Mark J. McCombs

Mark J. McCombs

Mark J. McCombs is a seasoned government relations attorney focusing on state and local government issues. He has developed and implemented legislative, procurement and incentive strategies for both private and public sector clients. He regularly lobbies the Executive Branch of the State of Illinois, the Illinois General Assembly, the Chicago City Council and various City agencies and departments and numerous local governmental units in Illinois.

Mark's practice also centers around the establishment of public-private partnerships to create business development within a community. His work includes counseling both governmental units and private companies on governmental matters such as economic development and tax incentive programs, public finance, land use, permitting, public contracting, regulatory issues and women's and disadvantaged business enterprise programs. Mark frequently represents cities, villages, counties, park districts, police commissions and townships, as well as private developers and other entities, in connection with governmental-related matters. Mark also represents public and private entities in governmental-related civil litigation and for the defense of criminal and non-criminal investigations.

Areas of Concentration

· Lobbying

· Economic development

· Land use

· Public finance

· Governmental and administrative

· Election law

Significant Representations

· Significant Lobbying Representations

- Representation of a publicly traded utility company in lobbying against utility rate freeze legislation.

- Representation of a telecommunications company in connection with tax legislation.

- Representation of independent agents, brokers and consultants of alternative retail energy suppliers in connection with licensing legislation.

- Representation of the largest publicly traded health care provider in connection with tax legislation.

- Representation of the Illinois Department of Employment Securities as one of the principal draftsmen of the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Financing Act, 30 ILCS 440/1, et seq.

- Representation of a municipality for its successful request for a ZIP Code change.

- Representation of a municipality for legislation enacted by the Illinois General Assembly to extend the lifetime of two of the municipality's tax increment finance districts.

- Representation of a major, national insurance company to defeat legislation extending statutes of limitation for tort claims.

· Significant Municipal Representations

- Negotiation of governmental incentives totaling over $150 million.

- Representation of a private developer for agreements providing for the construction of a multi-plex movie theater, including approximately $4 million in incentives provided by local governmental units.

- Representation of a car dealership for award of approximately $3 million in tax incentives for development of a new dealership.

- Representation of a governmental unit for the involuntary annexation of an approximately 500-acre tract and the establishment of a tax increment finance district, public financings and zoning for development of the tract.

- Representation of a governmental unit for the development of one of the largest trucking hubs in North America, including negotiation of awards of tax incentives and zoning.

- Representation of a municipality for the development of an approximately 50,000 square foot water production, bottling and operations facility, including negotiation of awards of tax incentives and zoning.

- Representation of a developer for the award of approximately $1 million in incentives for development of car dealership.

- Representation of a bond counsel for municipality for an Illinois Development Finance Authority-supported bond to finance the construction of a new municipal center.

- Representation of a municipality for development of a Midwest regional distribution and maintenance facility for international supplier of formworks used in skyscraper construction, including award of governmental incentives and zoning.

- Administrator of five tax increment finance districts.

- Representation of a developer for award of exclusive right to negotiate for the redevelopment of the 67-acre former Sportsman's Park racetrack in Chicago's western suburbs and negotiation of incentives for that development.

- Representation related to the redevelopment of a largely vacant shopping center, including the negotiation of over $5 million in tax increment financing and sales tax incentives.

- Representation related to the development of two nationally franchised hotels and an approximately 25-acre shopping center, including establishment of a tax increment finance district which has provided approximately $10 million in incentives for the projects, and service as bond counsel for the public financings to fund those incentives.

- Representation for the development of a 70-unit independent senior living complex, including establishment of a tax increment finance district, negotiation of a land donation, tax credits and other governmental incentives, and service as bond counsel for the public financings to fund a portion of those incentives.

- Representation of a developer in connection with the successful zoning of a proposed approximately 70-acre lifestyle shopping center.

- Representation of a municipality for the development of manufacturing and warehousing facilities with over one million square feet under roof in a single industrial park, including negotiation of over $10 million in tax increment financing incentives, and service as bond counsel for the public financings to fund the payment of those incentives.

