John J. Pikarski, Jr. has been engaged in the land use (zoning) and condemnation areas of the practice of law since 1969. He is a member of the Chicago, Illinois and American Bar Associations, their subcommittees on condemnation and zoning, as well as being admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Northern District of Illinois and the Illinois Supreme Court. He has been published, lectures extensively and often appears as an expert witness.
Mr. Pikarski created and is principal of Gordon and Pikarski, a six-attorney boutique law firm practicing in the areas of zoning, real estate taxation, condemnation, and related real estate matters. Gordon and Pikarski has attained premier status in its areas of practice in the legal community of Chicagoland.
Called by many "the dean of zoning lawyers in Chicagoland," John Pikarski has appeared thousands of times before zoning boards and city councils throughout the seven county north eastern Illinois area. Mr. Pikarski is also recognized as a preeminent attorney representing condemnees in eminent domain actions by governmental entities.
A former member of the Chicago Plan Commission, John Pikarski's advice and counsel was sought by the Mayor and the City Council of Chicago in laying the foundation for the tremendous upturn in development in the City of Chicago.
John Pikarski's advice and counsel was also sought by the Cook County Board President when the President appointed John to the Cook County Board of Ethics. John Pikarski has been continually re-elected to the Presidency since 1992.
President William J. Clinton appointed John Pikarski to serve on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (which corporation participates in lending to projects totaling over seven billion dollars annually) and the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad. He has been a member of two Presidential and Vice-Presidential delegations to Europe.
John Pikarski has served as Co-Chair of the National Polish American/Jewish American Council and has also been awarded the Cavalier's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
John Pikarski is a member of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee, an arm of the Democratic National Committee, to which he serves as a consultant. He was national chairman of Polish Americans for Clinton/Gore, Gore/Lieberman and Kerry/Edwards.
