Borden, James M.

Margaret Morrison Borcia was born in Deerfield, Illinois on July 11, 1964, the sixth of eight children of Donald T. and Catherine E. Morrison. She received her secondary education at Marillac High School in Northfield, Illinois, and attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. While at Western, Mrs. Borcia participated in various campus activities including being elected as president of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi. She majored in Psychology with a double minor in Political Science and Sociology. She was graduated from Western Illinois University in 1986 and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science.

After graduation from college, Mrs. Borcia attended IIT-Kent College of Law in Chicago, Illinois. She was awarded the degree of Juris Doctor from IIT-Kent in May of 1989. While attending college and law school, Mrs. Borcia was a law clerk at the firm. After graduation from law school, she was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois and United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Mrs. Borcia then joined the firm as an associate in November of 1989.

Mrs. Borcia is a member of the American, Illinois State and Lake County Bar Associations. She has served on various committees of the Lake County Bar Association including the Young Lawyers Committee and Civil Trial Committee. Mrs. Borcia is also a member of the American and Illinois Trial Lawyers Associations. She has completed the Lane Trial Technique Course and has attended numerous seminars on various topics including eminent domain, zoning, personal injury, products liability and legal medicine.

She has trial and appellate experience in a variety of different types of land use cases. Mrs. Borcia has represented both municipalities and landowners in zoning petitions and litigation. She has also represented adjacent property owners who have opposed rezonings in their neighborhoods. Mrs. Borcia recently successfully completed a zoning trial which involved one of the largest differentials of value reported in Illinois. Her experience with zoning and land use cases includes residential developments, industrial and commercial uses and office and research parks. She also has substantial experience with eminent domain cases in which she has represented both landowners and the condemning authorities. Mrs. Borcia's eminent domain experience ranges from strip taking to takings of hundreds of acres.

Mrs. Borcia has represented municipalities as corporate and litigation counsel. She has also served as village Prosecutor for the Village of Round Lake Beach. Her municipal experience includes representation of individuals in their various dealings with municipalities including zoning, annexation, approval of subdivisions and ordinance disputes.

She also has litigation experience in plaintiff's personal injury actions, product liability cases, professional negligence suits including medical malpractice, contract disputes, real estates and business litigation. Her involvement in these types of cases has also included extensive appellate litigation. Mrs. Borcia has drafted numerous appellate briefs for both the appellee and appellant.