Stephanie Scharf is well known for innovative work in the areas of organizational excellence, diversity, equality and inclusion, strategic growth, talent development, and enterprise management. Her consulting work is enhanced by over 30 years of practice working with national and global corporations, as a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, a partner at Jenner & Block and, most recently, founder of Scharf Banks Marmor LLC, a nationally prominent women-owned law firm.
Stephanie has a Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences and a J.D. from the University of Chicago. She consults to businesses, not-for-profits and law firms on such topics as success in retaining and advancing professional talent, attributes of effective leadership, and strategies for growth and talent development. Stephanie has deep experience combining her skills in data analytics to design practical and measurable strategies for organizational change and achievable goals. She has published innovative research that uses data to track the impact of policies and practices on business goals, including strategies for effective leadership and for growth and talent development.
Stephanie has designed and co-authored many studies about the factors that impact long-term professional careers, including such nationally recognized research as Bullying in the Legal Profession: A Study of Illinois Lawyers’ Experiences and Recommendations for Change (2024); Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers (2023); Where Does the Legal Profession Go from Here? (2022) Practicing Law in the Pandemic and Moving Forward (2021) Walking Out the Door: the Fact, Figures and Future of Experienced Women Lawyers in Private Practice (2019); and First Chairs at Trial: More Women Need Seats at the Table (2015). Stephanie founded and conducted the NAWL Annual Survey of Women in Law Firms from 2006-2014; and conducted a range of other applied research on the strategies, career trajectories, and interaction between organizations and their employees.
Stephanie has held many leadership positions in national organizations. She was 2017-2020 Chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession and also co-chaired the ABA Presidential Initiative on Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women in the Law. Stephanie is a former President of the National Association of Women Lawyers, where she created the highly regarded NAWL General Counsel Institute as well as a series of NAWL national surveys. Stephanie also served as Special Advisor to the American Bar Association’s Presidential Commission on Diversity and Inclusion; and served on the Board of DirectWomen, where she continues to chair its International Committee.