James C. Franczek, Jr. Receives The American Bar Association’s Arvid Anderson Award

Franczek P.C. is very pleased to announce that founding partner James C. Franczek, Jr. will receive the American Bar Association’s 2022 Arvid Anderson Award. The Arvid Anderson Award is the ABA’s highest honor for public sector labor attorneys. The annual award is presented to one attorney in the nation whose career has substantially contributed to the development of public sector labor law.

Jim’s dedication to the public sector began long before he started Franczek P.C. in 1994. In 1969, Jim won a fellowship to intern in the Illinois General Assembly where he worked with, among others, Harold Washington, Anthony Scariano, and Paul Simon. In 1970, Jim was a law clerk for the Bill of Rights Committee at the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1970.

Jim graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1971. For the next 51 years, Jim negotiated over 500 labor agreements, including hundreds in the public sector. His career has touched virtually every major labor event over the last five decades. Jim was one of a select few who were instrumental in writing the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act in 1984 and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act in 1986. In 1995 he was one of the principal authors of the Chicago Board of Education Reform Act and in 2010 of the labor reforms legislation for McCormick Place.

For the last almost 30 years, Jim has been the principal outside labor counsel for the City of Chicago—negotiating its police and fire agreements; for the Chicago Board of Education—negotiating seven contracts with the Chicago Teachers Union; and, negotiating labor contracts for McCormick Place, Navy Pier and other sister agencies. He has proudly represented Mayors Daley, Emanuel, and Lightfoot.

In addition, Jim has negotiated scores of contracts for school districts and public bodies throughout Illinois and the Midwest. He has also negotiated labor agreements in healthcare, trucking, hospitality, and utility industries, as well as for a wide range of non-for-profits.

Clients and adversaries alike respect and trust Jim. His approach to the multi-dimensional puzzle of collective bargaining is to guide the parties to a resolution. Jim’s goal is always to find a solution that works for everyone.

“Jim has had one of the most remarkable and successful careers of any lawyer in our City and State,” said Executive Committee member Bill Pokorny. “This national recognition is just the most recent acknowledgement of what a great firm Jim has created. We are all proud of Jim and of this firm.”

Jim would like to add that “For over 51 years I have been privileged to represent, work with, and become friends with hundreds of dedicated public servants at every level of government. This award is the capstone of a career that has been devoted to bringing civility and fairness to public sector labor relations. It has been the honor of my life.”

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Please join us in congratulating Jim on this achievement! Watch his acceptance speech here: