Michael Stone is the Legal Director for CDEL. As Legal Director, Michael ensures the high quality of CDEL’s legal services, supervises the work of staff attorneys, interns and volunteer attorneys and manages the screening and placement of cases. He partners with the Executive Director on the development of legal strategies for CDEL. Michael also represents clients in certain matters.

Michael began his legal career at the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis as an associate attorney in the firm’s corporate department. He later served as General Counsel for the Cook County Assessor’s Office and Chief Deputy Assessor of the Cook County Assessor. He has also served as Chief of Staff to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Prior to joining CDEL, Michael was an attorney in private practice.

Michael has served as a Keystone Leader for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Preservation Compact, a MacArthur Foundation and Urban Land Institute led task force on preserving affordable housing. He was also a member of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Task Force on Property Tax Reform.

Michael attended Harvard University as an undergraduate and earned a degree as a double major in Government and Economics with cum laude distinction. He earned his Juris Doctorate from The University of Chicago Law School.