About Linda

May 16th, 2021
Linda Pieczynski

Linda in the Media

  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    September 15, 2005

  • NBC Nightly NewsMay 8th, 2005
  • National Public RadioMay 7th, 2005
  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    October 16th 2003

  • Live on CNN, HeadlinesSeptember 5th,2003
  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    August 2003

  • CNN Cross FireApril 2002
  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    April 2002

  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    May 2002

  • Chicago Tonight(PBS – WTTW Chicago)

    June 2002

Ms. Pieczynski conducts municipal training and provides consulting in the areas of code enforcement, community policing, law enforcement and fire prevention. Additionally, she has instructed code officials preparing for certification and conducted housing symposiums for numerous BOCA and International Code Council gatherings.

Ms. Pieczynski was an attorney-at-law engaged in the general practice of law. Her practice had a special emphasis on municipal prosecution in the areas of zoning, property maintenance and building code violations, traffic and quasi-criminal offenses, criminal defense, and juvenile law. She has now taken retired status but continues her writing and teaching.

Education

DePaul University, College of Law, Summa Cum Laude

Legal Experience

Linda S. Pieczynski, Attorney At Law, P.C.

1984 – May 31, 2021

Engaged in the general practice of law. Special emphasis on municipal prosecution in the area of zoning and building code violations, traffic and quasi-criminal offenses, and juvenile law. Municipal training and consulting in the areas of code enforcement, community policing, law enforcement and fire prevention.

Called as an expert witness before the Independent Review Panel of Building Safety

Enforcement Powers of the City of Chicago in connection with the E2 Nightclub tragedy

Served an as expert witness for the City of College Park, MD in a rental inspection lawsuit.

State’s Attorney’s Office, DuPage County Illinois

Deputy Chief, Criminal Division

1977 – 1984

Responsibilities included training new attorneys and overseeing their performance in court, advising law enforcement agencies on matters of mutual concern, assigning cases and projects daily to the staff, serving as a liaison to community organizations, conducting seminars for law enforcement agencies an recruiting law students for office’s intern program. Duties as an assistant state’s attorney included extensive litigation experiences in the area of felony, misdemeanor, juvenile and traffic offenses.

Professional and Academic Experience

On the Job, web based training for the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL

2009 to present

Committee member Hazard Abatement Committee, International Code Council,

2009 to present

International Code Council (formerly BOCA International)

Country Club Hills, Illinois

Instructor

1996 to present

Courses: Legal Aspects of Code Administration, Managing Distressed Properties for Code Inspectors, Gathering Evidence for Code Officials, When Disaster Strikes, Legal Aspects of Property Maintenance and Housing Enforcement. Audio Virtual Seminar: Legal Issues: Questions raised by the Chicago and Rhode Island Nightclub Tragedies

Legal Aspects has been taught for code officials in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Oregon, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee, Kentucky, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Colorado, Wisconsin, Nevada and for the cities of Washington, D.C. and Phoenix. Presentations have also included the BOCA International’s annual and mid-year conventions, in Norfolk, Virginia, Overland Park, Kansas and Lexington, Kentucky and its Housing Symposium in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Technical Advisor and Technical Reviewer for the on-line course entitled “Right of Entry” from the 2000 International Building Code.

Non-ICC sponsored seminars taught since 1996 have included “Building Blocks of Code Enforcement”, “Legal Liability of Code Officials”, “Search and Seizure Issues for Code Officials”, “Multi-Family Housing Issues”, “Property Maintenance Issues” and “Effective Enforcement of the Property Maintenance Code,” lectures for the Apartment Community Enhancement program in Carol Stream and presentations for the Illinois Environmental Health Association, Illinois Fire Inspectors’ Association and Illinois Association of Code Enforcement.

DuPage Bar Association, Wheaton, Illinois

Presenter at CLE Seminars:

Juvenile Law Update January 2007, 2008, 2009

Code Issues for the Real Estate Practitioner April 2007

McHenry County Bar Association and McHenry County Juvenile Officers Association: Presenter at CLS Seminar, Juvenile Law Update 200

National-Louis University, Evanston, Illinois

Adjunct Professor, June, 1985 to 1996.

Courses: Workshop in Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect for Educators, Youth in Crisis, Graduate Level

DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

Part time lecturer, September 1976 to March, 1977, Spring 1987

Courses: Law and Society, Criminology

College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Part-time instructor

January to December, 1985

Courses: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Constitutional Law

Northeast Multi-Regional Training, Aurora, Illinois

Instructor, October, 1984 to June, 1986

Courses: Juvenile Law for Law Enforcement Personnel

Publications

Illinois Criminal Jury Instructions Companion Handbook 2009-2010 Edition, West, Thomson Reuters

The Building Process Simplified, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2009

The Residential Inspector’s Guide to Codes, Forms and Complaints, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2008

The Fire Inspector’s Guide to Codes, Forms and Complaints, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2007

The Building Official’s and Inspector’s Guide to Codes, Forms and Complaints, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2007

The Property Maintenance Inspector’s Guide to Codes, Forms and Complaints, Delmar Cengage Learning, 2006

IIlinois Criminal Practice and Procedure 2d(2005), 3 volumes, updated yearly. Thomson/West

Roll Call News a bimonthly newsletter for law enforcement agencies. Subscribers include over 130 agencies in the state of Illinois.

Building Department Administration, 3rd edition, International Code Council, Inc., “Legal Aspects” chapter, 2007

Legal Aspects of Code Administration, 3rd edition, International Code Council, Inc., assisted with the rewrite and editing of this legal guide for code enforcement officials.

“Keeping Our Children Safe” Brochure for the National Pastoral Life Institute on child sexual abuse prevention, 2003. Originally published in Church magazine.

“Survey of Illinois Law: Criminal Law and Procedure”, Southern Illinois University Law Journal, Vol.17, Summer 1993.

“Using Ordinances to Encourage Property Maintenance”, DCBA Brief, February 1993.

“Evidence of Gang Affiliation at Criminal Trials and Sentencing Hearings”, DCBA Brief, March 1991.

“A Defendant’s Past Comes Back to, Haunt Him”, DuPage County Lawyers Bulletin, April 1985.

Handbook for the DuPage Count State’s Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division (1982) 314 pages.

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Contact Linda: lpiec@sbcglobal.net | 129 Maumell St., Hinsdale, IL 60521 | Phone: (630) 655-8783
Disclaimer

This blog site is published by and reflects the personal views of Linda Pieczynski, in her individual capacity. It does not necessarily represent the views of her law firm or her clients, and is not sponsored or endorsed by them. The purpose of this blog site is to assist in dissemination of information about legal issues relating to building code enforcement, but no representation is made about the accuracy of the information. The information contained in this blog site is provided only as general information for education purposes, and blog topics may or may not be updated subsequent to their initial posting.

By using this blog site you understand that this information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to constitute legal advice. This blog site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your state. This blog site is not intended to be advertising for legal services and Linda Pieczynski does not wish to represent anyone desiring representation based upon viewing this blog site in a state where this blog site fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state.