Two Finnegan Partners Honored with Women, Influence, and Power in Law Awards

Corporate Counsel, an American Lawyer Media (ALM) publication, announced its 2024 Women, Influence and Power in Law (WIPL) award winners, honoring trailblazers, advocates, and leaders who have demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and commitment to advancing equality.

Finnegan managing partner Erika Arner won the Collaborative Leadership Award, which is a testament to her leadership style. As lead counsel on hundreds of Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) cases and Federal Circuit appeals, Erika has years of experience leading successful attorney teams. She has worked collaboratively with firm management and the partnership on various initiatives that have heightened Finnegan's success as a full-service IP firm. Her efforts include leading the patent prosecution section through a crucial time in the practice; building an inclusive coalition of partners to structure what would become the firm's PTAB practice in a way that promoted a team-based approach instead of focusing on a single attorney; and coordinating efforts among partners to create Finnegan's women's business initiative (now called Finnegan FORWARD).

"The best solution is reached through open discussion among people with diverse viewpoints," said Erika. "The willingness to pivot based on group input also helps ensure that the ultimate solution best serves the team/firm/client rather than any one person."

Finnegan partner Beth Ferrill won the Mentor & Mentee Collaboration award. Beth attributes her mentoring abilities to her time in the United States Air Force, where she had a chance to observe both great mentors and not-so-great mentors and emulate the former. She is a firm believer that everyone wants to do a good job. Using this outlook, she sees the best in everyone and takes the energy others bring and guides it in a positive direction, offering candid but compassionate feedback along the way.

According to fellow partner, Kara Specht, Beth "is truly the best mentor." Kara said, "The highest praise I can imagine for myself is to find out that I have embodied even half the values and wisdom Beth has offered me over the years. I am sure I speak for others whose lives Beth has touched when I say that Beth is a constant advocate for all around her, offering her shoulders as a stepladder to boost others to their true potential. I would not be where I am today without the example set by and the mentorship provided by Beth."

The Women, Influence, and Power in Law Awards ceremony will be held in Chicago, IL on September 24, 2024.

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