The Chicago Bar Foundation — Housing law and access-to-justice issues
Samira Nazem has used her impressive legal skills to fight for those who lack access to justice during her entire legal career, from her years as a legal aid lawyer at the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing to her time pursuing new programs and policies on behalf of people without lawyers in the Civil Justice Division of the…

BatesCarey LLP — Insurance coverage
It hasn’t taken Patrick Bedell long to earn the trust of his colleagues and clients. Katie Falkenberg, partner at Chicago’s SmithAmundsen, saw this firsthand back in 2005, when she and Bedell represented co-defendants in a declaratory judgment action involving exposure to asbestos. The case was a long and complex one. But…

Freeborn & Peters LLP — Commercial litigation
Rick Kienzler is one of those rare attorneys who shines in every situation. His peers say he’s as comfortable running point on large cases in which he manages teams of lawyers as he is taking a more personal approach in smaller matters in which he handles every aspect of a case. Why? It could be because Kienzler is a smart…

Locke Lord LLP — Intellectual property law, patent litigation
Carolyn Blessing boasts a key skill: She can distill the facts of even the most complex pharmaceutical patent cases into winning strategies for her clients. The reason? Blessing’s peers say this intellectual property and patent litigation specialist relies on her extensive knowledge of science and the law. Karen Carroll with the…

Barnes & Thornburg LLP — Labor and employment law
Gray Mateo-Harris gets results consistently. It’s why she’s recognized as one of the top labor and employment lawyers in the Chicago region. But how has this attorney with Chicago’s Barnes & Thornburg strung together such a successful list of verdicts and settlements for her clients? Mateo-Harris’ peers…

Accenture LLP — Intellectual property
Just how packed are Maria Maras’ days? As senior legal counsel for intellectual property at the Chicago office of professional services company Accenture, Maras manages intellectual property disputes and litigation related to Accenture’s global operations. This means that no two days are the same and every day features new…

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP — Employment litigation, higher education
How has Sarah Flotte managed to build such a successful employment practice at such a young age? Flotte’s fellow attorneys point to her legal skills, acute business sense and constant professionalism. As Kerryann Haase Minton, managing partner of Michael Best & Friedrich’s Chicago office put it, Flotte “quickly…

Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger LLP — Family law
Judd Fineberg’s fellow attorneys say that this family law specialist is a dedicated advocate for his clients. They also praise his courtroom skills, saying that no attorney outworks or outthinks Fineberg. Other nominators cite Fineberg’s negotiating talents when explaining how this young attorney has crafted such a strong…