Meredith W. Mendes

Partner | Global Chief Financial Officer

About

Meredith Mendes is a strategic global finance and operations executive with extensive experience leading law firms and other professional services organizations. Throughout her career, she has delivered bottom-line results by implementing systems and process improvements, mentoring talent, and driving profitable growth and innovation.

  • She has had oversight responsibility and managed the financial functions in numerous organizations. Prior to joining Pierson Ferdinand LLP, she served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer in family offices and wealth management firms; Chief Operating Officer of Jenner & Block and Jenner & Block UK, a 500+ attorney law firm; and Worldwide Chief Financial Officer of Edelman Public Relations and Medline Industries. Ms. Mendes was also an investment banker and began her career as a practicing lawyer in corporate and municipal finance.

Admissions and Certifications

  • Certified Public Accountant, Illinois

  • Illinois Bar

  • Massachusetts Bar

  • Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Cybersecurity Oversight

Education

  • University of Chicago Booth School of Business, MBA, 1991

  • Harvard Law School, JD, 1983

  • Brown University, AB, 1980

Law Firm Experience

  • Jenner & Block LLP, Chief Operating Officer

  • Jenner & Block UK LLP, Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration

  • Hopkins & Sutter

  • Mintz, Levin, Cohen, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo

Public Company Board Experience

  • Kronos Worldwide, Inc., Audit Committee

  • NL Industries, Inc., Audit Committee

  • Quanex Building Products Corporation, Audit; Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees

  • Inland Retail Properties Trust, Audit; Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees

  • Inland Real Estate Corp.; Audit, Nominating and Corporate Governance; Compensation Committees

Corporate Officer Experience

  • JB Ventures LLC, Chief Operating Officer

  • Matthew Pritzker Company LLC, Chief Executive Officer

  • Gresham Partners, LLP, Chief Operating Officer

  • Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., Worldwide Chief Financial Officer

  • Medline Industries, Inc., Chief Financial Officer

Non-Profit Boards

  • Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Treasurer Vice Chair (2019 – 2022)

  • Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Trustee

Selected Publications and Panels

  • Hispanic Executive, “Best of the Boardroom” (2019)

  • Co-Chair, Advisory Board, Panelist, Thomson Reuters Annual COO/CFO Forum, New York (2010 – 2020)

  • Innovations in Legal Project Management, “Making Legal Project Management Work,” ARK Group (2018)

  • Women in Legal Tech, Clocktimizer, “An Interview with Meredith Mendes, COO of Jenner & Block” (2017)

  • Panelist, Human Resources Management Association Leadership Series, Chicago (2017)

  • Panelist, PwC’s Law Firm Services Global Forum, New York (2016)

  • Panelist, Practicing Law Institute, Project Management For Lawyers, New York (2016)

  • Panelist, Thomson Reuters Legal Executive Institute, Mastering Matter-Level Budgeting, New York (2016)

  • Legal Management Magazine, “Making Legal Project Management Work” (2015)

  • Law Firm Inc., Real Estate Operations, “Two At A Time” (2007)

  • Achieving Business Excellence, “Changing The Law” (2007)