Leonard E. Zak

Retired Law Partner, General Counsel

 Leonard Zak, 83, a resident of Evanston, Illinois since 1956, died February 23rd in his home.  In addition to Bonnie, his wife of 58 years, he is survived by his four children: Peter, David, Megan Sanders (Reginald Sanders), Ursula (David Randall), two grandchildren Josephine and Zak Randall and his faithful companion Echo. 

He was born in Chicago and graduated from Lake View High School in 1947, a graduate of Carleton College in 1951 and he received his law degree from Northwestern University Law School in 1954. 

An army veteran, he served as a special agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps in Salzburg, Austria and Baltimore.  After his military service he returned to Chicago and in 1956 began practicing law at McBride & Baker which has since merged with Holland & Knight.

He became Vice President and General Counsel of Harza Engineering Company and its’ foreign affiliates in 1980 and retired in 1993. Harza Companies have since merged with Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH).

He also served in Chicago as a special assistant to the US Attorney General in 1967-68 as a hearing officer for conscientious objectors’ appeals.  Following his retirement in 1993, he served as an arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois from 1988 to 2010.  He served as vice president and director of the Mark Morton Memorial Fund, a Chicago based private charitable entity. He also volunteered in the natural areas section to the Chicago Botanic Gardens.  He was a long time member of the Tower Club in  Chicago.

Through his life he played squash, racquetball and tennis.  From 1957 he was one of the earliest members of the Net Seekers Tennis Association of Evanston.

A memorial service will be held at St.  John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette, IL on March 16th at 2:00.