Mara S. Georges

Mara Georges focuses her practice on state and local governmental issues, with an emphasis on matters involving the City of Chicago, including zoning, land use and planning, government relations, and economic and business development and incentives. Mara provides counsel to corporations and individuals with matters before government boards, commissions, agencies and legislatures. She also advises on legislative development, regulatory affairs and public to private sector partnerships.

Mara has been recognized, among other honors, as an Illinois Super Lawyer, as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Chicago” by the Chicago Sun-Times, and as one of the “Ten Most Influential Women Lawyers in Illinois” by American Lawyer Media.

Before becoming a partner at Georges & Synowiecki, Mara served the City of Chicago in various legal roles. Throughout her time with the City, she managed disparate interests with an eye toward the needs of the City, and she brings that same focus to her clients at the firm. Mara served over 12 years as the City's longest-serving corporation counsel. She was responsible for the City's law department of 300 lawyers in practices as diverse as civil and quasi-criminal litigation, contracts, environmental, taxation, bond issues, real estate transactions and other municipal matters. She was the City's senior advisor on legal and policy issues and worked collaboratively with the Mayor, members of the City Council and the City's departments, agencies and commissioners.

Prior to her tenure at the City, Mara was a litigation partner at Rock, Fusco, Reynolds, Crowe & Garvey, Ltd. and after leaving the City, a real estate partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

A prolific speaker, Mara has appeared before the National Association of Women Lawyers, the Black Women Lawyers' Association, the Illinois Municipal League, the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and many other organizations.

Mara is an active supporter of the Loyola University Chicago School of Law and has been on its Board of Governors and Circle of Advocates. She was for years on the boards of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and is a long-serving member of the board and the board’s vice president at the Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls. She is also a board member at the Chicago Academy for the Arts and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.