Jenner & Block Lawyers Help Chicago Nonprofit Expand

A Jenner & Block team provided Bright Star Community Outreach (Bright Star) with real estate counsel to purchase Tabernacle Church, with input from the firm’s tax, environmental, and bankruptcy lawyers. 

With facilities spanning 26,000 square feet and a 2,000-plus seat sanctuary, the church, will allow the organization to expand their efforts and establish a larger footprint in the community.

Bright Star entered into an initial agreement to purchase the church, located in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, in late 2023 and the transaction closed in June 2024. Jenner will continue to provide legal support as the facilities are renovated and brought into operation.

Partner Sheila Kailus, Associates Allyssa Milam and Jessica Black, and Paralegal Jiwon Kim assisted with real estate counseling. The team received support from Partners Gail MorseSarah Weiss, and Steve Siros, and Associates Daniel Robertson and Bill Williams

Bright Star Community Outreach is a nonprofit organization in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood that helps the city’s most vulnerable communities tackle societal challenges. In Bright Star’s twelve-year history, the organization has developed initiatives and programming that focus on community engagement, economic development, violence prevention, and healthy children and families. 

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© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

Jenner & Block Lawyers Help Chicago Nonprofit Expand

A Jenner & Block team provided Bright Star Community Outreach (Bright Star) with real estate counsel to purchase Tabernacle Church, with input from the firm’s tax, environmental, and bankruptcy lawyers. 

With facilities spanning 26,000 square feet and a 2,000-plus seat sanctuary, the church, will allow the organization to expand their efforts and establish a larger footprint in the community.

Bright Star entered into an initial agreement to purchase the church, located in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, in late 2023 and the transaction closed in June 2024. Jenner will continue to provide legal support as the facilities are renovated and brought into operation.

Partner Sheila Kailus, Associates Allyssa Milam and Jessica Black, and Paralegal Jiwon Kim assisted with real estate counseling. The team received support from Partners Gail MorseSarah Weiss, and Steve Siros, and Associates Daniel Robertson and Bill Williams

Bright Star Community Outreach is a nonprofit organization in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood that helps the city’s most vulnerable communities tackle societal challenges. In Bright Star’s twelve-year history, the organization has developed initiatives and programming that focus on community engagement, economic development, violence prevention, and healthy children and families. 

Related Capabilities

Related Locations

© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

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