Overview
International law firm McDermott, Will & Emery is proud to announce that partners Rachel Cowen, Christina Martini, Stephanie McCann and Jennifer Mikulina have made Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Notable Women in Law 2020” list. This prestigious recognition highlights women in in the Chicago region who not only serve as role models in their workplace, but who also have contributed to their communities through their personal and philanthropic activities.
“Rachel, Christina, Stephanie and Jennifer are some of the most dedicated and passionate lawyers I know. Not only do they love the work they do, but they also are committed to improving the industry by creating opportunities for young professionals,” said John Callahan, managing partner of the Firm’s Chicago office. “These women are incredible role models and we are so grateful to have them here at McDermott.”
Rachel Cowen prosecutes and defends employee mobility and trade secret litigation on an emergency injunctive basis. She counsels employers facing union organizing activity, picketing, and has successfully tried cases before the National Labor Relations Board. She handles collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, represents financial services companies and professional engineering firms in unfair competition cases. Rachel is also at the forefront of pay equity issues. A known thought leader on the topic, Rachel frequently presents at events and regularly conducts pay equity studies for her clients to help close the gap, an issue of the utmost importance.
When it comes to mentoring, Rachel believes in giving the kind of substantive work to her women colleagues that gets them in front of clients. She believes that giving women opportunities to succeed is the most effective way to elevate their success. Additionally, as a way to promote inclusivity in the profession, Rachel co-hosts an event in its ninth year titled “Women in the C-Suite and Office of the General Counsel” where she and the other hosts in attendance not only educate the women in attendance, but create a lasting sense of community for them.
Christina Martini has an internationally recognized global practice focused on trademark and copyright law, domain name, Internet, social media, advertising, unfair competition and entertainment law. She’s served as the lead lawyer in counseling, prosecution, enforcement, due diligence and licensing matters, and protecting clients’ IP rights in cross-border litigation and arbitration matters.
Christina is strongly committed to advancing racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the legal industry. Her activities include sitting on McDermott’s Racial and Ethnic and Gender Diversity Committees, and she recently served as Co-National Hiring Partner, where she helped drive the Firm’s diversity-related hiring initiatives. She also has served as a mentor, both formal and informal, for countless law students and young professionals, including through organizations such as the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.
Stephanie McCann focuses her practice on corporate finance. She represents private equity groups, commercial lending institutions and major public and private companies in connection with the structuring, negotiation and documentation of secured and unsecured financing transactions, including senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, acquisition financing, loan workouts and restructurings.
Stephanie is dedicated to mentoring lawyers and staff. She is responsible for instituting female attorney lunches and mentoring groups for the Chicago corporate practice to provide an open forum for discussion and action. Stephanie is plugged into Firm developments and its overall vision, and coupled with a prolific career, is able to provide valuable insights and advice, whether she is collaborating with a peer on an initiative or mentoring a junior attorney. She also plays a lead role in planning McDermott’s Women’s and Racial & Ethnic Diversity Summits.
Jennifer Mikulina works with domestic and international companies to protect and enforce IP rights, focusing on trademark and copyright matters. She helps her clients develop and implement international brand management strategies and provides sophisticated advice on challenging IP issues in transactions.
Jennifer also serves as Chair of McDermott’s Gender Diversity Committee, leading the Firm’s global women’s initiatives. In this role, Jennifer revamped the Firm’s Women’s Business Development coaching program and established a business development coaching program for associates. She has mentored numerous associates at the Firm through formal programs and informal relationships. She is a member of the National Association of Women’s Lawyers and received its Virginia S. Mueller Outstanding Member Award for her contributions to the organization. Jennifer also has served as a mentor with the “Camp CEO” program held by Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
About McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices, industries and more than 20 locations to deliver highly effective—and often unexpected—solutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
