October 31, 2022
Partner Craig C. Martin, Chairman, Midwest, has been profiled in Irish Voice, a leading newspaper focused on Irish-American news, regarding his career, the launch of Willkie Chicago, and his commitment to pro bono advocacy and civic organizations.
The publication noted how Craig led the opening of Willkie’s Chicago office in March 2020 with five other prominent lawyers, and quickly established it at the forefront of the market.
“I think what it shows is that, with regards to clients, there is a flight to quality,” Craig said.
Now numbering more than 70 lawyers, the office’s broad capabilities include high-stakes trial work and investigations in areas such as antitrust, governance, ERISA, patents, trade secrets, and more, and it continues to expand in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity, restructuring and asset management.
In addition to overseeing the office’s rapid growth, Craig has helped instill the core values that have guided him throughout his career, fostering a collegial culture, a commitment to the community, and, above all, a client-focused practice.
“We are completely client-centric. And to my mind, that is not only doing top-tier legal work, but it’s putting the interests of clients above all other interests which I think is what engenders client loyalty,” Craig said. “We think of ourselves not only as exceptional lawyers but also as trusted advisors to our clients.”
The profile also highlighted how under Craig’s leadership, the Chicago office has not only grown to stand among the largest firms in the city but also one of its most diverse – approximately half of the lawyers are women, one-third are attorneys of color, and half of the partners are women.
Irish Voice also noted Craig’s advice to up-and-coming attorneys in managing the setbacks as well as the successes that are part of building a legal career.
“The way you handle that is you continue to move forward and do your best work for your clients to the best of your ability,” Craig said.” And if you do that I think you will build a great career and wonderful client relationships, and great relationships with your colleagues as well.”
Read the full profile here, which is published online in IrishCentral.com
