ATLANTA (October 25, 2023) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Partner Erin McAdams Franzblau has been installed as president-elect of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) for the 2023-2024 term. Ms. McAdams Franzblau was elected and installed during the annual meeting of the Federal Bar Association’s Chicago Chapter on October 25. She was most recently Chicago Chapter vice president and has also previously served as treasurer, executive board member, and programming committee co-chair.
Ms. McAdams Franzblau is a partner in SGR’s Litigation Practice. She litigates employment matters, counsels employers on nearly every sub-specialty of employment law, and acts as employment counsel for M&A transactions. In her counseling practice, Ms. McAdams Franzblau assists organizations with a wide range of day-to-day employment issues. Additionally, she is experienced in all stages of litigation, from inception through trial and post-trial appeals, and she has won summary judgment for her clients on a range of employment matters.
In addition to her employment law practice, Ms. McAdams Franzblau is committed to advocating for the rights of women and children through pro bono legal work. Recently, she received the 2023 Award for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the FBA’s Chicago Chapter for her work representing a client in a race discrimination case through the Northern District of Illinois’ Settlement Assistance Program. In 2018, she was honored by Legal Aid Chicago for her pro bono work representing sexual assault survivors.
Ms. McAdams Franzblau is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for her employment law work. Crain’s Chicago Business named her to its Notable Women in Law in 2022 and Rising Stars in Law in 2021.
About the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
The Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) represents and supports federal practitioners and judges throughout the Chicagoland area. The Chicago Chapter consists of more than 600 members, and offers a wide variety of programs and events for judges and attorneys engaged in federal practice. Members receive exclusive access and pricing for certain programs and events, many of which provide CLE credit. Its Chapter’s many committees organize seminars and presentations, facilitate networking and advocacy opportunities, and assist students and the less fortunate. Members of the Chicago Chapter automatically receive membership in the national Federal Bar Association, whose mission is to strengthen the federal legal system and the administration of justice by serving the interests and needs of federal practitioners in public and private practice, the federal judiciary, and the public they serve. The Chicago Chapter represents the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois. For more information, please visit www.fedbarchicago.org.
About Smith Gambrell Russell
SGR is a full-service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The Firm’s nearly 400 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 50 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment law, international, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has 14 domestic and international offices, including Atlanta; Austin; Charlotte; Chicago; Jacksonville, FL; London; Los Angeles; Miami; Munich; New York; Southampton; Springfield, IL; Tampa, FL; and Washington, D.C.