Search by:

Alphabetically by Last Name:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Quick Search

Advanced Search

Thomas F. Geselbracht

Partner

thomas.geselbracht@dlapiper.com

vCard

Print version (PDF)

203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1900
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1293
United States
T: +1 312 368 4094 F: +1 312 630 7348

Thomas Geselbracht focuses his practice on real estate, land use and development litigation.

Thomas Geselbracht has tried and handled most types of land use litigation, including zoning, eminent domain, environmental, title insurance and landlord-tenant, in dozens of trials over the last 25 years. His current caseload primarily involves eminent domain, zoning and environmental matters in both the trial and appellate divisions of federal and state courts.

Mr. Geselbracht served as chief counsel to the Illinois Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Siting Commission, which conducted a hearing into the safety and suitability of a site proposed in Illinois for the disposal of radioactive wastes, and has handled numerous eminent domain cases as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

Mr. Geselbracht teaches a course titled "Law and Practice of Land Use, Eminent Domain and Zoning" as adjunct faculty at Northwestern University Law School, and as Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Mr. Geselbracht has been designated an Illinois Super Lawyer as the result of research projects conducted jointly by Law & Politics and Chicago magazines.

Mr. Geselbracht's recent cases include jury trials related to:

Condemnations for open space in San Diego County, California; highway improvements throughout the metropolitan Chicago area; office properties in Chicago and Waukegan, Illinois, and an equestrian subdivision in Lake County, Illinois.
Zoning trials involving proposed shopping center developments in Waukegan, Illinois; Matteson, Illinois; Lisle, Illinois; Melrose Park, Illinois; and Chicago, Illinois; and a high-rise apartment building in Chicago, Illinois.
A lease dispute involving a superannuated lake freighter.
An injunction proceeding regarding the right to lay fiber optic cables in municipal rights-of-way.
Administrative proceedings to change the sewage boundary districts in western Du Page County and central Lake County, Illinois.

Admissions

Illinois
Supreme Court of the United States
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Memberships

Chicago Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association

Publications

Co-author, "Regulatory Takings," Illinois Land Use Law (Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education) (May 2004)
Co-author, Illinois Zoning, Eminent Domain and Land Use Manual, Lexis Law Publishing (1997)

Seminars

"Regulatory Takings" at CLE International Seminar on Eminent Domain, Chicago, Illinois (August 2007)
"Zoning and Land Use in Illinois," Lorman Education Services, Chicago, Illinois (May 2006)
"Is it Public Use? Kelo and Restrictions on the Power of Eminent Domain," Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association, Chicago, Illinois (April 2006)
"Kelo and Restrictions on the Power of Eminent Domain," Commercial Real Estate Executive Women of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (January 2006)
"The Public Use Requirement: Revitalizing the Community or Benefit to Private Interests?" and "Regulatory Takings: Lingle and the Substantive Law," CLE International Seminar on Eminent Domain, Chicago, Illinois (November 2005)
"Kelo: New Day or More of the Same?," DePaul University Federalist Society, Chicago, Illinois (September 2005)
"Developments in Eminent Domain Law," National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, National Conference Call (September 2005)
"Hot Topics in Illinois Government Law," Chicago Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois (June 2005)
"Zoning and Land Use Law," Lorman Education Services, Chicago, Illinois (May 2005)
"Chicago Zoning Reform," University of Chicago Law School Real Estate Law Society, Chicago, Illinois (May 2004)
Co-chair, CLE International Seminar on Eminent Domain, Chicago, Illinois (September, 2003)
"Is It Public Use?" and "Case Study on a Complex Eminent Domain Case," CLE International Seminar on Eminent Domain, Chicago, Illinois (September 2003)
"The Nuts and Bolts of Land Use and Zoning Law," Chicago Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois (June 2003)
"Takings, Inverse Condemnation and Public Use," Illinois Municipal League 89th Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois (September 2002)
"The Public Use Clause: An Old Limit on Takings Given New Life," CLE International Seminar on Eminent Domain, Chicago, Illinois (September 2002)
"Takings and Inverse Condemnation," Illinois Municipal League Balanced Growth Workshop, Rosemont, Illinois (April 2002)
"Special Uses: In Search of a Theory," Illinois Institute for Local Government Law, Ninth Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois (February 2002)
"Developing Trends in Land Use Law," The Appraisal Institute, Chicago, Illinois (May 2001)
"Recent Developments in Land Use Law," Realty Club, Chicago, Illinois (March 2001)
"Is the Sky Falling? People ex rel. Klaeren v. Village of Lisle," Illinois Institute for Local Government Law, Eighth Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois (February 2001)
"Recent Developments in Land Use Law," Midwest Chapter, Counselors of Real Estate, Chicago, Illinois (December 2000)
Speech, "Taking Claims and Historic Preservation," Chicago Bar Association/New York State Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois (October 1999)

Prior Experience

Illinois State Appellate Defender (1977-1979)

Clerk Information

Law Clerk to Justice Seymour Simon on the Illinois Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court (1979-1981)

Civic and Charitable

Director, Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc.
Senior Elected Member, Oak Park Township Board of Trustees (1993-2001)
Director (1983 to present), Secretary-Treasurer (1995-1996), Vice-President (1996-1997), and President (1997-1998), Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc.
Appointee (1985-1996), Vice Chair (1986), Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character & Fitness
Collector, Oak Park Township (1989-1993)