Crain’s Chicago Business Names Four Partners as “Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders”

Co-Managing Partner Randy Mehrberg and Partners Megan B. Poetzel, Wade A. Thomson, and Joseph J. Torres have been named 2021 “Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders” by Crain’s Chicago Business for being leaders who “present an admirable picture of grace, not to mention resilience, under extreme pressure.”

Mr. Mehrberg’s profile recognizes his work as a board member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. He serves on its Stronger Neighborhood Committee, which seeks to transform communities by helping residents identify priorities and set a strategy. Mr. Mehrberg also serves as the chair of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Operations Committee, as well as a member of its Executive Committee.

Ms. Poetzel’s work as Board Co-Chair of Legal Aid Chicago, which provides Cook County residents with access to justice, is highlighted in her profile. During the pandemic, in addition to its ongoing work providing legal services to individual clients, Legal Aid Chicago has assisted the broader Chicago community by providing clinics, events and updates on the changing landscape of health benefits, housing, debt collection, food access, and employment.

As Leadership Board member of the National Immigrant Justice Center (and former co-chair of the board), Mr. Thomson worked to raise the NIJC’s profile by recruiting corporations to get involved with asylum cases. His profile highlights his collaboration with in-house lawyers at Chase, General Motors, Exelon, and McDonald’s to help increase critical legal assistance for indigent clients.

Mr. Torres is the longest-serving board member of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation. The foundation distributes state funding to nonprofit legal aid programs, and Mr. Torres helped to address the pivotal need for to legal services in Illinois: “When other social service programs were forced to close during the 2015 state budget crisis, the foundation was able to help legal aid organizations assist more than 54,000 vulnerable families, seniors and veterans,” the profile states.

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© 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.

Crain’s Chicago Business Names Four Partners as “Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders”

Co-Managing Partner Randy Mehrberg and Partners Megan B. Poetzel, Wade A. Thomson, and Joseph J. Torres have been named 2021 “Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders” by Crain’s Chicago Business for being leaders who “present an admirable picture of grace, not to mention resilience, under extreme pressure.”

Mr. Mehrberg’s profile recognizes his work as a board member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. He serves on its Stronger Neighborhood Committee, which seeks to transform communities by helping residents identify priorities and set a strategy. Mr. Mehrberg also serves as the chair of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Operations Committee, as well as a member of its Executive Committee.

Ms. Poetzel’s work as Board Co-Chair of Legal Aid Chicago, which provides Cook County residents with access to justice, is highlighted in her profile. During the pandemic, in addition to its ongoing work providing legal services to individual clients, Legal Aid Chicago has assisted the broader Chicago community by providing clinics, events and updates on the changing landscape of health benefits, housing, debt collection, food access, and employment.

As Leadership Board member of the National Immigrant Justice Center (and former co-chair of the board), Mr. Thomson worked to raise the NIJC’s profile by recruiting corporations to get involved with asylum cases. His profile highlights his collaboration with in-house lawyers at Chase, General Motors, Exelon, and McDonald’s to help increase critical legal assistance for indigent clients.

Mr. Torres is the longest-serving board member of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation. The foundation distributes state funding to nonprofit legal aid programs, and Mr. Torres helped to address the pivotal need for to legal services in Illinois: “When other social service programs were forced to close during the 2015 state budget crisis, the foundation was able to help legal aid organizations assist more than 54,000 vulnerable families, seniors and veterans,” the profile states.

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.

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