Former Chicago Aldermen Joe Moore and Rod Sawyer joined forces in 2023 with veteran public government affairs professional Fred Lebed to launch MLS Public Strategies, LLC, a new firm to provide tailored government affairs advice and advocacy services to individuals, businesses, not-for-profits and trade associations seeking to navigate today’s ever changing political and governmental landscape.
MLS (Moore, Lebed, Sawyer) Strategies brings together three political veterans who boast a combined total of over 120 years of political, legal, and state and local government service.
Moore worked for seven years as an attorney in the City of Chicago Law Department before being elected to the Chicago City Council where he served with distinction for 28 years. After leaving office in 2019, Moore formed Joe Moore Strategies, LLC., representing a wide variety of clients, including government contractors, affordable housing developers, retailers, and retail and housing provider associations.
Lebed got his start in Illinois State government, serving as Assistant State Comptroller and later as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Attorney General. He later worked in Cook County government as Special Assistant to the County Board President. For the last 24 years, Lebed has served as President and CEO of the Prairie Group Consulting, Inc., which is recognized as the leading healthcare consultant in Illinois, representing hospitals and healthcare systems at all levels of government.
Sawyer, the youngest son of the late Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer, has spent his entire life immersed in politics and local government. He served for 12 years in the Chicago City Council where he chaired the City Council Black Caucus. In addition to his government service, Sawyer is an attorney in private practice, specializing in real estate, business and municipal law, and has served as an administrative law judge and a Special Assistant Attorney General.
At a time of extraordinary change at all levels of government, Moore, Lebed, and Sawyer bring a combination of knowledge, experience and political savvy rarely found in the government affairs space. Between the three partners, there is not a public official in the State of Illinois whom they don’t know and a government office they have not visited.
Organizations seeking a long-term relationship with a full-service government affairs firm, as well as individuals and businesses in need of a quick resolution to a problem or a solution to grow their business, will find hands-on support from the principals at MLS Public Strategies. Companies and organizations who never hear from the consultants they keep on a monthly retainer now have an alternative—MLS Public Strategies.
Our Story
Our Team
Fred Lebed
Partner
Fred Lebed’s networks in the fields of public policy and government relations are unmatched. During his 50-year career, Lebed has held significant leadership positions in government, the business sector, and the not-for-profit community, achieving great success in all three arenas.
Our Approach
The MLS Public Strategies team is a consortium of public affairs experts unmatched in their fields. The firm’s strength is in its vast network of government and political contacts, extensive experience and expertise, and ready accessibility and responsiveness to its clients. We work closely with our clients to craft effective, efficient, and creative public strategies to accomplish their goals. We help them bridge the gap between corporate culture and the complex public sector environment.
The MLS Public Strategies team has extensive experience representing clients before the City of Chicago, its “sister agencies,” Cook County, Cook County Health and Hospital System, the “collar counties,” Downstate Illinois counties, municipalities throughout Illinois, the General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, and other elected and appointed officials across the state. At MLS Public Strategies, we pride ourselves in our pragmatic approach, procedural know-how, and innovative strategies, all geared with one goal in mind: getting the job done.
There is no substitute for integrity. In the arena of public affairs, your word should be your bond. The best-crafted strategy falls by the wayside if your consultant lacks credibility and trust. MLS Public Strategies takes immense pride in the team it has assembled and the credibility they have amassed over decades of honest and ethical service to the public and to their clients.
Us in Numbers
$100M+
Clients’ Income during the Last Quarter
5
Industry Awards
355
Business Partners in over 30 Countries
27
Years of Experience