About Us

William C. Kling, JD

William C. Kling, JD is an attorney, policy consultant, and professor.  He has practiced law for 30 years with an emphasis on all aspects of local governmental, land use, zoning, environmental, and non-profit law.  His policy practice has included drafting and advocating for legislative change at the local, regional, state and federal level.  He has also taught courses in law, policy and leadership for close to 25 years.  His action-oriented, practical, collaborative, and common sense approach has given him the skills to represent a myriad of clients in the courtroom, boardroom and legislative chambers.  He has worked in preeminent law firms in Chicago, as well as serving as General Counsel for a well-known community college.  His law and policy focus has given him the opportunity to work with several clients on community capacity building, economic development and systems change.  He is currently a faculty member at Kent College of Law and UIC where he teaches in the Undergraduate Honors College and the UIC Innovation Center.  His law and policy clients have included municipalities, school districts, and nonprofits.  He has contributed to major innovations in Chicago and Illinois, including initiatives involving vertical farming, cannabis, water resource management, housing, food systems, education, workforce development, and community and economic development.  He is well-known for his work in African American and Latino communities in Chicago and the Suburbs. He serves on the Boards of the Cook County Health Foundation and Econ Ed, and was appointed to the State of Illinois’ Comptroller’s Local Governmental Advisory Board.