Taft, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, has welcomed partners Lauren Rankins and Terese Connolly to the Chicago office. Both are distinguished litigators who further expand and strengthen Taft's Construction and Employment & Labor practices, respectively, and mark the continued growth of the Chicago office.
After practicing with her previous firm for more than 12 years, Rankins joins Taft's leading Construction practice group which ranks Tier 1 nationally by Best Lawyers® for construction litigation. Rankins represents various entities involved in private and public construction projects, including owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers through all aspects of construction law, including contract review and negotiation, project management, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation. She has extensive experience handling breach of contract claims; extra work claims; design and defect claims; schedule disputes; bond and lien claims; payment disputes; prompt pay disputes; prevailing wage issues; differing site conditions; bid protests; delay and acceleration claims; and other construction related claims. Rankins' experience also includes representing sureties in multi-project defaults, including the investigation and resolution of performance and payment bond claims. Rankins is a frequent writer and speaker on construction-related topics and is active in many construction-related organizations.
Connolly brings more than two decades of experience advising clients on complex employment matters, including high-stakes litigation, restrictive covenant disputes, global employment compliance audits, and workplace culture strategy. She is a trusted advisor to employers navigating evolving workplace challenges and is known for her practical, business-minded approach to risk mitigation and dispute resolution. Recognized internationally for her leadership in employment law and work with large, multinational companies, she recently spoke at the ABA International Labor and Employment Law Committee Midyear Meeting in Madrid. Next month, Connolly will speak at the 6th Annual International Forum of Senior Executive Advisers (IFSEA) International Conference in London as part of a panel discussion on ethical leadership.
"Lauren and Terese are strong additions to our growing Chicago office," saidCezar "Cid" M. Froelich, Taft Chicago Partner and Chairman. "They bring established, deep practices to Taft and will be tremendous assets for our clients as we continue to expand our footprint in Chicago."
"Lauren is the latest lawyer to join our Construction practice, which has already added nearly half a dozen lawyers in Chicago this year, and Terese has a unique background leading complex, multi-jurisdictional employment matters for major companies around the globe," explained Paul T. Jenson, Taft Chicago Partner-In-Charge. "They're both great fits as our Chicago office continues to grow."
Growing at a faster rate than last year, Taft has already added 15 new attorneys in Chicago as part of approximately 60 lateral hires across the country so far in 2025. Taft recently rose to No. 16 on Chicago Lawyer magazine's 2025 Largest Law Firms list and today counts 170 lawyers in Chicago.