The 2021 General Counsel | Selected by The Burton Awards

New York, New York: The Burton Awards, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit program, which is run in association with the Library of Congress, presented by lead sponsor Law360, and co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, released its list of general counsel who will be named as 2021 Legends in Law. This year the Program will be held on October 18, 2021, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Tom Sager, Partner at Ballard Spahr; Les Parrette, Former General Counsel, Novelis; and Yabo Lin, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP, who co-chair the Legends in Law Committee stated: “All the winners passed the strictest scrutiny. The general counsel were evaluated based on: an outstanding reputation in the legal profession and a demonstrated track record of addressing complex matters of national or global significance in a specialized area. The honorees have also evidenced leadership, creativity and a uniqueness in approach to resolving challenges confronting their corporate clients. Finally, they are highly respected by the bench and bar for their integrity and professionalism.” Lisa Rickard, Counselor to the President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the sponsor of the Legends in Law event said, “The winners are truly impressive. They set even higher standards because of their excellent records of accomplishments”

After the awards program a Gala will be held, including a reception with an orchestra. After dinner a performance will be held by singer, songwriter, actor and author, Sara Bareilles, and world-class entertainer and mentalist, Oz Pearlman.

The following General Counsel will be named Legends in Law:

Amgen
Jonathan Graham
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Avantor
Justin Miller
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Broadcom Inc.
Mark Brazeal
Chief Legal Officer

CPP Investments
Patrice Walch-Watson
Senior Managing Director, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Corporation Service Company
George A. Massih III
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Eaton Corporation
April Miller Boise
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel

Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated
Alan K. Tse
Global Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Liberty Mutual Insurance
James Kelleher
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

McKesson
Lori A. Schechter
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

Mondelēz International
Laura Stein
Executive Vice President, Corporate Legal Affairs and General Counsel

Pfizer
Doug Lankler
Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Southern Company
James Y. Kerr II
Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer

Syneos Health
Jonathan Olefson
General Counsel and Secretary

TE Connectivity
John S. Jenkins Jr.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel

The Procter & Gamble Company
Deborah P. Majoras
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

 

THE BURTON AWARDS

The Burton Awards, established in 1999, is funded by the Burton Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and academic effort devoted to recognizing and rewarding excellence in the legal profession. The Burton Awards were established to honor the finest accomplishments in law, including writing, reform, public service and interest, regulatory innovation, and lifetime achievements in the profession. “The Honorary and Distinguished Board of Directors” of the Burton Awards program includes: William C. Burton, Partner, Sagat|Burton LLP; Les Parrette, Former General Counsel, Novelis and Deputy Chairman, The Burton Awards; Chief Judge Richard Posner, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (retired); U.S. Senator John Cornyn; U.S. Senator Roger Wicker; U.S. Senator Mike Crapo; U.S. Senator James E. Risch; U.S. Senator Todd Young; U.S. Senator Tim Kaine; U.S. Senator Christopher Coons ; U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.; U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen; U.S. Senator Michael F. Bennet; Justice Carol Corrigan, California Court of Appeals; Yabo Lin, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP; Jane Sullivan Roberts, Managing Partner, Macrae; H. Rodgin Cohen, Senior Chairman, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP; Lisa Rickard, Counselor to the President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Thomas L. Sager, Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP; Linda A. Klein, Past President, American Bar Association and Senior Managing Shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC.; James M. Rishwain Jr., Chairman of Emeritus, Pillsbury Winthrop LLP; Betty Whelchel, Former Head of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs, BNP Paribas SA; and Stephen R. Mysliwiec, Partner, Miller Friel PLLC.

LAW360, LEAD SPONSOR

Law360, a LexisNexis company, is a trusted provider of breaking legal news and in-depth analysis, with up-to-the-minute, comprehensive coverage of litigation, regulation and enforcement, legislation, administrative proceedings, executive actions, corporate deals, legal industry trends, and more. With a unique blend of cutting-edge technology and journalistic expertise, Law360 delivers the intelligence legal and business professionals at top law firms, Fortune 1000 companies, key government agencies, and many other organizations need to remain experts, mitigate risk, and beat the competition.

THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, CO-SPONSOR

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations 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.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

This prominent institution is one of the most celebrated and distinguished libraries in the world. It was established on April 24, 1800, and since that time has grown to become one of the largest repositories in history. The Library of Congress functions as both a national library and as the research arm of the U.S. Congress. It contains more than 32 million catalogued books and more than 62 million manuscripts.

U.S. CHAMBER INSTITUTE FOR LEGAL REFORM, LEGEND IN LAW SPONSOR

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s mission is to champion a fair legal system that promotes economic growth and opportunity.

WILLIAM C. BURTON, ESQ., CHAIRMAN

The Founder and Chair of The Burton Awards for Legal Achievement is William C. Burton, Esq., a partner at the law firm of Sagat|Burton LLP. He is a former New York State Assistant Attorney General, a former New York State Assistant Special Prosecutor, and is the author of the first legal thesaurus ever written for the legal profession, entitled Burton’s Legal Thesaurus. The book is now in its 6th edition and quickly approaching its 41st anniversary. When the book was released, the Association of American Publishers recognized it as “one of the Most innovative and creative projects of the year.” In 2011, Mr. Burton was presented the highest honor given by the second largest association of law professors in America, The Legal Writing Institute, for “significantly advancing the cause of legal writing in the profession of law.” More recently, he was awarded the “Blackstone Award” by the Friends of the Law Library of Congress, for “embodying and promoting the best ideals of the institution.” In 2017, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform Individual Achievement Award was presented to Mr. Burton for making the U.S. Justice System “fairer for all.”