“Eric is a consummate professional who never lets it become personal. He is eminently trustworthy. His word is good. This reflects in part his ability and willingness over time to build relationships based on respect and trust.”
Eric Madiar is a Springfield-based lobbyist and attorney with over 15 years of experience in the legislative, litigation, and regulatory arenas, and he has significant relationships with decision-makers in both the Illinois House and Senate.
He launched Madiar Government Relations LLC in December 2014. Most recently, Eric served as the Chief Legal Counsel to Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton and acted as Senate Parliamentarian since January 2009. During that time, he was also the ethics officer for the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate's Freedom of Information (FOIA) officer. Eric was President Cullerton's point person on public pension reform legislation and also drafted the rules for the Senate's historic 2009 impeachment trial of then-Governor Rod Blagojevich.
He has extensive experience drafting, negotiating, and shepherding legislation affecting public utilities and telecommunications, gaming, property tax exemptions, economic development, the election code, the procurement code, municipal home rule authority, venture capital, and executive agency reorganizations.
His career began in the Illinois House of Representatives where he served as Assistant Legal Counsel to Michael J. Madigan, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, from 2000-2003. From there, Eric moved to the Illinois Commerce Commission as Staff Legal Counsel where he represented the Commission staff in numerous litigation matters and advised the Commission on legislation affecting the agency's statutory duties. After two years at the ICC, he transitioned into the private sector as a partner track associate at Freeborn & Peters LLP, where his practice focused on legislative affairs and regulatory compliance issues.
Born and raised in Chicago, Eric received his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. in History from Truman State University. In 2012, he was named one of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin's 40 Under 40, and in the same year, received the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association's Person of the Year Award for legal research on the Illinois Constitution's Public Pension Clause. The Lake Park High School Educational Foundation recognized him with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013.
In February of 2015, he was featured in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin with news of launching Madiar Government Relations LLC. In August 2016 and again in April 2018, he appeared on WTTW-Chicago Tonight to discuss Illinois’ pension reform options. In January 2018, Eric was quoted in Chicago Lawyer Magazine regarding lobbying in Springfield, and in a Chicago Tribune editorial regarding public pensions in January 2020.
Eric is also a frequent guest-lecturer before law school classes and public speaker at conferences and webinars. He has spoken before the Civic Federation of Chicago at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Northwestern University College of Law, University of Illinois College of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law, John Marshall Law School, American Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Civic Federation of Chicago, State Government Affairs Council, State Universities Annuitants Association, Association of Illinois Public Retirement Systems, Illinois Public Pension Fund Association, and Labor and Employment Relations Association.
Eric lives in Springfield, Illinois and is the proud father of three children Jack, Audrey, and Greta.