Meredith Ritchie, vice president, general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer at Alliant Credit Union, is the recipient of a 2016 Top Women Lawyers in Leadership Award from the WBAI.The Women's Bar Association of Illinois selected DePaul University
College of Law alumna Meredith Ritchie as one of 2016's Top Women
Lawyers in Leadership. Only five people received the honor, which
recognizes the state's most notable female legal professionals. They
are recognized for their leadership and the valuable guidance they
provide to others. Winners have come from various disciplines,
including litigation, academia, entrepreneurship, public service and
journalism.
Ritchie currently serves as
vice president, general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer at Alliant Credit Union. She also leads the company's legal and compliance department and the ethics program, is a member of its senior leadership team, and oversees the in-house legal team in all matters
related to mergers and acquisitions. Among the first in her industry
to negotiate for cyber liability insurance, Ritchie has received accolades for combining pragmatic and creative problem solving to aid
clients in business, law and risk management.
“I
am ecstatic that the Women's Bar Association of Illinois bestowed
this amazing award upon me and am grateful that Corinne Heggie,
counsel at Scharf Banks Marmor, nominated me!” says Ritchie. “I
have been so fortunate in my career to have role models and managers
mentor and sponsor me so that I can be a leader. I, in turn, find
great satisfaction in helping people, particularly attorneys, make
connections that will enrich their careers and lives.” Alliant
Credit Union and Scharf
Banks Marmor LLC have also specifically recognized Ritchie for this honor.
Corinne Heggie (left), counsel at Scharf Banks Marmor and the nominating attorney, congratulates Ritchie on receiving the WBAI award.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ritchie regularly
speaks to national organizations on matters related to strategic
planning and regulatory compliance. Events she has appeared at
include the Association of Corporate Counsel's General Counsel
Roundtable (September 2014), the National Law Journal's Corporate
Compliance Event (November 2014) and the Women, Influence & Power
in Law panel "Advisor & Chief: Top Ways to Communicate Your
Strategy More Effectively" (October 2015). She also was featured in a 2014 Chicago
Daily Law Bulletin article "Aligning Alliant."
Before joining Alliant Credit
Union, Ritchie was deputy general counsel, central management services and attorney/bureau chief, public aid for the state of
Illinois, and state and local government corporate counsel with
Accenture LLP. She also studied at the Sorbonne, the Institut
d'Etudes politiques de Paris and Hamilton College.