The lawyer whose legacy has been made fighting patronage in Chicago is hoping his campaign is coming into its final stretch now that he’s reached a settlement with the city government.
Attorney Michael Shakman is the man whose name has been synonymous with the court decrees aimed at checking political influence on City Hall employment since 1969. He and lawyers working with him on the case last month reached a settlement with the city that could end federal court oversight by 2009. Shakman v. Democratic Organization of Cook County, No. 69-2145 (N.D. Ill.).
