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Christine Edwards is University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law's New Board of Visitors Chair
Posted July 14, 2011
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Christine A. Edwards
Christine A. Edwards, a partner in the Chicago office of international law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, has been elected chair of the Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. In this role, she leads a group of 32 distinguished members of the schools Board, which provides independent advice and counsel to the dean of the law school on a variety of issues and matters of strategic importance. Edwards is the first woman in the schools history to hold the position and also the first non-Maryland resident.
A 1983 honors alumna of UM Carey School of Law, Edwards began her legal career on Capitol Hill, advocating the legislative and regulatory interests of the Dean Witter Financial Services Group.
Her dedication to the law and her personal drive enabled Edwards to shatter the glass ceiling that prevailed on Wall Street. In 1988, she became the first female general counsel on Wall Street as executive vice president and general counsel for Dean Witter. Edwards helped to navigate the law, compliance and government relations issues for the company during a period of rapid growth of the Discover Card business and acquisitions involving the firms securities business. In 1997, Edwards was promoted to executive vice president and chief legal officer when Dean Witter merged with Morgan Stanley.
Edwards was recruited in 2000 to be executive vice president and chief legal officer at Bank One Corporation in Chicago, a predecessor to JPMorgan Chase, one of the nations largest bank holding companies. In 2003, Edwards joined Winston & Strawn as a capital partner, where she now heads the Bank Regulatory practice and also counsels public company boards of directors and financial organizations. In 2010, she joined the public company board of directors of BMO Financial Group, a $350 billion international financial services company based in Canada.
Were so pleased to have someone of Christines stature to lead our Board of Visitors as the school enjoys a period of significant upward momentum, said Phoebe Haddon, dean of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
In March of this year, the school saw its national rankings in U.S.News & World Report rise six spotsthe greatest increase of any top-tier law school. About six weeks later, the law school received a $30 million gift from the W. P. Carey Foundation, the largest gift in the schools history. The gift will support faculty development and strengthen the schools academic programs.
It is my privilege to take the helm at the Board of Visitors at a time of tremendous growth and opportunity for the law school. The Board enjoys great stature and visibility within the legal community and is comprised of really talented and dedicated people, said Edwards, who credits her accomplishments to the discipline and knowledge she gained as a law student.
I was really happy with the experience that I had at the law school, said Edwards. Our professors took the time to personally interact with students and taught us the importance of critical thinking.
Since joining the Board of Visitors in 1997, Edwards has established a permanent fully endowed scholarship fund for talented applicants (with an emphasis on women applicants) who have overcome adversity and wish to focus on business law. She has also focused on ensuring the continued strength of the law schools evening program. While in law school, Edwards worked full-time and took evening classes.
As Edwards assumes her new role, immediate past chair Paul Bekman returns to the Boards member ranks. Bekman, a partner in the Baltimore-based law firm Salsbury, Clements, Bekman, Marder & Adkins, LLC, served as board chair for about 10 years. He was instrumental in helping the school advance a number of key initiatives, and he looks forward to continuing his service to the Board and the law school.
Were so grateful for the many years of service provided by Pauls leadership, said Haddon. And were pleased that we can still rely on his wisdom and counsel.
About the Board of Visitors
The Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is an advisory board whose key mission is to ensure that the law schools various programs and activities effectively meet the evolving needs of its many internal and external constituencies. Specifically, the Board is charged with 1) providing advice and counsel on strategic issues; 2) supporting short- and long-term planning; 3) participating in cultivating and soliciting prospective benefactors; 4) advancing awareness of the school; and 5) demonstrating personal philanthropic leadership.
About the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
As the third oldest law school in the nation, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law has established a tradition of excellence and innovation in legal education and scholarship. The school offers a rigorous core curriculum that combines theoretical instruction with experiential learning that enables students to develop practical legal skills. Through the schools top-rated Clinical Law Program, students gain direct experience in serving as attorneys and helping clients, which provides a solid foundation for their future careers as lawyers, business leaders, judges, policy analysts, activists, legislators and entrepreneurs.
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