Neal Smith
Neal Smith is a Partner at the Bond Conway Law Firm. Neal Smith’s legal practice encompasses a broad spectrum. He represents municipalities, townships and other local governmental entities. His experience spans tort and commercial litigation, land use and zoning, and election law and campaign finance matters. Neal Smith has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.
His role extends beyond litigation, as Neal Smith provides valuable counsel in real estate transactions and contract drafting and review. Neal Smith has extensive experience negotiating, drafting, and reviewing a wide variety of legal documents and contracts, including ordinances, resolutions, real estate purchase and sale agreements, easements, leases, vendor agreements, development agreements, tax abatement agreements, operating agreements, guarantees, promissory notes, annexation agreements, tax increment financing (TIF) agreements, franchise agreements, and asset purchase and sale agreements.
Neal Smith regularly attends board and committee meetings, offering guidance to elected and appointed officials, and addressing a myriad of legal issues affecting local governmental entities.
Admitted to practice in the State of Illinois
Member, Illinois State Bar Association
Author, “Residency” Election Law, IICLE (2024)
Author, “Vacancies in Office and Vacancies in Nomination” Election Law, IICLE (2024)
Co-Author, “Public Water Districts” Special Districts, IICLE (2023)
Author, “Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension Boards” Municipal Law: Financing, Tax and Municipal Property, IICLE (2022)
Author, “Court affirms candidate’s ballot removal, resolves lower court split,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2021)
Co-Author, “Variations, Special Uses, and Appeals from Administrative Decisions” Land Use Law: Practice and Procedure, IICLE (2021)
Author, “Federal Courts Weigh in on State’s Nov. 3 Ballot Access Requirements” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2020)
Co-author, “High Court Gives Detailed Account on Torts, Discretionary Immunity,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2020)
Author, “Campaign Finance and Disclosure Requirements in Illinois” DCBA Brief (2020)
Co-author, “Alarm Contractors’ Argument Gets Green Light to Challenge Ordinance,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2019)
Co-author, “1st District Refuses to Sanction ‘Side Letter’ Pension Spike,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2018)
“Settlement Crumbles; Appeals Court Declines to Put Pieces Back Together,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, (2015)
Co-author, “Annual Town Meetings” Township Clerks Handbook, Township Clerks of Illinois (2013)
Co-author, “Town Budget and Levy Process,” Township Clerks Handbook, Township Clerks of Illinois (2013)
Navigating Administrative Hearings, DuPage County Bar Association (April 2024)
Notary Public Legal Update, Municipal Clerks of DuPage County (October 2023)
FOIA General Compliance and Guidance, Illinois Fire Service Administrative Professionals (February 2022)
Getting to Know the Open Meetings Act, Illinois Fire Service Administrative Professionals (February 2022)
Legal Issues Impacting Not-for-Profit Corporations in Illinois, Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Coalition (February 2020)
Statutory Requirements and Ethical Considerations for Public Officials, Illinois Government Finance Officers Association (September 2019)
Intervening in Pension Board Disability Hearings, 106th Annual Conference of the Illinois Municipal League (September 2019)
Northern Illinois University, Juris Doctor