The Firm

Quarles & Brady was named among the 50 Best Law Firms for Women by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE)  and Flex-Time Lawyers for 2011.

Quarles & Brady earned the highest possible rating of 100% in the 2010 & 2011 Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation annual Corporate Equality Index.

Equality Illinois recognized Quarles & Brady as one of the 'A' List law firms after conducting its seventh annual law firm survey which included 150 law firms which do business in Illinois. The 23 firms that made the 'A' List were applauded for their treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees based on personnel policies, domestic partner benefits, diversity training, and other factors.

The Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) selected Quarles & Brady on its initial list of law firms qualifying for its new Gold Standard Certification — a designation for firms that have integrated women in top leadership positions and compensated them well. Quarles selection for this recognition reflects our long standing commitment to the women attorneys in our firm.

Quarles & Brady has been listed as one of Multicultural Law Magazine's 2011 "Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity". Additionally, the Firm ranked 18th in the "Top 100 Law Firms for Women" listing, and 20th in the "Top 25 Law Firms for Hispanic-Americans" listing, and the Firm ranked 39th in the "Top 50 Law Firms for Partners" listing.

In the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms, 2012 edition, Quarles & Brady ranked #12 in Diversity for Women. In the Quality of Life section of the guide Quarles & Brady ranked #2 in Informal Training, #23 in Formal Training, #22 in Pro Bono, #18 in Associate/Partner Relations, and #25 in Firm Culture.

Quarles & Brady was named by Working Mother Magazine as one of the Top 50 Law Firms for Women 2009. 

Quarles & Brady was recognized by Eaton Law Department with the 2009 Supplier Diversity Excellence Award.

Quarles & Brady has been rated #1 in the Yale Law Women (YLW) 2nd Annual Top Ten Family-Friendly Law Firms.

Quarles & Brady is the co-recipient of the John R. Sticht Excellence in Disabilities Accessibility Award given by the State Bar of Arizona. The Sticht Award honors a law firm for their efforts to improve access to our judicial system for persons with disabilities in the legal profession.

In the book Presumed Equal: What America's Top Women Lawyer Really Think About Their Firms, Quarles & Brady was ranked #1 in Milwaukee and #14 nationally out of 105 law firms.

AZ magazine has selected Quarles & Brady as one of the “Top 25 Workplaces for Women” in Arizona. This recognition is for employers that have set the standard for women initiatives in the workplaces.

Quarles & Brady is the recipient of the 2008 "Spirit of Diversity Award" given by the Milwaukee Urban League.  The award is given annually to an organization that distinguishes itself by integrating diversity into the fabric of its workplace culture.

Quarles & Brady was honored as the Corporate Achiever at the 2008 Diversity Achievers Breakfast by the Boy Scouts of America. The Diversity Achiever Awards are presented to an individual, a corporation and a community partner that best exemplify the values of Scouting while endeavoring to raise the levels of diversity awareness within the Milwaukee Community.

Quarles & Brady was awarded the 2007 Pathfinder Award by Professional Dimensions, the largest business and professional women's organization in Milwaukee. The award was given for the Firm's "Women in Leadership Program" diversity initiatives which support and advance women in the Firm.

The Chicago office received the Commitment to Diversity Award from Lawyers for Diversity in recognition of the firm's efforts in creating equality for members of the LGBT community and for its overall commitment to diversity.

The Milwaukee office received the 2009 Wisconsin Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Diversity Advocate Award.

The Naples office has been awarded the Family Friendly Business Award since the Naples Alliance for Children inaugurated the award in 1998. The certification recognizes employers who find ways to help employees balance the needs of their families with the demands of their jobs.

The Individuals

John W. Daniels, Jr. is very active in the community and has been recognized many times for his contributions in bringing business, government and community leaders together.

• John was a recipient of the 2011 Friends of the Hispanic Community Award from the United Community Center (UCC).
• John was named Lawyer of the Year by the Milwaukee Bar Association in 2009.
• In 2009, John was inducted into the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) Hall of Fame.
• The National Bar Association gave John the 2008 Leadership Award.
• John was named one of the 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America by The National Law Journal in 2008.
• John was the recipient of the 2008 James Howard Baker Award recognizing his outstanding record of community service and activism.  The award is given by the Community Brainstorming Conference which focuses on solutions to problems, issues and concerns regarding the African-American community in greater Milwaukee.
• In 2007 John received the Distinguished Leader Award from the Thurgood Marshall College Foundation.
• John was awarded the Human Relations Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice.
• 100 Black Men of America Inc. named John one of six National Business Leaders in 2004.
• John is Vice Chairman of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, a leading organization of Wisconsin business, labor, academic, philanthropic, nonprofit and civic leaders.
• In August 2004, a Boys & Girls Club was opened in John Daniels' name called the Daniels-Mardak Boys & Girls Club.

