Chicago Transportation Law Attorneys | Neal & Leroy

Neal & Leroy’s transportation attorneys are experienced in land acquisition, right-of-way, and governance matters for transit agencies, rail operators, utility companies, ports, and airports across the region. Our experience in real estate and eminent domain, which often intersect with transportation industry deals, allows us to address the legal complexities of these projects while helping clients keep essential operations running.

Our Transportation Practice

How We Approach Transportation

Transportation projects require legal counsel that can navigate a broad range of issues at once, from land acquisition and environmental review to procurement and public finance. Successful projects depend on regulatory compliance, governance, and public-private partnerships, all while meeting demanding schedules, funding requirements, and public expectations.

For decades, Neal & Leroy has advised public transit agencies, freight and passenger rail operators, utility companies, ports, municipalities, and infrastructure developers on the legal issues that shape transportation and utility systems throughout the region. Our attorneys counsel clients through every stage of a project; including planning, right-of-way acquisition, financing, permitting, construction, operation, and expansion.

Our experience includes representing clients before federal, state and local regulatory agencies, departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and local transit authorities. We advise on infrastructure development, procurement, intergovernmental agreements, administrative proceedings, and the financing structures that support major transportation investments.

We have successfully completed property acquisitions and assembled right-of-way for commuter and freight rail expansions, secured aerial easements for rail modernization initiatives, and addressed the environmental, real estate, and governmental issues that accompany major infrastructure development.

By bringing together attorneys across multiple disciplines, we help clients anticipate challenges, keep projects moving, and successfully deliver critical transportation infrastructure.

OUR TRANSPORTATION PRACTICE

Federal, State and Local Agency Representation
Governance Matters for Transit and Transportation Authorities
Infrastructure Development and Land Acquisition
Right-of-Way and Easement Acquisition
Regulatory Compliance and Administrative Proceedings

A selection of matters handled by our Transportation team. Client identities are anonymized or withheld where confidentiality applies.

HIGHWAY & ROADWAY ACQUISITION

Represented Illinois Department of Transportation on land acquisition matters tied to highway-widening projects.

MAJOR ACQUISITION PROJECTS

Lead land acquisition projects for every rail line developed by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) over the past 40 years, including the Red, Blue, Brown, Green, and Orange Lines.

PORT & AVIATION AUTHORITIES

Served as counsel to the Illinois International Port District and Brown County, Wisconsin Port District on port operations and development matters.

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Land Aquisition & Easements. Represented the Chicago Transit Authority in the acquisition of aerial easements in connection with construction for the Red Purple Modernization Program.

TRANSIT EXPANSION & ACQUISITION

Illinois Department of Transportation. Represented IDOT on land acquisition matters tied to highway-widening projects.
Represent freight rail operators in several areas of service, including acquisition of rights-of-way, easement crossings, purchase and sale agreements and other real estate matters.

Legal Services

The Team