Practice Areas
- Banking, Loans and Finance
- Business & Corporate
- General Counsel
- Homeowners and Condominium Association
- Litigation
- Municipal Law
- Real Estate, Land Use & Development
Education
- Southwestern University School of Law (J.D., 1996) Top 20%
- Indiana University (B.S., 1990)
Admissions
- 1996-current Illinois Supreme Court-State Bar
- 1997-current United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- 2001-current United States Supreme Court
- 2002-current Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
- 2016-current Wisconsin Supreme Court-State Bar
Scott E. Pointner is a Member at Rathje Woodward LLC, DuPage County’s oldest law firm, and has earned an AV-rating (the highest possible distinction) in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. After three years of litigation experience in Cook and DuPage Counties, he joined the firm in 1999 and became a partner in 2002. Scott has concentrated his practice in three broad categories: commercial real estate, general corporate and finance, and commercial litigation, with homeowners and condominium association law having become more than half of his practice since 2010. In 2016, he was awarded the Leading Lawyer designation for Real Estate Law: Associations & Condominiums. Although his commercial real estate, zoning, landlord/tenant, and general corporate practices have been his transactional focus, Scott’s careful attention to detail is shaped in large part by his extensive litigation experience, which helps insulate his documents and transactions from traps too many purely-transactional attorneys often miss. With Scott having litigated cases in fourteen different counties throughout Northern Illinois and having handled a broad range of clients in real estate, zoning, contract, litigation, and corporate matters, Scott’s mix of small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits in general, and homeowners and condo associations in particular, benefit from his integrated approach whereby he effectively leverages his real estate, corporate and finance, and commercial litigation experience to find the best resolutions for his clients.
Scott currently represents a variety of homeowner and condominium associations, from large city-sized lake associations to small one building condo associations and everything in between. Utilizing his extensive homeowners and condominium association experience, he also represents association members, builders, and developers with regard to association issues, including litigation. Finally, his practice also includes collections litigation and other common association cases.
- Co-Counsel: For Appellees, People ex rel. Robert J. Klaeren II et al. v. Village of Lisle et al., 316 Ill.App.3d 770, 737 N.E.2d 1099 (2nd Dist., 2000) (Result: affirmed); 202 Ill.2d 164, 781 N.E.2d 223 (2002) (Result: affirmed).
- Counsel: For Appellees, Paul J. Salce v. Young Sil Saracco a/k/a Youngsil Cho, John Lackos and Euro World Wines, Inc., 409 Ill. App. 3d 977, 949 N.E.2d 284 (2d Dist. 2011). (Result: affirmed).
- Counsel: For Appellant, Didier Builders, Inc. et al v. American National Bank & Trust Co. of Chicago, et al, Appellate Court Case No: 2-00-0786. (Result: reversed) Rule 23 Order.
- Counsel: For Appellant, Christy L. Lee v. Village of Lisle, et al, Appellate Court Case No: 02-99-1169. (Result: reversed). Rule 23 Order.
- Co-Counsel: For Appellees, Markwick v. Homeward Glen Homeowners Association, Appellate Court Case No: 2-12-0624. (Result: affirmed) Rule 23 Order.
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell: Highest possible rating by the most-trusted entity for rating attorneys in the United States.
- Chicago’s Top Rated Lawyers (www.law.com): Real Estate (2012); Zoning, Planning, and Land Use (2012); Business and Commercial Law (2014); General Practice (2014).
- Leading Lawyers Award Designation (2016): Real Estate Law: Associations & Condominiums.
- Member: Community Associations Institute; Illinois Association of Lake Communities; Association of Condominium, Townhouse, and Homeowners Associations.
- Member: American Inns of Court, DuPage County Chapter (2009-present); Member, Board of Directors (2014-2015); Team Leader (2011-2012, and 2012-2013); Vice-Chair, Mentoring Committee (2013-2014); Chair, Mentoring Committee, (2014-2015).
- Member: DuPage County and Illinois State Bar Associations. Active Member, Lawyers Lending a Hand Committee (2006-present).
- Chair: DuPage County Bar Association Professional Responsibility Section 2015-2016.
- Advisory Committee Member: DuPage County Bar Association Planning Committee (2015-16, 2016-17).
- Member, Business Advisory Board: Illinois Chamber of Commerce (2011-2016).
- General Counsel: Wheaton Chamber of Commerce (2010-present).
- Member of Board of Directors: Wheaton Chamber of Commerce (2010-present).
- Recipient: Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Outstanding Leadership Award (2009), Executive Award (2012). DuPage County Bar Association Board of Directors Distinguished Service Award winner (2015-2016).
- Secretary: Rathje & Woodward, LLC (2002-present).
- Member, Secretary: Executive Board of Directors, Grand Theater Corporation, 501(c)(3) non- profit committed to restoring the Wheaton Grand Theater, Wheaton, Illinois. Elected 2001 (2001-present).
- Chair: Wheaton Leadership Prayer Breakfast. Member of the committee that presents an annual prayer breakfast for leaders in Wheaton (2013-present), (Chair 2015-present).
