housing Commission

    Former Chairman

  • Midwestern University

    Former Member, Finance and Executive Committee