Jenner & Block Partners Dawn Smalls, Joanna Wright Named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York Business

Crain’s New York Business recognized Jenner & Block Partners Dawn Smalls and Joanna Wright among its 2023 Notable Women in Law. The list recognizes women “not only for their skills and accomplishments in the courtroom, but for their leadership outside of it.” Dawn and Joanna were honored for their trailblazing work and impact on the New York legal community.

In Dawn’s profile, she is noted for her leadership within the firm by co-chairing the ESG Practice and serving on the firm’s Management and DEI committees. The profile also notes Dawn’s pro bono work to halt a mayoral order to move homeless New Yorkers without adequate notice and needs assessments. It also notes Dawn’s work outside of the firm as co-chair of the New York City Bar Association Task Force for Civic Education and as a member of the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Joanna’s profile highlights her impact on the national stage when she won a ruling that blocked Louisiana’s abortion ban just 72 hours after the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade last year. She continues to work with the Center for Reproductive Rights on the matter. The profile also notes her substantial pro bono service, including serving on the board of the New York Lawyers for the Public Service.

Related Locations

© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

Jenner & Block Partners Dawn Smalls, Joanna Wright Named Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York Business

Crain’s New York Business recognized Jenner & Block Partners Dawn Smalls and Joanna Wright among its 2023 Notable Women in Law. The list recognizes women “not only for their skills and accomplishments in the courtroom, but for their leadership outside of it.” Dawn and Joanna were honored for their trailblazing work and impact on the New York legal community.

In Dawn’s profile, she is noted for her leadership within the firm by co-chairing the ESG Practice and serving on the firm’s Management and DEI committees. The profile also notes Dawn’s pro bono work to halt a mayoral order to move homeless New Yorkers without adequate notice and needs assessments. It also notes Dawn’s work outside of the firm as co-chair of the New York City Bar Association Task Force for Civic Education and as a member of the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Joanna’s profile highlights her impact on the national stage when she won a ruling that blocked Louisiana’s abortion ban just 72 hours after the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade last year. She continues to work with the Center for Reproductive Rights on the matter. The profile also notes her substantial pro bono service, including serving on the board of the New York Lawyers for the Public Service.

Related Locations

© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

News and Insights

Podcasts

Partner Laurel Loomis Rimon Discusses Fintech Enforcement, Debanking, and Regulatory Risk on Fintech Layer Cake Podcast

Partner Laurel Loomis Rimon was featured on the Fintech Layer Cake podcast, where she discussed how fintech enforcement and prosecution actually work in practice, and what exposes fintechs and banks to regulatory risk.

July 15, 2026

Publications

Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Private Rights of Action Under the Investment Company Act, Private Equity Law Report

Partners Charles Riely, Todd C. Toral, and Martin Glass authored a guest article for Private Equity Law Report examining the US Supreme Court's June 11, 2026, ruling on the scope of private rights of action under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

July 14, 2026

Publications

Emily Loeb Discusses Congressional Oversight Preparedness in Bloomberg Law

Partner Emily Loeb, co-chair of Jenner & Block's Congressional Investigations Practice, spoke with Bloomberg Law article about how companies can prepare for potential oversight exposure ahead of this fall's midterm elections.

July 7, 2026

Publications

In New York Law Journal, The True Lender Doctrine and the OppFi Decision

Partners Jeremy Creelan, Michael Ross, Megan Poetzel, and Laurel Loomis Rimon, and Associate Molly Oberstein-Allen authored an article for the New York Law Journal examining the "True Lender" doctrine in light of a May 2026 California decision that provides the most detailed judicial framework to date for evaluating bank-nonbank lending partnerships.

July 1, 2026

Event

Partner Michael Vernick to Speak at NACUA's 2026 Annual Conference

On July 1, Partner Michael Vernick will speak on a panel at the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) 2026 Annual Conference in Nashville.

July 1, 2026