John J. Pikarski, Jr., Class of 1969

Zoning expert and founder of Gordon & Pikarski

John Pikarski is the principal and was the founding co-partner of the law firm of Gordon & Pikarski, which focuses on zoning, real estate taxation, condemnation and related real estate matters. Called by many the “dean of zoning lawyers in Chicago,” Pikarski has appeared thousands of times before zoning boards and city councils throughout the seven county northeastern Illinois area. He is also recognized as a preeminent attorney representing condemnees in eminent domain actions by governmental entities. A former member of the Chicago Plan Commission, Pikarski advised the Mayor and City Council of Chicago in laying the foundation for the tremendous upturn in development in the City of Chicago and he has served as the President of the Cook County Board of Ethics since 1992.

President Clinton appointed Pikarski to serve on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad and he has been a member of two Presidential and Vice-Presidential delegations to Europe. Pikarski has served as Co-Chair of the National Polish American/Jewish American Council and has been awarded the Cavalier’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. He is a member of the National Democratic Ethic Coordinating Committee, an arm of the Democratic National Committee, to which he serves as a consultant, and he was the national chairman of Polish Americans for Clinton/Gore, Gore/Lieberman and Kerry/Edwards.