Barbara A. Adams
represents local governments and governmental agencies and has counseled these entities in a broad range of substantive areas, including administrative law, construction law, contracts, intergovernmental cooperation, real estate acquisition and taxation, zoning and land use, water law, pension law, personnel and employment, telecommunications, cable television, environmental law, public finance and bonds, and code and ordinance interpretation. She has litigated in state and federal courts and appeared before a variety of administrative tribunals. She also represents private parties in matters dealing with units of government.
Ms. Adams is a frequent author and lecturer on a variety of matters affecting local government law, including cable television, telecommunications law, construction law, contracting and finance, water law, and zoning of and leasing for wireless facilities. She serves as general counsel to the Northwest Water Commission, the DuPage Water Commission, the Village of Kenilworth and the Kenilworth Park District, and has served as village attorney for Hinsdale. Ms. Adams also regularly serves a variety of the firm's clients, including Northbrook, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest and Glencoe. She serves as special counsel to various municipalities on cable television, telecommunications, pension boards, boards of fire and police commissioners, personnel and other legal issues.
Ms. Adams prepared a model purchase of service agreement and an accompanying article for the Transportation Research Board that was nationally published and circulated to public transit agencies. Ms. Adams frequently lectures on legal issues at various programs and events, including those of the International Municipal Lawyers’ Association, the Illinois Municipal League, the Illinois Government Finance Officers' Association, the Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials, the Illinois Association of Municipal Management Assistants, Lorman Education Services, and the West Central Municipal Conference. She has recently lectured on public bidding and contracting; the law of easements; the evolving law of electronic records, communications and contracts; the Illinois Simplified Telecommunications Tax Act; cable TV matters; and the Open Meetings Act.