Overview

About Brooke Lenneman

Brooke Lenneman is a local government and land use attorney who represents local governments and private sector clients. She serves as the City Attorney for the City of Warrenville, assists in the representation of the Cities of Des Plaines and Waukegan and the Village of Libertyville, and provides counsel to many of the Firm’s other local government clients.

Brooke’s representation of local governments focuses on mitigation of risk, advising on best practices, and arriving at pragmatic solutions. Her practice encompasses a full range of municipal law topics, including zoning, licensing, permitting, and contracting issues, as well as constitutional and statutory compliance, including compliance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, Illinois Open Meetings Act, Prevailing Wage Act, and Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.  She regularly attends board and commission meetings for local government clients.

Brooke has extensive experience drafting legislation, including guiding clients through complete overhauls of their zoning and building codes. She routinely negotiates and drafts zoning and other development approvals, construction, software, and professional services contracts, and intergovernmental agreements.

In addition, Brooke represents local government clients in code enforcement, demolition, and railroad right-of-way matters in court and before the Illinois Commerce Commission.

For private sector clients, Brooke represents property owners and developers in a variety of land use projects, and is regularly engaged to resolve licensing, permitting, zoning, and other regulatory issues. She also counsels business and property owners when building, zoning, licensing, or other municipal code violations have been alleged, including litigation in Circuit Court and before administrative bodies.

Brooke previously served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago where she gained extensive knowledge of Chicago’s Municipal Code, permitting processes, zoning administration, and legislative processes. Brooke prosecuted violations of the City’s zoning ordinance and building code, and defended the City in complaints for equitable relief.

Credentials

EDUCATION

• DePaul University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif
• Northwestern University, B.A., with honors

BAR ADMISSIONS/LICENSES

• Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

MEMBERSHIPS

• Chicago Bar Association
• The Legacy Project, Advancing Women in Local Government, NIU Center for Governmental Studies

Publications

• Illinois Legislation Authorizing Design-Build Contracts Imposes Extensive Procedures for Selection and Approval of Design-Build Entities | Elrod Friedman Alert | June 6, 2023
• Amendments to Illinois’ Foreign Fire Insurance License Fee Program Prohibit Municipal Regulation but Provide Much Needed Clarity | Elrod Friedman Alert | December 2, 2022
• Federal Vaccine Mandate Update | Elrod Friedman Alert | January 5, 2021
• New Whistleblower Statute Imposes Local Government Obligations | Elrod Friedman Alert | November 23, 2021
• Chapter 3, “Impact Fees,” Land Use Law: Special Topics (IICLE, 2021)
• Additional COVID-19 Coronavirus Guidance, Municipal Public Health Emergency Powers, Mayor and Presidents | Elrod Friedman Alert | March 12, 2020.
• The Illinois House Revives Lead Pipe Bill | Holland & Knight Alert | May 20, 2019
• Voluntary FOIA Exemptions: Aurora Police Lawsuit Provides a Cautionary Tale | Holland & Knight Alert | March 23, 2018
• New Illinois Law Requires Local Public Agencies to Regulate Travel Expenses | Holland & Knight Alert | August 1, 2016

Community Service

• Illinois Municipal League Home Rule Attorneys Committee
• The Chicago Bar Association Edward J Lewis Lawyers in the Classroom Program
• AYSO youth soccer coach

Speaking Engagements

• DuPage County Bar Association & DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference “Identifying and Managing Local Land Use Pitfalls,” 2024
• IICLE Land Use Law in Illinois, 2022
• Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association (ILGL) Annual Conference, 2022
• Legacy Project Annual Conference, 2022