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VERSION:2.1
X-GWTYPE:USER
UID:dmhperson5210
FN:Rachael G. Pontikes
TEL;WORK:+1 312 499 6757
TEL;TYPE=WORK,FAX:+1 312 277 6903
EMAIL;WORK;PREF:RGPontikes@duanemorris.com
N:Pontikes, Rachael G.
TITLE:Partner
ORG:Duane Morris LLP
ADR;INTL;WORK;PARCEL;POSTAL:;;Duane Morris LLP | Suite 3700 | 190 South LaSalle Street | Chicago, IL  60603-3433 | USA | 
URL;WORK:http://www.duanemorris.com
NOTE;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE: Rachael G. Pontikes focuses her practice on high-profile and high-stakes litigation, with a particular emphasis on matters involving significant media attention and public scrutiny. Ms. Pontikes represents foreign companies in disputes in the United States, acts as liaison for American companies that are sued abroad, represents companies in inter- and intra-company disputes and represents financial institutions in a broad range of commercial litigation and arbitration. She distills complex legal theories to an essence that anyone can understand.  Ms. Pontikes also crafts and implements creative solutions from beneficial settlements to creating novel legal theories that push the law to a new edge. She communicates the law and her clients' positions clearly and tailored to her audience, a highly unique skill when dealing with judges, regulators and juries.

Fluent in Italian and formerly a resident of Milan, Ms. Pontikes is a citizen of both the United States and Greece and maintains contacts throughout the European Union.  She brings a true cross-border perspective to representation of Italian clients that are sued in the United States, as well as representation of American interests in Italy and elsewhere outside of the United States. Ms. Pontikes also represents clients in heavily-regulated industries such as financial services.  She serves a broad range of institutions in the securities, futures and derivatives markets in federal trial and appellate courts, and also in customer and broker disputes before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA").  Ms. Pontikes also has brought civil actions for several minor girls who allege they were sexually exploited when featured in child pornography.

Ms. Pontikes is highly active in civic activities and her community. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women, is a member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Guild Board, and on the board for the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation. Through the Alliance, Ms. Pontikes co-founded the mentoring circles program sponsored by the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women, the largest mentoring program for women attorneys in Chicago.  She serves as the pro bono coordinator for the Duane Morris Chicago office, and is a lecturer in law at the University of Chicago.

In 2012, Ms. Pontikes was named an Illinois Rising Star.  No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Illinois are named to the list.

Ms. Pontikes is a 2001 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and an honors graduate of Wesleyan University, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa.

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