Crain’s Chicago Business Names Barnes & Thornburg Attorneys to ‘Notable Women in Law’ List

CHICAGO – Crain’s Chicago Business has named Barnes & Thornburg lawyers Heather Delgado, Paula Goedert, Denise Lazar, and Norma Zeitler as “Notable Women in Law” for their accomplishments within the legal profession and their mentorship of the next generation of women. 

The four partners were honored as part of the publication’s Sept. 7 print and online issue that recognizes senior-level, Chicago-area lawyers “who have a track record of setting legal precedents, winning big cases for their clients and mentoring the next wave of women in law – all while finding ways to give back to their communities.”

“We are extremely proud of these four lawyers for their commitment to their clients and to their communities,” said Michael A. Carrillo, managing partner of the Chicago office. “It is especially gratifying to know of their steadfast dedication to mentoring the next generation of lawyers who seek to walk in their footsteps someday.”

All four honorees have made their mark in their respective practices over the long term. 

About the Honorees

Heather F. Delgado works with healthcare providers, including hospitals, health systems, specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, medical practices, and entrepreneurs, who depend upon her commitment to responsiveness and practical legal advice. She represents such entities in mergers and acquisitions, structuring joint ventures and setting up physician management companies.

As a mother of three, Delgado spends substantial time with female attorneys in her firm, in other firms and in numerous community organizations to help them and other professionals achieve a work-life balance, and at the same time, help them have successful careers. She promotes other female attorneys and has built a go-to referral network of female attorneys. 

Paula Cozzi Goedert is chair of the firm’s Associations and Foundations practice group, representing nonprofit organizations, including professional societies, trade associations, public charities and private foundations. As general or lead counsel for many national associations, she focuses on solutions when analyzing the problems, issues and challenges of her clients.

Given her decades of practice, Goedert knows from hands-on and hard-earned practical experience what nonprofits need to remain viable and successful. She personally strives to consistently bring creativity and insight not only to structural and governance initiatives, but most critically to the younger attorneys who work in her group and in the larger Corporate Department.

Denise A. Lazar is co-chair of the firm’s Toxic Tort practice and is a seasoned trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in state and federal civil litigation, and in international and domestic arbitration proceedings. 

With the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 and the firm’s subsequent work from home policy, Lazar has been working hard to balance her career with the demands of caring for two extremely active children at home. These last several months have shined a light on the unique circumstances that family-focused professionals face and have helped her contribute more meaningfully. She serves as co-chair of BTWomen, the firm’s network for female teammates and allies and is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Through BTWomen, Lazar leads the firm’s efforts to recruit, retain and empower female talent; promote their professional and social development; and advocate for their needs.

Norma W. Zeitler serves as outside employment and litigation counsel to nonprofit, healthcare, hospitality and manufacturing clients. Additionally, calling on her background as an intelligence officer, she conducts harassment investigations across multiple industries. Within the firm, she helps oversee associate performance and development and aids in committee efforts to promote racial justice.

Zeitler is a first-generation college graduate and was one of 50 Army officers selected annually to serve as an intern for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and while in law school, was selected for the Secretary of Defense’s legal internship program. As the mother of three young men she has worked tirelessly to balance her career with being a strong, dedicated mom. Zeitler draws on these experiences to mentor young professional, mostly first-generation college graduate women, to help them find their path.  

With more than 700 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from offices in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, New York, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.