LEADER IN THE LAW – Lori Meddings – Quarles & Brady

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There is a lot of gray area in the legal field.

That can be both challenging and rewarding, said Lori Meddings, partner and national chair of Quarles & Brady’s Intellectual Property Practice Group.

Meddings is widely acknowledged as a leader in helping clients protect and enforce their intellectual property throughout the world. Clients rely on her to fight counterfeit goods produced and sold worldwide, with a particular focus on China.

Her experience extends to a variety of industries, including consumer goods, industrial and commercial products and the food, beverage, hospitality and restaurant sectors.

One of the biggest challenges in her job is “keeping all the balls in the air.”

“I have colleagues who work on deals, or litigate, and they work on a single matter for a single client for weeks on end,” she said. “Meanwhile, my practice involves working on 30 to 50 different matters in a given day, for 10 to 15 different clients. Making sure each gets the attention needed, and that each client feels they are a priority, can be very challenging some days.

“This is particularly true as I balance managing a large legal practice with managing over 120 timekeepers of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group in my role as National Practice Group Chair of IP.”

Her empathy for others shines through in a variety of ways.

“For example, when another partner was pulled away from work for an indefinite period because of a family emergency, Meddings came up with a way for the partner to focus on their family while remaining engaged with the firm at a level they were comfortable,” said her colleague, Scott Bussen.

“I feel very fortunate to have found a career that is so fulfilling, and where I have been able to serve as a role model and mentor to young women in the legal profession,” Meddings said.