Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC) welcomes new partner LaVon M. Johns to
the firm’s business transactions practice.
Johns is an industry luminary best regarded for having a highly respected practice advising clients
in complex commercial real estate and finance transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions,
financing, leasing, and public/private partnership transactions. She is known for having served as
lead real estate counsel to the City of Chicago in the privatization of assets, including Chicago
Skyway Toll Bridge and Chicago Parking Garage System. Illinois Real Estate Journal has honored
her on their list of the state’s “Top Women in Real Estate” every year since 2006. In addition to
representing commercial and industrial clients in multimillion-dollar commercial real estate
transactions in the United States and abroad, she teaches commercial real estate law at
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and is the immediate past president (2022) of the Illinois
Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE).
RSHC has been recognized for its inclusive culture and deep commitment to pro bono service
with awards from Law360, the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, and multiple
clients. The firm is ranked by Chambers & Partners as among the nation’s top firms in General
Commercial and White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Litigation and was noted by
BTI Consulting Group as one of the legal industry’s “Frequently Recommended” firms in 2022,
based on survey results of in-house counsel.
Beyond traditional transactional work, Johns is well versed in handling governmental incentive based transactions using vehicles such as tax credits, TIF, LIHTC, and NMTC to achieve her clients’
goals. In addition to representing Fortune 100 companies, governmental agencies, and
entrepreneurs, her practice also includes advising nonprofit and faith-based organizations on
issues relating to federal and state law governance and compliance and crisis management
issues.
Johns is a graduate of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
