Rebekah H. Parker

The success that Rebekah Parker, a partner at Chicago’s Novack and Macey, has enjoyed so early in her career comes as no surprise to John Shonkwiler, an attorney with Chicago’s Leland Grove Law. Shonkwiler has known Parker since 2009, when both attorneys worked at Novack and Macey. While working closely with Parker until 2016, Shonkwiler quickly learned just how talented this young attorney is.

Shonkwiler said that Parker possesses a rare combination of strong analytical skills and the ability to relate well to people. She is also smart, routinely conceiving of winning strategies when writing briefs. Parker doesn’t shy away from the hard work, either. Shonkwiler said that Parker typically spent long hours researching, writing and analyzing legal strategies, all in an effort to earn the best results for her clients.

“In addition to her strong intellect, she also handled both an aggressive opposing counsel and a demanding client with aplomb, always staying respectful and never losing her cool,” Shonkwiler said. “She also managed cases as an associate with very little oversight and possessed the confidence of a seasoned litigator.”

As an example of Parker’s legal skills, Shonkwiler points to a high-profile case that he and the young attorney worked together. The case was resolved in favor of their client after a one-week jury trial. Parker drafted several winning briefs that limited the plaintiff to a single claim and knocked out several damages theories.

Parker also drafted in large part the appellate brief that the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals relied on in affirming the result.

Parker’s clients and opposing counsel agree Parker is someone you want on your side.

One of her nominators, a corporate counsel at a financial services firm, hired Parker and her firm to handle a high-exposure piece of litigation. They said “Rebekah gives a great deal of attention to detail. She is constantly on the lookout for ways to uncover relevant information that will support the defense of our case.”

Erin Ankin, general counsel at Waterton, a real estate investment and property management company based in Chicago, hired Parker to replace their counsel on a longstanding litigation issue and has hired her multiple times since to handle other matters. She said this about Parker: “She is a strong negotiator who really understands our goals and helps us solve and avoid problems before it is too late, i.e. before they wind up in litigation.”

Carrie Rose, general counsel at Oak Street Health, retained Parker to handle a pending litigation issue,

“I regularly deal with outside counsel, and Rebekah stands out among attorneys as an exceptionally strong litigator.” Rose continued, “She is also a very good problem solver and is constantly approaching us with new ideas for new arguments to make or ways to create settlement leverage.”

Even opposing counsel such as Amy Galvin Grogan, a partner at Grogan Hesse & Uditsky, are impressed by Parker: “I found Rebekah to be a diligent, smart and compassionate attorney,” she said.

When not fighting for her clients, Parker has spent time taking on pro bono cases focusing on special education matters. She once won in a three-day hearing special education services for a student who had previously been denied them. She then successfully defended her result in the district court and court of appeals, even winning attorney fees for the non-profit with which she partnered. In addition, Parker is very involved in her community by supporting and volunteering in the schools where she resides in Glencoe.