PartnerTerri Mascherin, Co-Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and a leader in Chicago’s legal community, was presented with the Chicago Bar Association’s Alliance for Women Founder’s Award.

Established in 1994, the Founder’s Award honors women who have demonstrated a sustained, active commitment to the advancement of women throughout their career.

Terri has made an impact on the legal industry as a first-chair trial lawyer and as a dedicated mentor to women lawyers. She served as President of the Chicago Bar Association, is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (and former chair of the State Committee), and an active member of The Chicago Network, an invitation-only organization of Chicago women executives.

Throughout her career, Terri has worked assiduously to empower women through mentorship and to wield the influence she’d earned to elevate the next generation of women lawyers and changemakers. Terri’s mentees have gone on to make partner at Jenner, to accede to influential leadership roles in the firm, become global heads of compliance elsewhere, and take on other influential roles. Through the CBA, she has mentored women who have gone on to take prominent positions, including CBA President.

For 10 years, Terri co-chaired Jenner’s Professional Responsibility practice, which represents lawyers and law firms that are sued for malpractice. Members of the broader legal community have relied greatly on her guidance, and she has spoken on legal ethics and given presentations to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, multiple in-house legal departments, the CBA and the American Bar Association. Perhaps most importantly, Terri has embodied professional responsibility through her pro bono service, which focuses on securing justice for those wrongfully accused and convicted. Her work has included successfully challenging sentences of two men on Illinois’ death row and defending former Illinois Governor George Ryan’s clemency orders clearing death row for 167 prisoners.

The Alliance for Women works within the Chicago Bar Associationa to advance interests of women in the legal profession and the larger community.