- Representation of a governmental unit for the negotiation of agreements to purchase water from the City of Chicago and supply it to seven other communities. The agreement supported a $41 million water system improvement bond and was praised by The Bond Buyer.

Professional & Community Involvement

· Village Attorney, Economic Development Counsel and Administrative Hearing Officer, Village of Posen, Illinois, 2003-2005, 2007-Present

· Economic Development Counsel, Special Village Attorney (Investigations) and Administrative Hearing Officer, Village of Calumet Park, Illinois, 1994-Present

· Special Village Attorney, Village of Phoenix, Illinois, 1998-Present

· General Counsel, Town of Cicero, Illinois Fire and Police Commission, 2005-Present

· Special Counsel, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, 2005-Present

· Hearing Officer, Town of Cicero, Illinois Municipal Officers Electoral Board, 2007
- (ruling sustained in Harmon v. Cicero Municipal Officers Electoral Board, 371 Ill. App. 3d 1111, 864 N.E.2d 996, 309 Ill. Dec. 755 (1st Dist. 2007); cert. denied, 255 Ill.2d 632 (2007))

· Hearing Officer, Village of Melrose Park, Illinois Municipal Officers Electoral Board, 2007

· Special Counsel and Special Administrative Hearing Officer, Town of Cicero, Illinois, 2006

· Member, Local School Council, Andrew Jackson Language Academy (Chicago Public School System), Chicago, 2004-2006

· Economic Development Counsel, City of Oak Forest, Illinois, 2003-2005

· Special Counsel, Village of Glenwood, Illinois, 1998

· Special Counsel, Village of Melrose Park, Illinois, 1998

· Special Litigation Counsel (appointed by South Towns Agency for Risk Management), Village of Lansing, Illinois, 1993-1995

· Special Counsel (appointed by South Towns Agency for Risk Management), Village of Tinley Park, Illinois, 1993-1995

· Hearing Officer, Township Officers Electoral Board, Calumet Township, Illinois, 1989

· Village Attorney, Village of Sauk Village, Illinois, 1988-2002

· Assistant General Attorney, Lombard, Illinois Park District, 1988-1992

· Assistant General Attorney, Burr Ridge Park District, 1988-1990

· Assistant General Attorney, Hillside-Berkley Water Commission, 1988-1990

· General Attorney, Blue Island, Illinois Park District, 1985-1987

· General Attorney, Northlake Fire Protection District, 1985-1987

· Special Litigation Counsel, Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago, 1985-1986

· Member, International Municipal Lawyers Association

· Member, Justinian Society of Lawyers

· Member, International Council of Shopping Centers

Awards & Recognition

· Listed, Legal 500 US, 2008 edition

· Honored by the Village of Calumet Park, Illinois, with the designation of "Mark McCombs Drive" in recognition of the leadership role played in the commercial redevelopment of Calumet Park's Ashland Avenue-Vermont Street corridors

· Listed, Who's Who in America

· Listed, Who's Who in American Law

Articles, Publications, & Lectures

Articles

· Co-Author, "Governmental Financing of Development," Illinois Land Use Law (Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education), 2004 and 2006 Supplement

Speeches

· Speaker, "Municipal Representations and Administrative Proceedings," 2nd Annual IICLE Municipal Practice & Litigation Institute, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, October 4, 2007

· Moderator and Speaker, "Economic Development Incentives in Illinois," Lorman Education Services, Chicago, August 30, 2007

· Speaker, "Governmental Incentives, Abatements and Credits for Real Property Development," Lorman Education Services, August 23, 2006

· Speaker, "Economic Development Tools for Local Governments," Illinois Development & Finance Conference, August 21-22, 2006

· Moderator, "Neighborhood Development: Seed Capital," International Economic Development Council 2005 Annual Conference, Chicago, September 2005

· Speaker, "Economic Incentives for Development," Land Use Law - Issues in Planning Development, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, 2004

· Speaker, "Economic Development Aspects of Land Use," Segment of "Major Land Use Laws in Illinois," National Business Institute Seminar, Chicago, May 9, 2003

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