EXHIBIT 23 HINSHAW & CULBERTSON BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS SUITE 300 WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 222 NORTH LA SALLE STREET FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60601-1081 MIAMI, FLORIDA JOLIET, ILLINOIS TAMPA, FLORIDA LISLE, ILLINOIS 312.704.3000 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI PEORIA, ILLINOIS ________ APPLETON, WISCONSIN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS TELEFAX 312.704.3001 BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN December 15, 1995 WRITER'S DIRECT DIAL NO. FILE NO. (312) 704-3852 728693 VIA FACSIMILE & AIRBORNE EXPRESS First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. 300 Park Boulevard, Suite 405 P.O. Box 459 Itasca, Illinois 60143-0459 RE: REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 (33-62581) Gentlemen: We hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Opinions" and "Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger." Very truly yours, TIMOTHY M. SULLIVAN Timothy M. Sullivan TMS/mm A PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS 118359-1-DS2