John F. Dunn

About John

With over 20 years of experience as a lawyer/lobbyist, John has developed a large and successful government relations practice representing Fortune 500 companies and not-for-profits before the City of Chicago and the Illinois General Assembly. His clients include major companies in the tech, aviation, transportation, health, manufacturing, and banking sectors. From disruptive tech companies facing regulatory and political hurdles to global manufacturers navigating complex public-procurement processes, John consistently delivers major wins, advancing strategic priorities and securing critical city and state contracts.

Prior to his private sector lobbying career, John served as Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, reporting directly to the mayor and serving as his senior adviser on all legislative and political matters. John served as the mayor’s liaison to all federal, state, and local elected officials, was responsible for the appointments to and relations with all city boards and commissions, and oversaw labor relations. As director of the city’s Springfield team, he passed many pieces of significant state legislation and gained an unparalleled understanding of the relationship between City Hall and Springfield.

Prior to his City of Chicago experience, John was a litigation attorney at Jenner & Block and Freeborn & Peters, and was AT&T’s Midwest legislative attorney.

John is originally from Decatur, Illinois, where his father served as a state representative.  John earned his J.D. at the University of California, San Francisco School of Law (formerly Hastings), where he was the elected Commencement Speaker and a Law Review editor. He earned his B.A. at the University of Notre Dame and then served four years as a U.S. Navy officer. John is also a graduate of the Second City Training Center.