Chicago Office
300 N. LaSalle Street Suite 4000
Chicago,
Illinois
60654
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Professional Experience
Robert L. Gamrath’s practice focuses on representing developers, builders, large corporations and individual business operators in the acquisition, zoning, entitlement, and development of real property. Mr. Gamrath prepares and presents entitlement cases to all levels of government and trial and reviewing courts. He represents lenders and borrowers in loan workouts, acquisition, development and construction loans, and other secured lending. Mr. Gamrath’s recent experience includes:
- Representation of a major retailer in obtaining an annexation agreement amendment, rezoning, special use permits and municipal code modifications for the construction of a 200,000 square foot retail store.
- Representation of a hospice provider in obtaining rezoning, subdivision, and special use permits for the construction of its office headquarters.
- Representation of a global package delivery company in obtaining planned development zoning, street vacations, tax increment financing and structuring a land exchange under IRC §1033 as part of a larger community redevelopment project.
- Representation of a hotel/office complex developer in the annexation, zoning, and subdivision of property that contained critical wetlands and threatened and endangered species habitat.
- Representation of a regional developer in obtaining planned unit development approval, annexation, and development variations for a large retail shopping center.
- Representation of a land developer in the annexation, zoning, and subdivision of a 180-acre mixed use planned unit development that included negotiation of easements, roadway agreements, and a recapture agreement.
- Representation of a developer of a multi-phased residential planned unit development that included negotiation of several easements, a facility planning area map amendment, recapture agreement, and flood plain map amendment.
- Representation of a senior housing owner/operator in the development of a 178-unit continuing care retirement community and negotiation of a development agreement with impact fee reductions and waivers.
- Representation of a senior housing owner/operator in obtaining planned development zoning for expansion of an existing continuing care retirement community located in an historical building.
- Representation of an art studio/gallery owner in obtaining variances necessary to redevelop a former manufacturing facility.
- Representation of a developer of a commercial shopping center in obtaining entitlements for the development and in litigation brought by a neighboring municipality.
- Representation of a Fortune 100 company in an Illinois precedent-setting takings litigation.
- Joint representation of a land owner and national developer in obtaining special use, site plan, variance, and subdivision approvals for a mixed use, multi-hotel project.
- Joint representation of a national developer and movie theater operator in the redevelopment of a regional shopping center that included an 18-screen multiplex movie theater.
- Representation of an industrial developer of a 110-acre industrial park that included special service area financing for subdivision improvements.
Education and Honors
- John Marshall Law School (J.D., 1994)
The John Marshall Law Journal (Staff Editor, 1993).
- Indiana University (B.S., 1991)
Degree: Business. Alpha Tau Omega.
Bar Admissions
Illinois,
1994
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, 1994
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1994
Professional Recognition
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (2010-present: Real Estate Law).
- Named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Illinois by Super Lawyers® (2007-present).
- Selected for inclusion in the 2006-2012 Illinois Super Lawyer® lists (Real Estate).
- Leading Lawyers Network member (Real Estate).
- Martindale-Hubbell BV® Peer Review Rated.
- Law Bulletin's 2005 “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty To Watch.”
Professional and Civic Activities
Member: American College of Real Estate Lawyers; Member: International Council of Shopping Centers; Board Member: Lambda Alpha Ely Chapter (Chicago); Member: American Bar Association (Illinois Delegate to Young Lawyers Division Assembly, 2001, 2003; Section of State and Local Governmental Law; Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law); Illinois State Bar Association (Assembly, 2004-present; Ad Hoc Committee on Law Students; Strategic Marketing Committee; Young Lawyers Division Council, 1997-2005; Chairman, 2004-2005; Peer Mediation, Children’s Assistance Program and Chicago School Partners Subcommittees; Tomorrow’s Leaders of the Profession Program, 1999; Moot Court Judge, National Moot Court Regional, 1999; Local Government Law Section; Real Property Section); Chicago Bar Association (Real Property Law Committee; Local Government Law Committee); Chicago Bar Foundation Young Professionals Board, 2001-present; President, 2004-05; Illinois Bar Foundation Fellow, 2001-present; Illinois Law School Consortium Practice Tracks Program, 1998, 2002. House Captain, Christmas in April National Rebuilding Day Program, 2002; 2000-present, Annual Volunteer, Greater Chicago Food Depository; Quarles Cares - School Mentor.
Selected Presentations/Publications
Publications:
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Author, “Acquisition of Land From Private Property Owners By Illinois Governmental Entities Just Got Tougher,” Illinois Retail Merchants Association Newsletter, May 2002.
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Author, “Governmental Regulation of Real Property — Can A Regulation Go Too Far?,” Illinois State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Newsletter, April 2002.
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Author, “Law Day 2000: A jury of our peers, we are in good hands,” Illinois State Bar Association Young Lawyer Division Newsletter, June 2000.
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Author, “Municipalities Keep Forgetting That Most Seniors Do Not Drive,” Illinois Real Estate Journal, September 13, 1999.
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Author, “Anatomy of Tax Increment Financing,” Journal of Property Tax Management, Spring 1998.
Presentations:
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“Bridge The Gap” Program, Illinois State Bar Association, 2005 and 2006.
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“Overview of Taking Law from Penn Coal to Del Monte Dunes,” Holleb & Coff, 1999.
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“Update to City of Chicago Landscape Ordinance, Parking Garage Ordinance, and Streets and Sanitation Ordinance,” Holleb & Coff, 1999.
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“Telecommunications (1997): Taking Your Governmental Client to Infinity and Beyond,” Chicago Bar Association, 1997.
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“Should Your Governmental Client Get Tiffed? How to Use Tax Increment Financing Without Creating Enemies,” Chicago Bar Association, 1996.
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