CHICAGO, August 1, 2022 — Laura J. Schumacher, vice chairman of external affairs and chief legal officer for biopharmaceutical company AbbVie in North Chicago, Illinois, is a recipient of the American Bar Association’s 2022 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award.
Schumacher will receive the award, given annually by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, at a ceremony and reception at 3-5:30 p.m. CDT on Sunday, August 7, at the Swissotel Chicago during the 2022 ABA Annual Meeting.
In addition to Schumacher, the 2022 award recipients include Michele Goodwin, Christina L. Martini, Myra C. Selby and Wendy Shiba.
“We are honored to recognize this spectacular group of women who have been trailblazers throughout their careers,” said Maureen Mulligan, chair of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. “They are role models for all women in the legal profession.”
At AbbVie, Schumacher’s expertise includes legal affairs, corporate governance, communications and business development, as well as public and nonprofit board service. She was named one of “Top Women in Biotech” by FierceBiotech, a top health influencer by Medical Marketing & Media and The Deal’s “Top Deal Maker.”
Schumacher also has been recognized for her efforts to increase diversity in the legal profession, receiving the National Association of Women Lawyers’ Leadership Award, the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law’s Benchmark Award and Chambers and Partners’ Outstanding Contribution Award. She led the creation of the AbbVie Foundation, which empowers the underserved and matches employee donations to global nonprofits.
Schumacher previously served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Abbott Laboratories, a multinational healthcare corporation. She serves on the board of directors of General Dynamics and CrowdStrike and is on the board of trustees for Ronald McDonald House Charities. She also is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Society for Corporate Governance, Commercial Club of Chicago, Economic Club of Chicago, Chicago Network and the Notre Dame Law School Advisory Council.
Schumacher earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and law degree from the University of Wisconsin.
For a photo of Laura J. Schumacher, click here.
The ABA Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, established in 1991, honors outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence in their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for other women in the profession. The award is named for Margaret Brent, the first woman lawyer in America. Brent arrived in the colonies in 1638 and was involved in 124 court cases in more than eight years, winning every case.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.