Inaugural Americas Women in Business Law Awards: Winners announced

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Inaugural Americas Women in Business Law Awards: Winners announced

America''s leading female lawyers descended on New York''s Essex House last night to celebrate Euromoney Legal Media Group''s inaugural Americas Women in Business Law Awards.

New York City Council Member Gale A Brewer delivered the keynote address to an audience of in-house and private practice attorneys who had gathered to celebrate the achievements of those firms setting the standard in terms of female-friendly work practices, and women leading the field in the legal sector across the Americas.

Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, former United States Trade Representative, collected the Outstanding Achievement award and Brooksley Born, former chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, picked up the Lifetime Achievement prize.

While in the firm categories, Latham & Watkins was named best international firm for women in business law. Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft collected the best gender diversity initiative by international firm, Sullivan & Cromwell was named most innovative firm, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom were rewarded for their mentoring program and Sidley Austin picked up the best international firm for talent management.

A full list of winners is detailed. For more information contact Melanie Petch at mpetch@euromoneyplc.com.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Antitrust/competition

Margaret Zwisler, Latham & Watkins

Aviation

Maria Regina Mangabeira Albernaz Lynch, Motta Fernandes Rocha -Advogados

Banking & finance

Margaret Peponis, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Capital markets

Stacy Kanter, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

Commercial arbitration

Julie Bédard, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

Copyright

Dale Cendali, Kirkland & Ellis

Corporate governance

Holly Gregory, Weil Gotshal & Manges

Energy, natural resources & mining

Karol Lyn Newman, McDermott Will & Emery

Environment

Michèle Corash, Morrison & Foerster

Financial regulation

Annette Nazareth, Davis Polk & Wardwell

Insolvency & restructuring

Marcia Goldstein, Weil Gotshal & Manges

Insurance & reinsurance

Mary Kay Vyskocil, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Investment funds

Stephanie Breslow, Schulte Roth & Zabel

Labour & employment

Bettina Plevan, Proskauer Rose

Life sciences

M. Patricia Thayer, Sidley Austin

Litigation

Kathy Patrick, Gibbs & Bruns

Media & entertainment

Marissa Román Griffith, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Mergers & acquisitions

Diane Kerr, Davis Polk & Wardwell

Patent

Margaret Boulware, Boulware & Valoir

Private equity

Franci Blassberg, Debevoise & Plimpton

Real estate

Meredith Kane, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison

Rising star

Marguerite Sullivan, Latham & Watkins

Structured finance

Anna Glick, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft

Tax

Carrie Smit, Goodmans

Tax dispute resolution

Rosemarie Wertschek QC, McCarthy Tétrault

Trademark

Linda McLeod, Finnegan

Transfer pricing

Patricia Gimbel Lewis, Caplin & Drysdale

Wealth management

Patricia Annino, Prince Lobel Tye

Outstanding achievement

Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky

Lifetime Achievement

Brooksley Born



REGIONAL AWARDS

Argentina

Beretta Godoy

Brazil

TozziniFriere Advogados

Central Americas

Arias & Muñoz

Chile

Correa Gubbins

Colombia

Gomez-Pinzon Zuleta Abogados

Ecuador

Romero Arteta Ponce Asociados

Mexico

Bufete Quijano

Panama

Arias & Muñoz

Peru

Estudio Echecopar

Uruguay

Hughes & Hughes

Venezuela

D''Empaire Reyna

Canada

McCarthy Tétrault

US Midwest

Schiff Hardin

US Northeast

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom

US South

Fulbright & Jaworski

US West

Covington and Burling



IN-HOUSE WINNERS

Benchmark Litigation in-house award

Sara E Moss, Estée Lauder

International Financial Law Review in-house award

Sarah Lee, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

International Tax Review in-house award

Janice Lucceshi, Akzo Nobel

Managing IP in-house award

Lucy Nichols, Nokia

Best in-house team with under-50 lawyers

Estée Lauder

Best in-house team with over 50 lawyers

Citi



FIRM AWARDS

Best gender diversity initiative by national firm

Thompson Hine – Spotlight on women

Best gender diversity initiative by international firm

Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft – Women''s leadership initiative

Best international firm Latin America practice

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Most innovative international firm

Sullivan & Cromwell

Best firm for minority women lawyers

Covington & Burling – Diversity at Covington campaign

Best mentoring program

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom – Mentoring initiative

Best firm for work-life balance

Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison – Work/life balance program

Best firm for pro bono work

Hogan Lovells

Best national firm for talent management

McCarthy Tétrault – Parental leave program

Best international firm for talent management

Sidley Austin – Committee on retention and promotion of women (CRPW)

Best national firm for women in business law

Kenyon & Kenyon

Best international firm for women in business law

Latham & Watkins

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

The opinion provides useful guidance when it comes to how courts might consider contributory infringement, DMCA claims, and other issues in AI copyright cases
Ericsson joining Avanci Video as a licensor and the EUIPO's plans for AI use were also among the top talking points this week
The 2025 EMEA ceremony, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, also recognised in-house practitioners and rising stars
Leaders at Malaysian law firm Skrine explain why cost remains a major pain point for Malaysian businesses and how client service can help a firm stand out
Wendy Heilbut of Heilbut LLP explains some of the hidden risks of using AI to help create a new brand
The law firms that signed an amicus brief in support of others under attack must be lauded, but more large firms should join them
Lisa Kobialka, partner at Kramer Levin, believes the combination will better position the group to work on multi-jurisdictional disputes
Senior members of Dentons Link Legal discuss how the firm’s integration with IP boutique Aumirah, and being part of the wider Dentons group, will help scale the firm’s IP practice
The court announcing it will follow the EPO on inventive step, a case with a Chinese element, and three big settlements were among the top talking points this fortnight
US firms have been on top of the lateral hiring market and performed strongly in Managing IP's Americas Awards and the IP STARS rankings, a trend that could continue this year
Gift this article