Overview
Scott Uhler counsels multiple municipalities, school districts and local governments on all facets of their general operations. As municipal counsel, Scott serves as corporation counsel for the Village of Lake Zurich and Village of Cary, and for the City of Oak Forest, and previously served as general counsel for the Village of Burr Ridge. He also serves as general counsel to multiple school districts and provides specialized support services for multiple municipal clients, school districts and library clients of the firm.
In addition to his work with school districts, libraries and municipalities, Scott has lectured on local government issues as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer at the Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral levels at Argosy University, and as adjunct and guest lecturer at Concordia University, Lewis University, National Louis University, Aurora University, North Park University, Governor’s State University and the University of Illinois.
Prior to attending law school, Scott worked as a social worker with United Charities of Chicago (now Metropolitan Family Services).
Scott and his wife, who is an experienced ELL teacher in Glenview School District 34, have raised four children and are longtime residents of the Village of Glenview.
Scott earned a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1986. While in law school, he received the American Jurisprudence Awards in Debtor/Creditor Law and Criminal Law as well as the DePaul Family Law Award for Outstanding Achievement. He also authored “The Constitutional Right of the Indigent Facing Involuntary Civil Commitment to Legal Representation” for the Akron Law Review (Vol. 20, No. 1, Summer 1986). Scott served as a clerk to Cook County Circuit Court Judge Joseph P. Schneider in 1985 and to Second District Appellate Court Justice Alfred E. Woodward in 1986-87.
Scott completed his work on his Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Notre Dame.
Scott is admitted to practice in Illinois, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Professional Affiliations
- Scott has been a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations, Illinois Municipal League, International Municipal Lawyers Association, National and Illinois Councils of School Attorneys and the Illinois and American Library Associations. He also has membership with the Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association.
- He is a Certified Illinois Municipal Administrative Hearing Officer and regularly serves as a Court-Appointed Public Member for Local Electoral Boards. Scott is also a certified trainer for Illinois Leadership Training on local boards of education.
Community Involvement
- Scott has served as Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association School Law Committee and as a participating member of the Chicago Bar Association Election Committee. He currently serves as a Commissioner for the Waterford Water Management District and a member of the Glenview School District Caucus.
- He has coached youth baseball, soccer, basketball and softball, was a Scout leader and trained and volunteered as an area AYSO soccer referee for many years.
Awards and Recognition
- Scott has been named a Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media, a peer-recommended distinction awarded to fewer than 5% of attorneys in Illinois, from 2005—present.
Publications
- Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Chapter 10: “Tort Liability of School Districts” – author, School Law: Organization, Finance, and Property, 2017
- Chapter 8: “Student Discipline and Hazing, Illinois School Law” – co-author, Personnel and Student Issues, 2015
- Chapter 10: “No Child Left Behind Act, Illinois School Law” – co-author, Personnel and Student Issues, 2015
- Chapter 6: “Contracts and Intergovernmental Cooperation” – co-author, School Law, Organization, Finance and Property, 2012
- Chapter 2: “Zoning Controls: Regulating Land Use” – author, Illinois Land Use Law, 2012
- “Local Elections: Municipalities, Political Subdivisions and Special Districts,” Illinois Election Law – past co-author
- “Personnel and Student Issues” – IICLE 2021 Edition School Law, 2021
Illinois Association of School Boards
- “Guidelines for Interviews of Students at School by Law Enforcement Authorities,” Illinois Council of School Attorneys, 2017
- “Personnel Records: Understanding the Implementation of the Illinois Personnel Records Review Act,” 2011
