Attorney and Former Police Chief

RAYMOND J. BYRNE

Joins CBS LLP

Clark Baird Smith LLP is pleased and proud to announce the newest addition to our legal team, Raymond J. Byrne, Esq. Ray has joined CBS LLP as an associate attorney. Ray will be available to advise and counsel our law firm’s public and private sector clients relating to protective service or other employment-related legal matters, or relating to various operational or administrative issues having a potential legal impact.

As you may know, Chief Byrne brings to our law firm hands-on experience planning for and conducting collective bargaining negotiations; conducting investigations and preparing appropriate investigative reports; handling public sector legal defense work; advising clients on various matters, including labor and employment matters; and representing clients in administrative hearings and litigation.

Perhaps most importantly, Chief Byrne brings to our firm a most unique mix of protective service, administrative law and municipal employment experience. Obtaining his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1986, Chief Byrne in that same year took and passed the Illinois bar examination; he has since continuously been admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois. 

Immediately prior to joining our firm, Ray served as Executive Protection Marshal to the Honorable Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court Robert Thomas (2017-1019) and, thereafter, as an associate attorney with the Chicago law firm DeAno and Scarry (2019-2022).  In this latter capacity, he conducted investigations, participated in legal discovery matters, represented clients in depositions and court hearings, and advised clients on a wide array of legal matters.

Ray Byrne possesses over 35+ years of hands-on Illinois police department experience, the last 15 of which he spent as Chief of Police for the Village of Lombard (45,000 residents).  Chief Byrne originally began his police career with the Village of Downers Grove Police Department, where he served in various capacities of increasing responsibility from 1979 to 2002, including Lieutenant in charge of investigations and Deputy Chief of Operations. Ray is a past president of the DuPage County Chiefs of Police Association.

A 1997 graduate of the FBI National Academy, Chief Byrne was designated “class valedictorian” when he graduated in 1993 from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. 

CBS LLP is delighted to add the unique knowledge and expertise of Ray Byrne to our team of legal advisors and counsellors.  If you have any questions about this notification, or would like to chat directly with Ray Byrne, please just call him at his new phone number: 847-378-7706.