Karen P. Layng,
President, Board of Directors,
The Girl Scouts of USA &
Chief Executive Officer,
M.A.I.T. Co
I bring nearly three decades of legal service as a trusted member of, and strategic advisor to, executive teams and boards of directors with significant experience with construction, energy and not-for-profit organizations. I am a member of the AAA Panel of Arbitrators, for commercial, construction and merger and acquisition disputes and a frequent speaker and writer on construction and ethics topics and have served as a faculty member for the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry Trial Academies. I serve on the 7th Circuit Civil Pattern Jury Instructions Committee and am Co-Chair of the ABA Construction Litigation Committee. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of the USA and on its audit, strategy and pension advisory committees.
Other accomplishments include:
• The first woman President of the 7th Circuit Bar Association and member of the Economic and Executives Club of Chicago, as well as a member of the Executive Advisors to the Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago.
• Former President of the Board, College of Liberal Arts and Science at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Alumni Association for eight years (two as President) and President of the Alumni Council.
• Selected by peers as a Leading Lawyer in the areas of construction law and commercial litigation.
• Included on the Leading Lawyers Network’s “Top Ten Real Estate-Related Lawyers” list, the “Top 50 Real Estate-Related Women Lawyers” list, and the “Top 100 Women Business Lawyers” list.
• Featured in the Real Estate, Construction & Environmental Edition of Leading Lawyers Magazine, as well as the Women’s Edition.
• In private practice was listed as a Super Lawyer, one of Illinois’ top 50 women lawyers by Law & Politics Magazine and was ranked in Chambers USA in the Illinois Construction category and recommended in the Legal 500 United States.
