Linda Leuchter Addison is an American business executive, lawyer and author. Addison served as U.S. Managing Partner, Chair of the U.S. Management Committee, and global board member ofNorton Rose Fulbright.[1] She is Founding President of theCenter for Women in Law, and co-chaired theNew York State Bar Association’s Task Force on the Future of the Legal Profession.[2]Crain's New York Business named Addison one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in New York."[3][4][5] She is a member of the Board of Directors ofGlobe Life Inc.[6] Addison also is an independent board member of KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm.[7] She previously served on the Advisory Board ofNorthern Trust Bank, N.A.
Addison is the daughter of Marcus and Theresa Leuchter,Nazi concentration camp survivors who immigrated to the United States in 1946.[8] After graduating fromBellaire High School in 1969, she attendedThe University of Texas, graduating in 1973 with a B.A.cum laude in the Plan II Honors Program,[9] headed byVartan Gregorian.[10]
At theUniversity of Texas School of Law, she became the first woman Managing Editor of theTexas Law Review and received her J.D. in 1976.[8] She was named the 2008 Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Texas School of Law, the first woman in active law practice to receive this award.[11]
Addison was named a 2013 Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas.[12] On April 16, 2015, The University of Texas at Austin PresidentWilliam C. Powers presented Addison with The Presidential Citation, which recognizes "the extraordinary contributions of individuals who personify the University’s commitment to the task of transforming lives."[13]
As lead counsel forGE Energy, Addison led a team that successfully defended one of the firstDodd-Frank whistleblower cases filed in America (Asadi v. GE Energy) and served as lead counsel forGE Healthcare in the multi-jurisdictional litigation alleging overexposure to radiation from CT machines. Addison's other cases include the jury trial forMars Incorporated involving infringement of one of its pet food patents, in which, as lead counsel, she obtained a judgment for monetary damages and a permanent injunction requiring consumer goods giantsHeinz andDel Monte to remove six infringing product lines from the market (Mars, Incorporated v. H.J. Heinz Company). As lead counsel for theNorthern Trust Company, the former directed trustee of theEnron 401(k) plan in the $1.7 billion Enron employee benefit plan class action cases, the largestERISA class action in U.S. history,[14] she successfully negotiated a settlement within policy limits (Tittle v. Enron Corp).
Addison was lead counsel forHandy Dan Hardware in the trial of the case that challenged the constitutionality of TexasBlue Laws (Retail Merchants Association of Houston v. Handy Dan Hardware), leading to their repeal in 1985, and making it possible for Texans to shop on Sunday.
In 2001, she became the first woman named toFulbright & Jaworski’s Executive Committee, which is now theNorton Rose Fulbright US Management Committee, which she chaired from 2013 to 2016.
In 2009, theAmerican Bar Association awarded Addison itsMargaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence and paved the way to success for other women.[15] Prior award recipients includeU.S. Supreme Court JusticesSandra Day O'Connor andRuth Bader Ginsburg.[16]
Addison co-chaired theNew York State Bar Association's Task Force on the Future of the Legal Profession.[2] She is Founding President of theCenter for Women in Law.[17] The Center launched in April 2009 with its inaugural Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership where the keynote speaker was The Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor.[18]
Crain's New York Business named Addison one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in New York."[19][20][21] TheNational Law Journal named her one of the "50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America"[22] and one of the "100 Most Influential Lawyers in America."[23] In 2001,The National Law Journal named her one of "America's Top 50 Women Litigators."[24]Texas Lawyer named Addison the number one "Go-To Lawyer" for commercial litigation in itsGo-To Guide,[25] and honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award.[26] TheNew York Law Journal named her a Distinguished Leader.[27]
Addison is the author ofTexas Practice Guide: Evidence (Thomson West 2017) andFederal Civil Procedure & Evidence During Trial: 5th Circuit, (Chapter 9 -Evidence: Burden of Proof, Admissibility and Objections West Group 1997).
She is a member of theCouncil on Foreign Relations,[28]The Committee of 200,[29] theInternational Women's Forum,[30] The River Club of New York, theUniversity Club of New York, theEconomic Club of New York and the Coronado Club of Houston.
Addison serves on the Boards of Directors ofCatalyst[31] and the Kay Bailey Center for Energy, Law and Business,[32] and the Board of Visitors of The University Cancer Center Foundation ofM.D. Anderson Cancer Center.[33] She serves as a Trustee of the University of Texas Law School Foundation[34] and as a Lifetime Member of the Executive Committee of the Chancellor's Council of the University of Texas System.[35]
In 2014, Addison was honored as "Woman of the Year" by thePolice Athletic League of New York City.[36]Legal Momentum presented her with its Equal Opportunity Award in 2011.[37] In 2006,The United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast named Addison Woman of the Year.[38]
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