Dan Shapiro

FOUNDER

The firm’s founder, Dan Shapiro, has extensive experience in the areas of land use, zoning, governmental relations, municipal law, and civil litigation. After practicing at "big law" for most of his career, Mr. Shapiro established his own law firm in 2015, which stresses accountability, efficiency and integrity. He has represented a wide variety of clients including: developers, businesses, landowners as well as governmental entities and closely advises his clients on complex matters including, securing zoning entitlements before plan commissions, zoning boards, village, towns and critics. In litigation matters, Mr. Shapiro has also represented his clients at all judicial levels in state and federal court. 



Mr. Shapiro has been a frequent lecturer on issues such as of land use, public/private partnerships, zoning, affordable housing, transit orient developments, cannabis regulations, and local government relations. He is the Mayor of the Village of Deerfield, and was previously a Village Trustee from 2015 through 2021. Mr. Shapiro was also the President of the Northwest Municipal Conference, which represents over 1.2 million citizens residing in 42 Illinois municipalities.

  • BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS

    • Illinois State Court


    • Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois

    • Illinois Supreme Court

    EDUCATION

    • American University Washington College of Law – J.D.


    • University of Michigan – B.A.


    • Washington University, St. Louis, MO

    PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

    • Speaker at regional cannabis business conference: "Green Rush B2B Expo," August 7-8, 2019.

    • Ensuring Local Government Compliance with the Law, National Business Institute, April 2019

    • Utility Zoning and Easement Law, National Business Institute, February 2018

    • Land Use and Zoning Boot Camp, National Business Institute, October 2017

    • Local Government Law: Open Meetings and Public Hearings, National Business Institute, June 2017

    • Easements in Mixed-Use and Retail Developments National Business Institute, March 2017

    • Easement and Boundary Disputes 2018

    • Local Governmental Law, National Business Institute, June 2014

    • Downzoning and Upzoning, Planners Web Magazine, May 2014

    • Vesting Rights in the Contest of Real Estate Matters, Planners Web Magazine, February 2014

    • Moving Forward with Stalled Development Projects, Planners Web Magazine, January 2014

    • Land Use Law, National Business Institute, February 2013

    • Current Development in Municipal Law, National Business Institute, February 2013

    • Land Use Seminar, American Planning Association, Summer, 2011

    • Mastering Land Use and Planning Processes National Business Institute, December 2008

    PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

    • American Bar Association

    • Illinois State Bar Association


    • Chicago Bar Associations