At Chicago United's annual meeting, the organization recognized Quarles & Brady for leadership within the organization and also honored two Quarles & Brady Partners for individual contributions. Kevin Slaughter as 2010 Business Leaders Program Champion and Janine Landow-Esser as a 2010 Program Champion Honorable Recognition.

Ed Salanga has been selected to participate in the "Fellows Program" of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), an organization of corporate chief legal officers and aw firm managing partners dedicated to a truly diverse profession.

Kim Johnson was named “Woman Lawyer of the Year” by the Collier County Women’s Bar Association (2010).  The Woman Lawyer of the Year is to an attorney who has excelled in her career, overcome traditional stereotypes associated with women, promoted the status of women within the profession, and/or promoted the status of women in the State of Florida.

Nancy K. Peterson was recognized as a "Women in the Law" honoree by the Wisconsin Law Journal (2009). The award honors women attorneys who have achieved excellence in their respective fields and have influenced other women to pursue legal careers.  Nancy was also named a Women of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal (2008). Ms. Peterson's commitment to diversity, includes Chairing the firm's Diversity Committee from it's inception in 2001 through 2008, led her to being named the first recipient, in 2009, of the Quarles & Brady Sandra Day O'Connor Diversity Award.

Marian Zapata-Rossa is on the Los Abogados Board of Directors.  Los Abogados is Arizona's Hispanic Bar Association.  Los Abogados primary purposes is to enhance the quality of legal services provided to the community with a view of promoting the business of the Hispanic legal profession within the state of Arizona. Marian has also been named as one of the 2011 "40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40" in Arizona by Univision Radio and Chicanos Por La Causa.

Everett Ward has been elected as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Field Museum in Chicago. The Field Museum is an educational institution concerned with the diversity and relationships in nature and among cultures.

Dawn C. Valdivia is the Co-Chair of the Arizona State Bar Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law. Dawn Valdivia has been selected as a "40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40" honoree by Phoenix's Univision Radio and Chicanos Por La Causa. Dawn was also recently selected to the Inaugural Class of the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Association of the Corporate Counsel Pilot Project on Value-Based Skills: Equipping the Next Generation of Latina Corporate Practice Leaders.

Katie Perhach has been appointed by Governor Jim Doyle to the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities. The Board works to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families have the same opportunities as other citizens. To this end, the Board is empowered by Congress to advocate, develop new models of service, and help communities to be more inclusive. Katie was also named a Women of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal (2009).

Steven Hunter was selected by IMPACT and the National Bar Association (NBA) as a finalist for the “Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40”. The award recognizes talented individuals within the African American legal community who have achieved prominence and distinction. Steven also received "Man of Excellence" Award, Chicago Defender, January 2011. Steven has been honored for his public service work receiving "Board of Directors' Award", Chicago Volunteer Legal Service, 2010, recognized for Outstanding Achievements in Public Service and Pro Bono Work by Loyola Universty Chicago School of Law and received the Public Interest Convocation Award, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, October 2010.

Wendy Akbar has been elected as Chair of the Arizona State Bar Committee on Persons with Disabilities in the Legal Profession, effective July 2009. Among other things, the Committee works with courthouses to achieve accessibility to courtrooms and court buildings by persons with mobility, hearing or vision-related disabilities. Wendy was also recently featured in the ABA's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law's "Lawyer Spotlight".

Kevin Slaughter has been selected to be a Board Member of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms.  The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms is the preeminent voice and agent fostering racial and ethnic diversity in the Chicago legal community, impacting the broader legal profession. He is also a member of Chicago United, Leaders council and was selected as 2010 Business Leaders Program Champion.

Janice E. Rodgers was selected by Today's Chicago Women as one of 100 Women Making a Difference. She is a member and past-chair, Alumni Council of the Chicago Foundation for Women and has been elected as Chair of the Board of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law.

Eric Ledbetter has been named to the list of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch for 2010 by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. 

Jean C. Baker was named a Woman of Influence in the category of "Innovation," based on her substantive work with scientists, inventors and legal innovators on the cutting edge of technology and intellectual property development by The Business Journal of Milwaukee.

Elyce Wos was appointed to a one-year term on the State Bar of Wisconsin's Diversity Outreach Committee.

Ann Comer was named a 2011 "Woman in the Law" by the Wisconsin Law Journal. Ann was also honored with a "Women in Real Estate" award from Wisconsin Commercial Real Estate Women (WCREW) - this award recognizes women who have made a significant contribution to the real estate industry in Wisconsin and who are significant role models and mentors for other women in the industry.

Natalie Remington has been elected to serve a one-year term as president of the Association for Women Lawyers (“AWL”). AWL works to promote the welfare, interests and professional development of lawyers who are women; promote the legal interests of women generally; maintain the honor and integrity of the legal profession; and advance justice for all individuals.