CDEL Partner of the Year

The CDEL Partner of the Year Award honors a corporation and/or law firm that has provided exceptional assistance and volunteer support to CDEL and its clients.

Venable LLP launched its Chicago office at the end of 2020 and has quickly become a strong partner of CDEL. Over the past two years, Venable LLP has contributed to CDEL through its Foundation, pro bono volunteerism, and participation on CDEL’s Board of Directors.    

Former Life Director Erin Maus joined Venable LLP at the end of 2022 and immediately connected CDEL with its charitable foundation that began funding CDEL in 2023. This past year the firm began volunteering with CDEL’s Power of Attorney Workshops and Housing Preservation Project. Fifteen Venable attorneys have volunteered with CDEL, an especially impressive number given that this number reflects almost one half of Venable’s attorneys in the Chicago office. The volunteers served twenty-four CDEL clients in 2023 alone. Jeremy Goldkind, a Venable LLP Partner, joined CDEL’s Board of Directors in 2024 and currently serves on the Nominating Committee.  

Previous CDEL Partner of the Year Award Winners:

• 2024: Jenner & Block LLP

• 2023: Astellas Pharma US

• 2022: Salesforce

• 2021: Chapman and Cutler LLP

• 2020: Kirkland & Ellis LLP

• 2019: Perkins Coie LLP

• 2018: BMO Financial Group

• 2017: Walgreens

• 2016: AT&T

• 2015: McDonald’s Corporation

• 2014: United Airlines, Inc.

• 2013: Baker McKenzie LLP

• 2012: The Northern Trust Corporation

• 2011: Caterpillar; Seyfarth Shaw LLP; and AT&T

• 2010: Accenture

• 2006: Navigant Consulting, Inc. and Federal Signal Corporation

• 2005: Federal Signal Corporation and Baker McKenzie LLP

• 2000: Arthur Andersen LLP and The Northern Trust Corporation