Chicago—Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, announces today that senior managing associate Kristine Schanbacher was elected to serve on the board of directors for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), through a highly competitive selection and appointment process.

Schanbacher is a member of Dentons’ Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice. Her focus is on complex commercial litigation in both federal and state courts. She has experience in a wide variety of commercial disputes, including class action, contracts, media law, business torts and insurance matters. She also has experience in patent, trademark and copyright matters. She has helped address major class action litigation issues affecting property and casualty insurers in numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States.

In her pro bono work, Schanbacher has secured political asylum for a client and obtained a reduced sentence for a juvenile unconstitutionally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, among other successes. Additionally, she serves as co-chair of the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Junior Leadership Board, an associate board member of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a member of the Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs and a member of the SOAR Land Use & Development Task Force. 

Schanbacher earned her JD, cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law and her BA, cum laude, from Northwestern University. 

The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, one of the oldest and largest bar associations in the state of Illinois, was first established in 1914 by nine women lawyers practicing in the Chicago Metropolitan area. It was founded to promote the interests and welfare of women lawyers and also to aid in the enactment of legislation for the common good and in the administration of justice. Its activities have always been divided between important social and political issues facing women attorneys and the practical need to help its members gain legal employment.

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