Stephen S. Morrill

As a lobbyist, Stephen has represented clients before the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Office of the Governor, state executive branch agencies and Cook County Board, and with the Illinois Congressional delegation. As a lawyer, Stephen has practiced before virtually every Illinois agency and executive branch office, as well as in the state and federal courts.

He brings keen insight to the needs of clients that intersect with Illinois state and local government and with the federal government, particularly in the regulatory, employment, energy, real estate, higher education, legislative, procurement and compliance arenas.

Stephen's government experience includes service as chief legal counsel and parliamentarian to the Illinois Senate president; commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, which adjudicates antidiscrimination claims related to employment, housing, education and public accommodation; Special Assistant Attorney General; Special Assistant Cook County State's Attorney; Special Counsel to the Cook County Board; contract lobbyist for the Cook County Board; counsel to the State Employees' Retirement System; counsel to the Teachers' Retirement System of Illinois Board of Trustees; and member of the Illinois Attorney General Advisory Board on Not-For-Profit Corporations. Between college and law school, Stephen was a Governor's Fellow in Springfield, working for a year in various areas of the Illinois governor's office.

Stephen has served on transition teams of state constitutional officers, on the boards of charities, and as a member of numerous legal and civic organizations. He has published articles in such publications as the Northwestern University Law Review, DePaul University Law Review and Illinois Bar Journal, along with magazines Chicago Southland Business, Chicago Office, Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers Bottom Line, and Illinois Cemetery and Funeral Home Association Newsletter.

Stephen is also a principal in Morrill & Fiedler, LLC, a separate and distinct business from Barnes & Thornburg, which provides non-legal state and local government relations services in Illinois. Though independent from one another, Morrill & Fiedler and Barnes & Thornburg collaborate on a wide array of Illinois state and local government relations matters.