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Christine Lagarde, First Woman to Lead Baker & McKenzie Will Deliver Pope & John Lecture January 20

Christine Lagarde, the first woman to run Baker & McKenzie, the world's second largest law firm, will deliver the ninth Pope & John Lecture on Professionalism at Northwestern University School of Law. Mme. Lagarde, elected as chairman of the executive committee of the international law firm in October 1999, will lecture on "The Multidisciplinary Lawyer: A European Perspective" at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000, at the School of Law, 357 E. Chicago Ave.

"Mme. Lagarde truly is a leader in today's global economy," said David E. Van Zandt, dean of the Northwestern University School of Law. "She will draw from her experiences leading to her chairmanship at a firm with 2,600 plus attorneys in 35 countries for a lecture series that continues to feature the best legal minds of our times."

At 43, Mme. Lagarde is among the youngest chairmen of the executive committee of Baker & McKenzie and the first European-based partner to serve as chairman since 1981. Mme. Lagarde, together with other members of the executive committee, is charged with day-to-day management of the firm, including overseeing standards for client management, the quality of legal services, professional development and civic responsibility.

From 1991 to 1995, Mme. Lagarde, who is a French national, served as a member of Baker & McKenzie's European Regional Council and as the co-managing partner of the Paris office. In 1995, she was nominated to the executive committee of Baker & McKenzie, acting as the committee liaison for 11 western European offices and chair of its professional development committee. Most recently, Mme. Lagarde has advised international clients on setting up European Works Councils. During her tenure at Baker & McKenzie, she has practiced competition and employment law; been involved in a number of merger filings and European anti-trust investigations; and has assisted a number of international clients on major restructuring involving new distribution systems, corporate reorganizations and large redundancy programs with high-profile political issues.

Mme. Lagarde graduated from the Political Science Institute and Paris Law School, receiving a post-graduate degree with special emphasis on business.