Lecturer Bio
William Kling
William C. Kling, JD is an attorney, policy consultant, and professor. He has practiced law for over 35 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 30 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.
Currently, he has an appointment as the Assistant Director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University in Chicago. His law and policy clients have included municipalities, school districts, community colleges, nonprofits and minority-owned businesses. 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. Over the years, he has served on a wide variety of nonprofit boards.
