Christine Walczak is an associate in Tressler’s Local Government Practice Group. She counsels municipalities, park districts, school districts and other governmental entities on various matters, including: legislative policy, zoning and land use, real estate transactions, licensing, personnel policies and compliance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act (OMA). She has experience drafting and negotiating real estate contracts, leases, permits, licenses, vendor contracts, easements and intergovernmental agreements.
She received her J.D. from University of Illinois College of Law and works out of Tressler's Chicago office.
Where are you from?
Orland Park, Illinois.
What was your first job?
Babysitting – negotiating bedtimes, designing pillow castles and supervising timeouts.
Do you have any hidden talents and/or unique hobbies?
I have double-jointed elbows and an unstoppable left-handed hook shot.
What is on your bucket list?
- Visit Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls – Devil’s Pool is a natural infinity pool that overlooks the edge of Victoria Falls.
- Walk across the Great Wall of China.
- Travel to Iceland to see the Northern Lights and to walk inside an ice cave formed inside a glacier.
- Wine tasting in Napa Valley, CA and Tuscany, Italy.
- Watch a performance at the Grande Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.
- Attend a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO.
Why did you decide to become an attorney?
I have always enjoyed problem-solving, learning and helping others. As an attorney, I get to do all three of these things daily.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I do not have a “typical” workday. Every workday is different for me because of the variety of legal issues I handle for our local government clients. The type of work I handle for our local government clients on any given day includes any of the following: review/draft/implement new legislation and policies; prosecute traffic/local ordinance violations; attend board/committee meetings; draft/negotiate contracts, leases, licenses, and easements; handle all aspects of real estate transactions; prepare employment manuals and policies and provide legal advice on various employment issues.
What do you like most about Tressler?
The people and collegiate work environment.
Do you have a unique short story to share?
For the past 14 years, my dad and I have been watching the series “Supernatural” together. We started watching the series during my senior year of high school and have continued to watch every episode of the show together (14 seasons, 307 episodes). When I graduated law school, we decided to celebrate and meet the show’s two main characters (Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki) at a “Supernatural” convention. The 15th and final season of the series will air this year. It was a good run.
Do you have a personal motto or mantra?
“Go be great.”
What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
Rattlesnake.
What is one thing that you cannot resist?
Gummy bears.
Do you have favorite quotes?
“The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Harvey Specter, Suits
“But if you never try you’ll never know just what you’re worth.” – Coldplay, "Fix You"
Christine Walczak can be reached at cwalczak@tresslerllp.com. Learn more about our attorneys by visiting https://www.tresslerllp.com/attorneys.