Three Foley Attorneys Named to Crain’s Inaugural Most Influential Minority Lawyers List

Foley attorneys Jeanne Gills, Z Scott and Steve Cade were named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ inaugural list of Chicago’s Most Influential Minority Lawyers.

Gills, a partner and vice-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property department, was honored for her multi-faceted leadership skills within Foley as well as her sphere of influence among a vast network of minority attorneys nationwide. Gills is considered a visionary among her peers and has leveraged her success to improve the legal community’s inclusiveness, all while being a single adoptive mom. In 2012, she co-founded the Chicago Black Partners Alliance (CBPA) to improve the promotion, retention, and success of black partners, recognizing the creative genius stemming from diverse teams.

Scott, a partner in the Litigation department, was honored for her over 30 years of diverse legal, litigation, ethics and compliance experience as well as for her extensive civic leadership in Chicago. In addition to counseling business executives and corporate boards on a broad range of legal issues, Scott has led complex organizations and legal teams, including serving four years as the appointed chair of the Chicago Housing Authority and as the inaugural leader of the Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General. Scott’s experience also includes serving as a federal criminal prosecutor where she served as the Chief of the General Crimes Section. Scott’s peers consistently rank her among the nation’s top lawyers in her field, resulting in her selection and listings in Chambers and Partners USA, U.S. News Best Lawyers, Women in Business Law Guide, The Best Lawyers in America, Leading Lawyers 2015 Top 10 Women in Criminal Defense and Illinois Super Lawyers.

Cade, a senior counsel in the Business Law department, was honored for his client-focused work and stewardship of the firm, particularly for his efforts as a mentor and advisor for diverse attorneys. A member of the Foley’s Diversity Ambassador Program, Cade also is an active member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Action Council, where he serves on the sponsorship program subcommittee. He has been instrumental in the implementation of the firm’s first diversity and inclusion strategic plan and regularly engages in conversations with his colleagues and provides industry best practice tips on mentoring, sponsorship program, recruiting, and retention.