David Reifman

He brings decades of experience in commercial real estate development, spanning public-private partnerships, land use planning, public financing, infrastructure, and historic preservation, with particular focus on largescale, community-focused projects. Before joining the firm, David served as President of Clayco’s Chicago Business Unit, overseeing all enterprise development, design, and construction activity across the greater Chicago area, and sat on the Investment Committee of CRG, Clayco’s real estate and investment arm.

Earlier, David served as the City of Chicago’s Commissioner of Planning and Development under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, leading approvals for major development and infrastructure projects. He was the architect of the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and directed approvals for the Obama Presidential Center, the rehabilitation of Chicago’s Old Main Post Office, and development on Chicago’s South and West sides, including four full-service grocery stores in food deserts. Before his public service, David spent more than 25 years as a partner at DLA Piper, focused on zoning and public-private development transactions. He is consistently ranked “Band 1” by Chambers USA and recognized by Super Lawyers for 2025 to 2026. David has served as lead counsel on transformative projects including the restoration and expansion of Wrigley Field, the establishment of the Method Factory in Pullman, the redevelopment of Fort Sheridan, and the relocation of The Boeing Company’s headquarters to Chicago.

David holds a J.D. from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law and an M.A. and B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is active in numerous civic and business organizations, including the Economic Club of Chicago, World Business Chicago, and the Urban Land Institute.