- Head Soccer Coach: Winfield in Action/Winfield Park District (2003-2011) (15 teams).
- Parishioner: St. Irene’s Catholic Church, Warrenville, Illinois (1996-present); Baptism Mentor (2003-present); Music ministry leader for Children’s Liturgy of the Word (2006-present); Lector (2008-present).
- Legal Counsel: Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation (2021-present)
- Board Member: DuPage Health Coalition (2018-present)
- 2002-Present: Guest Lecturer: Civil Litigation, Midwestern University.
- February, 2003: Featured Lecturer: (First of three presenters). Zoning and Land Use in Illinois, Lorman Education Services for Continuing Legal Education.
- January, 2008: Featured Lecturer: (First of five presenters). Plat and Subdivision Law in Illinois, 2008, Lorman Education Services for Continuing Legal Education.
- January, 2009: Featured Lecturer: (First of five presenters). Plat and Subdivision Law in Illinois, 2009, Lorman Education Services for Continuing Legal Education.
- February, 2010: Featured Lecturer: How to Negotiate A Commercial Lease, EAI Annual Meeting.
- September, 2010: Featured Lecturer: (First of three presenters). Illinois Professional Land Surveying Practice, Half Moon Seminars for Continuing Legal Education.
- November, 2010: Featured Lecturer: (Last of six presenters). Real Estate Law and Practice, DuPage County Bar Association Basic Skills Seminar.
- January, 2011: Featured Lecturer: Homeowners Association Law, Mentor CLE Continuing Legal Education webinar.
- September, 2011: Sole Lecturer: How to Negotiate A Commercial Lease In The Post-Recession Economy, Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
- November, 2011: Featured Lecturer: (Last of six presenters). Real Estate Law and Practice, DuPage County Bar Association Basic Skills Seminar.
- October, 2012: Featured Lecturer: (One of two presenters). Illinois Professional Land Surveying Practice, Half Moon Seminars for Continuing Legal Education.
- February, 2013: Featured Lecturer: After the Economic Apocalypse: Zoning Hearings After the Recession, DuPage County Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar.
- February, 2014: Featured Lecturer: Commercial Leasing, Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
- January, 2015: Moderator: How To Stand Out To The Partners, DuPage County Bar Association Professional Responsibility Continuing Legal Education Lecture (Approved by the Illinois Supreme Court’s MCLE Board for 1 credit hour of Professionalism Credit).
- October, 2015: Featured Lecturer: Surviving The First Year/Expectations of a First Year Associate, DuPage County Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar.
- June, 2016: Moderator: DuPage County Bar Association Fee Dispute Resolution Program, DuPage County Bar Association Professional Responsibility Continuing Legal Education Lecture (Approved by the Illinois Supreme Court’s MCLE Board for 1 credit hour of Professionalism Credit).
- April, 2019: Featured Lecturer: (First of two presenters). Association Governance After P.A. 99-0567: What Every Board Member Needs to Know About Palm II, Community Association Institute Illinois 2019 Legal Forum.
- Author: Zoning and Land Use in Illinois, Lorman Education Services, Illinois Continuing Legal Education, February, 2003.
- Author: Plat and Subdivision Law, Section 1: Understanding the Land Development Process, Lorman Education Services, Illinois Continuing Legal Education, January, 2008; revised/re- published January, 2009.
- Author: How to Negotiate a Commercial Lease, EAI Annual Meeting Handout, February, 2010.
- Author: An Introduction to Illinois Land Surveyor Practice, and Illinois Surveyor Liability, Half Moon Seminars, Continuing Legal Education manual for CLE lecture, September, 2010.
- Author: Basic Real Estate Skills for Newly-Licensed Attorneys, DuPage County Bar Association Basic Skills Seminar, Real Estate, November, 2010; November, 2011.
- Co-Author: An Introduction To Illinois’ Newly-Penned Common Interest Community Association (“CICA”) Act, The Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association, Volume 23, Issue 3, December, 2010.
- Author: Homeowners Association Law, Mentor CLE Handout, January, 2011.
- Guest Newspaper Writer: The Challenges of Navigating The Economy As A Small Business, The Wheaton Leader Newspaper, September 18, 2013 (Part 1 of 2), http://mysuburbanlife.com/2013/09/11/pointner-the-challenges-of-navigating-the-economy-as-a-small-business/af96wn5/, and February 5, 2014 (Part 2) http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2014/01/26/pointner-the-sea-of-mediocrity-in-which-small- businesses-are-sailing/arspg1j/.
- October, 2019: Featured Lecturer: Association Governance After P.A. 99-0567: What Every Board Member Needs to Know About Palm II, DCBA Remote CLE.
- April, 2021: Featured Lecturer: (One of two presenters). The Legal System and the Physician Assistant, Midwestern University.
- May, 2021: Moderator for Roundtable with four presenters: Workplace 2021: What You Need to Know, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce.
- June, 2021: Featured Lecturer: Real Estate Law Refresher-Two Heads Are Better Than One: Ten Places Real Estate Law and Condominium/CICA (HoA) Law Intersect, DCBA Remote CLE.