John Daniels Jr. Named 2026 ALM “Lifetime Achievement Award” Winner

John Daniels Jr., chair emeritus of Quarles & Brady LLP, will be honored at the American Lawyer Industry Awards as a recipient of a 2026 “Lifetime Achievement Award.” The awards ceremony is November 12 in New York.

Daniels, a Harvard Law School graduate, was one of the first Black chairs of an Am Law 200 firm from 2007-2013, successfully leading Quarles through that era’s national economic crisis. He is a widely recognized pillar of the community who is an active agent for organizational and civic change and a crusader for access to high-quality education, especially among underserved communities. In addition to myriad honors for his legal leadership, John has been recognized for his entrepreneurialism, his commitment to the pursuit of racial justice and his devotion to education.

His corporate and civic involvement has included serving as a director of a global banking enterprise; the founding board chair of the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda; board chair of Advocate Aurora Health, one of the nation’s largest healthcare systems; national president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers; board chair of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, comprised of prominent business executives; and board chair of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, among many others.