- “School Board Records: Requirements of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act,” 2010
- “School Board Meetings: Requirements of the Illinois Open Meetings Act,” 2010
Illinois School Board Journal
- “Getting on, and Staying on the Ballot, Illinois School Board Journal”– 2016
- “Cyberharassment: Regulating Conduct in New Frontiers” – 2011
Illinois Association of School Business Officials
- “Unfunded Mandates: How Current Illinois Laws Fit Into The Bigger Picture” – Spring 2013
- School Business Affairs Journal – Past contributing author
National School Boards Association
- “Understanding FERPA: District Rights and Obligations, Inquiry and Analysis” – 1988
Illinois Municipal League
- Manual on Liquor Licensing and Regulation – co-author, 2017
- The Sunshine Laws: Open Meetings Acts and Freedom of Information Acts – co-author, 2016
- Manual on Municipal Forms of Government – co-author, 2014
- Manual on Home Rule versus Non-Home Rule Status (What’s Best for Your Municipality) – co-author, 2014
- Manual on Liquor Licensing and Regulation – co-author, 2011
- Manual on Conflict of Interests and Liability of Illinois Elected Officials – co-author, 2010
- Manual on Police and Fire Disciplinary Matters – co-author, 2010
Illinois Municipal Review-Journal
- “Navigating the Labyrinth: Work-Related Injuries and the Workers’ Compensation Act, FMLA and ADA” – co-author, 2017
- “Now That You Are Elected, Is Your Smartphone Still Yours?” – 2017
- “Water, Water Everywhere, Can a Municipality be Liable for Flooding Damage?” – 2017
- “Campaigning and Electioneering at the Finish Line: Free Speech, Early Voting and the Illinois Election Code” – co-author, 2016
- “Getting on the Ballot: Top Ten Mistakes for Candidates to Avoid When Circulating and Filing Nominating Petitions” – co-author, 2016
- “Official Duties of the Municipal Clerk as the Local Election Official” – co-author, 2016
- “Navigating the Election Objection Process” – co-author, 2016
Illinois Library Association
- Illinois Libraries Journal – Quarterly contributing author, Winter 1997- Spring 2001
Illinois City/County Management Association
- “Droning On: Legal Requirements and Liabilities Related to Municipal Drone Use” – 2018
Presentations
- “Implementing a Successful K-12 “DEI” Procurement Program” – IASB, IASA, IASBO Joint Annual Conference, November 19, 2022
- Navigating FOIA & OMA: The Changing Landscape – Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference, September 2017
- Sexual Harassment and Transgender Issues in the Workplace: A Guide to Sensitivity, Prevention, and Detection – Illinois Library Association Conference, October 12, 2017
- Illinois Municipal League Annual Conferences
- Illinois Municipal League Area Workshops
- League of Women Voters Workshops (Chicago Area Chapters) Illinois School Board Association Annual Conferences
- Illinois Association of School Boards – Senate Bill 7 Education Reform Presentations
- Illinois Council of School Attorneys Annual Conferences
- Illinois Association of Administrators of Special Education Annual and Regional Conferences
- Illinois Association of School Administrators Presentations
- Illinois Association of School Business Officials Presentations
- Metropolitan Leadership in Education, Conferences, Trainings and Workshops
- South Cooperative Organization for Public Education (SCOPE) Presentations
- Legislative Education Network of DuPage County (LEND) Presentations
- Education | Research | Development (ED-RED) Presentations
- Exceptional Children Have Opportunities Special Education
- Cooperative Workshop (ECHO)
- Leydon Area Special Education Cooperative Annual Conferences
- Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative Annual Conferences
- Infinitec Legal Panel on Assistive Technology
- Illinois Library Association Annual Conference
- Illinois local Library District and Library Trainings and Workshops
- Illinois Local School District Officials’ and Staff Trainings and Workshops
- Illinois City/Village Officials’ Trainings and Workshops
- Illinois Superintendent Roundtables’ Presentations
- South Suburban Mayors’ and Managers Presentations
- American Planning Association – Illinois Chapter Workshops Lorman Institute Education Workshops
- National Business Institute Local Government/Education Workshops
- Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Presentations
- Illinois Library Association Annual Conferences Workshops – Regional Library and Library District Officials and Trustees
- Annual Conferences – Superintendents’ Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity