Nicole L. Karas

Nicole L. Karas

Nicole Karas focuses her practice on local government and corporate law. She serves as outside general counsel to local governmental clients providing a wide range of legal assistance. Nicole counsels clients on major construction, land acquisition, contract drafting and negotiation, intergovernmental cooperation agreements, board policies, personnel policies, employment issues, contracts for purchases of goods and services, Open Meetings Act, FOIA issues, and ordinance/resolution drafting.

Nicole represents corporate and non-for-profit clients in various matters, including entity formation, real estate matters, contract review, leases and other transactional matters.

Education

• J.D., DePaul University College of Law, summa cum laude, Order of Coif
• B.A., Valparaiso University

Admitted to Practice

• Supreme Court of Illinois

Organizations

• DuPage County Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association

Recent Publications

• “Guide to the Open Meetings Act and FOIA,” Illinois Association of Park Districts (2023)
• “Buyer Beware – Construction Project and Contract Pitfalls,” Illinois ASBO Magazine (2017)

Recent Presentations

• Construction Pitfalls: Key Considerations for Public Bodies to Avoid Problems on a Construction Project, Purchasing and Construction Conference (February 2025)
• Contractor Defaults: Practical Considerations for Owners to Reduce the Likelihood of a Contractor Default and Strategies to Implement if a Default Occurs, Purchasing and Construction Conference (April 2024)
• Bidding and Managing a Successful Construction Project, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2024)
• Bidding and Cooperative Purchasing: How to Avoid Pitfalls, Purchasing and Construction Conference (April 2023)
• Bidding 101: Bidding Requirements, Exceptions and Strategies for Cooperative Purchase, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2023)
• Managing a Successful Construction Project, IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference (January 2023)