Jeremy S. Baker is a Chicago-based construction attorney. From 2006-2019, he served clients at Schiff Hardin LLP, where he was a partner and a member of its national Construction Law practice. Previously, he was an attorney at Cozen O’Connor PC. Jeremy founded Baker Law Group LLC in 2019. An Adjunct Professor of Law at The John Marshall Law School, he taught an elective Construction Law course though the Center for Real Estate Law (Fall Semesters 2016, 2017, 2018). Jeremy helps his clients to complete challenging projects by emphasizing dispute avoidance and early, cost-efficient resolution of claims. He represents developers, lenders, design professionals, owners, and contractors in all aspects of design and construction. Jeremy’s practice involves project structuring across many project delivery methods, plus contract review and negotiation. Jeremy has prosecuted and defended lawsuits in well over 30 state and federal court venues – but he prefers to resolve disputes using cost-efficient alternative dispute resolution. Jeremy is a graduate of the Tulane University Law School and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He can be reached at https://buildchicagolaw.com or 312-621-7184.

Mr. Bryant focuses his practice on construction law. He writes and negotiates construction contracts for private and public projects, representing participants including owners, architects, engineers, general contractors, and subcontractors. Mr. Bryant resolves construction project performance and payment disputes, including surety bond claims and mechanics lien claims. He also represents owners and contractors in litigation matters including defense and prosecution of breach of contract, warranty, and construction defect claims. Mr. Bryant has defended design professionals against claims of professional negligence. He has written and spoken on many construction-related topics, including contract negotiation, public construction, and licensure of construction professionals. Among other organizations, he is a member of the Steering Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law Division 7 for Insurance, Surety, and Liens.

Shareholder with Querrey & Harrow, Ltd.Mr. Rabel concentrates his practice in commercial litigation, construction law, and corporate matters.  He has experience preparing and litigating mechanics liens and is a speaker at the firm’s regularly scheduled mechanics lien seminars.  He has experience in litigating contract claims, corporate dissolutions, and minority shareholder oppression actions, and in negotiating buy/sell agreements.

Shareholder with Querrey & Harrow, Ltd.
Mr. Schoumacher is the group co-chair of Querry & Harrow’s Construction Practice Group, and he also practices in several other areas, including professional liability, product liability, commercial law, insurance, and antitrust. He works with a variety of professionals, including architects, engineers, contractors and manufacturers. Mr. Schoumacher is an author and contributor to a number of publications on construction law and an active speaker in the construction industry, having been featured at more than 140 seminars or meetings of the American College of Construction Lawyers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Power Engineering Society, the American Society of Military Engineers, the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and other groups. He is a fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, past president of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys, and past chair of the Construction Law Section of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLPMr. Sheldon has been engaged in the private practice of law, concentrating in environmental law, for more than 40 years, primarily on behalf of business clients.  He is a graduate of Harvard Law Schooland Amherst College.  He is a partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, based in Chicago, where he concentrates on environmental law issues.  He has been designated by peer vote as a “Leading Lawyer,” “Leading Attorney,” and “Super Lawyer,” and he has held an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over 30 years.  He was the regional counself or the United States EPA, Region 5, and the Chief of the Illinois Attorney General’s Environmental Bureau before that.  He has taught environmental law at both Loyola University and John Marshall law schools.  Mr. Sheldon is a frequent contributor to ABA and other legal periodicals.  He also serves as a mediator in environmental and land use disputes.  Respecting wetlands and water law, Mr. Sheldon has advised clients on regulatory program requirements, development options, and use of wetlands law in the pursuit and opposition of developments of real estate throughout Illinois and elsewhere in the USA.

Scott W.  Smilie is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group of the firm. Mr. Smilie’s experience includes the prosecution, licensing, and litigation of patents, trademarks and copyrights.  As a member of the Patent Bar, he has prepared and prosecuted patents before the Patent and Trademark Office concerning diverse technologies including GPS-related systems, business methods, electrical connectors, coupler members for heavy-duty machinery, mechanical tools, and medical devices.  Mr. Smilie was admitted to the Illinois State Bar and the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 1997, and he is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago.