Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added Terence M. Dunleavy as shareholder in the firm’s Gaming Practice in Chicago. He joins the firm from O’Rourke, LLP, where he was a partner.
Dunleavy brings a wealth of experience in regulatory, licensing, compliance, and transactional legal services within the gaming industry. His clients include casino companies, racetrack owners and operators, Native American tribes, video gaming terminal owners and establishments, gaming manufacturers and suppliers, sportsbook operators, game developers, and financial institutions investing in the gaming sector.
“Terry is a highly regarded leader in the gaming industry. He has several decades of high-profile legal experience which has helped him gain an intimate understanding of the industry and to develop key relationships,” said Edward R. Winkofsky, chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Gaming Practice. “His complex regulatory and compliance experience will be invaluable to our clients. We are thrilled to welcome him to the firm.”
Dunleavy assists clients with drafting and implementing complex legislation and gaming compliance programs. He also represents gaming companies in matters related to proposed new and existing operations, including financing and refinancing of gaming projects, as well as litigation and related disciplinary matters.
A contributor to the expansion of gaming in Illinois, Dunleavy served as lead regulatory counsel to Hawthorne Race Course in the awarding of its preliminary approval to become Illinois’s first-ever racino, Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Williamson County in the award of its owner’s license to operate a casino, and 815 Entertainment, LLC and Hard Rock Casino Rockford in the awarding of its approval for a temporary casino license – the first approved since the Illinois Gaming Expansion Bill went into law. He also advised Blue Owl Capital on its purchase of the land associated with Tribune Publishing, the soon-to-be home of Chicago’s $1.7 billion permanent casino – the city’s first.
“Greenberg Traurig has established itself as the go-to law firm for many of the key players in the gaming industry and I am excited to join the firm and work alongside this talented team of professionals,” Dunleavy said. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to help our clients navigate the complex and evolving landscape of the gaming industry.”
Dunleavy’s career in the gaming industry is rooted in his governmental roles, having served as the executive director and general counsel of the Illinois Racing Board and as the first member of the Wisconsin Gaming Commission. He also held the position of executive director of the Wisconsin Racing Board. These roles have provided him with unique insights into the regulatory perspective, which he applies when advising clients on matters before gaming regulatory bodies such as the Illinois Gaming Board.
