Mark Burkland

Biography: August 2011 Mark E. Burkland is a member of Holland & Knight's National Land Use and Government Specialty Team. He represents public bodies at the state and local levels in all relevant areas of legal services including general corporate counseling; land use, zoning, and development; labor and employment; contracts; legislation; and litigation. He works with many of the firm’s public sector clients, including the Chicago Public Schools and numerous municipal and special district clients. Mr. Burkland also represents private sector clients with land use and development matters. Mr. Burkland’s experience includes the drafting of a broad range of complex contracts and agreements including development through public/private partnerships; drafting legislation; appearances at board and commission meetings and hearings; counseling on all issues of government administration, and the defense of clients in state and federal courts. He has negotiated many complex transactions and settlement agreements. Mr. Burkland’s work has included repeated contact with federal and state agencies, including the United States Department of Justice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the EEOC, the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and other state bodies. He has participated in numerous projects requiring permitting from various agencies, including new projects and existing facilities. Mr. Burkland is the partner in charge of the Chicago office’s Opening Doors for Children program, a branch of Holland & Knight’s Charitable Foundation. The Chicago office partners with several social agencies and with a CPS elementary school for reading, teaching, and other programs and events. Mr. Burkland received his B.S. in 1979 from the University of Illinois and his J.D. in 1982 from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was an articles editor for the Illinois Law Review. Before entering into private practice, he cler