Benesch Announces New Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership

Benesch is pleased to announce that Barbara A. Lum, Juan Morado, Jr., and Margo Wolf O’Donnell have been named Chairs of Benesch’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

One of Benesch’s core strategic goals is to “Be intentional in cultivating a culture of diversity and inclusion at all levels of the firm.”  The firm is committed to realizing this goal and maintaining an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, and religious beliefs. These key values are designed to promote an environment in which differences are respected, employees are treated fairly, and individual skills and talents are valued.

“The new leadership of our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee are three extraordinarily talented and accomplished attorneys,” said Managing Partner, Gregg Eisenberg.  “Barbara, Juan and Margo have all received extensive accolades for their work and their commitments to diversity and inclusion.  I am excited to see where their guidance takes us and am so proud of their unwavering focus on justice, human rights and equality.”

Barbara A. Lum is a partner in the firm’s Cleveland office with over a decade of experience defending complex commercial disputes, product liability cases, and catastrophic losses for manufacturers of on-road and off-road vehicles, motorcycles, appliances, asbestos-containing products, construction equipment, chemicals, coatings, gas station equipment, power management equipment, and other commercial, industrial, and consumer products. She is extremely involved in both local and national APA bar asociations, having served as President of the Asian American Bar Association of Ohio, and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She was named to National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Best Lawyers Under 40 List and to Crain’s Cleveland Forty Under 40 List, and received the Women of Professional Excellence Award given by YWCA of Greater Cleveland.

Juan Morado Jr. is a partner in the firm’s Chicago office.  He is a health care regulatory and policy attorney with extensive experience in working with state and federal agencies, and providing strategic counsel to private and public corporations, organizations, and individuals.  Juan is a recipient of Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois President’s Award, Hispanic National Bar Association Top Lawyers Under 40 Award, named to Negocios Now 40 Under 40 List, recognized by Negocios Now, Who’s Who in Hispanic Chicago, named one of Crain’s Chicago Business “Most Notable Minority Lawyer(s)”, named “40 Under Forty” by Chicago Lawyer Magazine and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and listed as one of Crain’s Chicago Business “Most Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting and Law”. Chambers & Partners has recognized Juan as an up and coming healthcare practitioner in Illinois, and he was also appointed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to represent the City of Chicago on the Metropolitan Pier Exposition Authority.

Margo Wolf O’Donnell is a partner in Benesch’s Chicago office and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. She is a nationally recognized employment attorney with twenty-five years of experience defending federal, state and administrative agency litigation involving allegations of sex, race, national origin, disability and age discrimination, wage-and-hour violations and breach of contract. Margo also litigates issues relating to restrictive covenants and trade secrets and counsels on best practices for individual and group discharges and internal investigations. Margo has received many accolades for her work. She has been named as one of The Best Lawyers in America for the past seven years, and as one of the “Top 10 Women Employment Management Attorneys in Illinois” by Leading Lawyer. Chambers & Partners recognized Margo as an “Inspiring Role Model Promoting Gender Diversity.” Best Lawyers named Margo as one of fifteen “Women of Influence” in the legal profession nationwide.  Crain’s Chicago Business named Margo to its lists of the “Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago” and “Most Notable Women Executives.” Margo was honored by Corporate Counsel with its Women, Influence & Power in Law Innovative Law Firm Leadership Award. She holds an “AV Preeminent” Peer Rating by Martindale-Hubbell (the highest possible rating). Margo also is the founder of and currently leads B-Sharp, Benesch’s professional development program for women in-house attorneys.