About John T.
John T. Kontrabecki built a career at the intersection of law, finance and real estate. He completed a B.A. in government, history and economics at Cornell University in 1969, earned a J.D. in business law from Cornell in 1973, and returned to Cornell for an M.B.A. in finance and accounting, awarded in 1977.
He began his legal career in 1977 as an associate at Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP, where he handled transactional work for corporate clients. A few years later he moved into financial services, serving as a vice president at Wells Fargo Bank in 1980. He shifted again in 1981 to a senior financial role as chief financial officer at Berg & Berg Developers. In 1984 he took on dual responsibilities as president and general counsel of TKG International, combining executive management with in-house legal oversight.
Kontrabecki holds licenses to practice in both California and Illinois. He has been a member of the Illinois State Bar Association since 1977 and belonged to the American Bar Association from 1977 until 2007. His professional affiliations have also included NAIOP and the Urban Land Institute during the 1980s and 1990s. He remains active in the Cornell Real Estate Council, a membership he began in 2000 and continues today. He is certified as a real estate broker by the California Department of Real Estate.
Over the decades his work has crossed public and private sectors. Early experience at a large law firm exposed him to commercial transactions and corporate clients. Time in banking added practical knowledge of credit, lending and regulatory matters. Executive roles at development and international firms expanded his responsibilities into financial management and corporate governance. That mix informs how he approaches both deals and disputes.
Peers and clients have encountered him in roles that require both legal judgment and business pragmatism. He has handled matters involving real estate transactions, corporate structuring and the kinds of financial arrangements common to developers and lenders. He has also advised on regulatory compliance tied to brokerage and real estate licensing.
Today he remains engaged in legal and real estate circles. He splits time between advisory work and transaction matters, drawing on decades of experience in law, banking and development. He currently focuses his practice on real estate transactions and corporate counsel work.
