James M. McIsaac has a wide-ranging background in law, government, and aviation matters. Mr. McIsaac focuses his practice on Government and Regulatory Matters, Transportation/Aviation, and Transactional/Contracts. Additionally, Mr. McIsaac reviews clients’ bids and proposals in advance of submittal to contracting authorities, and conducts seminars on understanding and complying with contract terms and bid submittal requirements.
Most recently, Mr. McIsaac served as Associate General Counsel for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. At the Authority, Mr. McIsaac advised the Authority on various procurement issues, including protests, disputes, concessions and construction contracts, and negotiated inter-agency agreements, drafted leases and prepared settlement agreements.
Prior to his tenure at the Authority, Mr. McIsaac was the Managing Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel for the City of Chicago’s Department of Procurement Services. In this role, he was responsible for managing legal issues for City of Chicago procurements administered by the Department. He advised on a broad spectrum of legal matters, including interpretation of contractual terms, disputes and protests, diversity certification, regulatory and compliance issues, employment, ethics, settlements, legislation, rules and regulations, media responses and risk avoidance.
Mr. McIsaac formerly served as Assistant Commissioner for the City of Chicago's O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) where he managed the Legal/Procurement group, a team charged with the responsibility of procuring architectural, engineering, design, and construction contracts for the massive redevelopment of O’Hare airport.
Prior to joining the OMP, Mr. McIsaac spent five years in the City's Law Department in the Municipal Prosecutions Division, starting as a prosecutor in the Drug and Gang House Enforcement Section before attaining the position of Senior Counsel.
Before working for the City of Chicago, Mr. McIsaac was a staff attorney in Bank One’s Litigation Group.
Admissions
- Illinois
- New York
- Virginia
Education
- DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, J.D., 2000
- Northeastern University, Chicago, Illinois, Bachelor of Arts, 1996