Theodore J. Novak is a senior partner in DLA Piper's real estate practice group. He is chair of the firm's Zoning, Land Use and Condemnation practice and for 25 years has been involved in the firm's Management and Policy Committees. Mr. Novak is one of the country's most highly regarded real estate and land use attorneys.

With more than 35 years of experience, Mr. Novak has been instrumental in the acquisition, disposition, condemnation, rezoning, and development of all types of property. Mr. Novak has had extensive experience with administrative, legislative, and judicial processes. He has extensive litigation experience in trial courts and has argued before the Illinois Supreme and Appellate Courts on numerous occasions. He has handled some of the most significant and controversial real estate and land use projects in the Midwest.

Leading international legal publishers consistently rank Mr. Novak among the top lawyers in his profession. The Global Counsel Corporate Real Estate Handbook, which ranked DLA Piper the leading real estate practice in the US, said of Mr. Novak: a "premier figure for land use, development and zoning, he is considered a first port of call for the most complex issues." Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, published by the respected English research firm Chambers and Partners, lists him in the top tier of America's leading lawyers and has described him as a "superstar," "the guru of land use," "one of Chicago's top practitioners" and a “creative, bright and peerless attorney.” Mr. Novak is listed in the 2008 editions of the Guide to the World's Leading Real Estate Lawyers, the International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers and the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers. The Leading Lawyers Network also recognizes Mr. Novak as a Leading Lawyer in Illinois. He has been named one of the Lawdragon 500 Dealmakers in America. As the result of research projects conducted jointly by Law & Politics and Chicago magazines, Mr. Novak is designated an Illinois Super Lawyer in real estate. He is the only member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers in the Midwest who concentrates on land use, zoning, and condemnation matters.

In 2007, Mr. Novak was honored with the Judge Learned Hand award. Named in memory of one of America's greatest jurists and humanitarians, the award is given annually by the American Jewish Committee to outstanding leaders of the legal profession who have been voices of understanding and good will. Mr. Novak also is known as a teacher and author in the field of real estate law.

Mr. Novak's client list is extensive and includes the largest stock exchange listed companies as well as individual property owners and developers.

Current Representative Development Projects:

• Representation of Southworks Development LLC in all legal matters related to the redevelopment of the 500-acre former US Steel Southworks Plant site, including work related to acquisition of the site from United States Steel, private financing, zoning and land use entitlement