Press Release
Press Release
03.23.14
Retired Senior Partner and Immediate Past Chair of Pillsbury Mary Cranston will receive the inaugural Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award by the Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas School of Law at its 5th Anniversary Celebration and Award Luncheon. The awards luncheon, held on April 11, 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas, will include a keynote speech by Arianna Huffington.
In her eight years as Chair, she expanded the firm from a regional California base into an international platform through two of the largest law firm mergers in history, and added seven offices. She also achieved top-10 rankings among American law firms for women and minority partners through the introduction of innovative diversity and work-life programs.
“Mary is an inspiring and dynamic leader who is a pioneer in our industry. She is a dedicated and most effective advocate for empowering women and promoting diversity at Pillsbury, in the legal industry and throughout the United States economy. I am proud to be her successor as the leader at Pillsbury,” said Pillsbury Firm Chair James Rishwain, Jr.
Cranston has practiced complex litigation, including antitrust, telecommunications and securities litigation since 1975. She has received numerous accolades, including being named one of “The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by the National Law Journal and one of two “Best Law Firm Leaders in the United States” by Of Counsel. She has been profiled as “One of the Best Female Antitrust Lawyers in the World” by Global Competition Review.
In 2005, Cranston was the recipient of the Margaret Brent Award, the American Bar Association’s highest award for women lawyers given for legal excellence and for paving the way for other women lawyers. She chaired the ABA’s Commission on Women in the Profession from 2011-2013. Most recently she received the DirectWomen Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award in 2013.
Cranston sits on the boards of GrafTech International, VISA, Juniper Networks, International Rectifier, Stanford University, the San Francisco Ballet, and Catalyst. She is Chair of the Board of the Commonwealth Club of California.
“Arianna Huffington’s insights and the example set forth by Mary Cranston, the recipient of our Hortense Ward Courageous Leader award, will inspire all those in attendance at this celebratory event to challenge the status quo for women,” said Linda Bray Chanow, executive director of the Center for Women in Law.
About Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Pillsbury is a full-service law firm with a keen industry focus on energy & natural resources, financial services, real estate & construction, and technology. Based in the world's major financial, technology and energy centers, Pillsbury counsels clients on global regulatory, litigation and corporate matters. We work in multidisciplinary teams that allow us to anticipate trends and bring a 360-degree perspective to complex business and legal issues—helping clients to take greater advantage of new opportunities and better mitigate risk. This collaborative work style helps produce the results our clients seek.