News

Law Alumnae Honored by Northwestern Alumni Association

March 08, 2013

Geraldine M. Alexis (JD-MBA ’76) received an Alumni Merit Award at the 80th annual Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) Alumni Awards ceremony on March 3, 2013.

Presented to one alumnus from each of Northwestern’s 11 undergraduate and graduate schools, Alumni Merit Awards recognize alumni who have distinguished themselves in their particular professions or fields of endeavor.

Alexis is a partner at Perkins Coie LLP in San Francisco, where her specialty is antitrust counseling and litigation. Previously, she was a partner at both Bingham McCutchen and Sidley Austin. A self-described “ardent advocate,” Geraldine has conducted several bench and jury trials and handled high-profile merger cases. She also represents clients before the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and state antitrust enforcement agencies in mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other government antitrust investigations.

The first woman to receive Northwestern’s joint JD-MBA degree, Alexis attributes her time at Northwestern for putting her on the path to becoming one of the leaders in her field.

“Not only did Northwestern provide me with excellent training in law and business, it also introduced me to a large network of talented and dedicated alumni and alumnae who have enriched my life in so many ways,” says Alexis, who became the first woman to receive Northwestern’s joint JD-MBA degree. “For example, Judge John Grady (JD ’54) hired me to be one of his first law clerks on the federal bench and thereafter became a wonderful mentor throughout my career.”

Never far from her mind are her memories of Northwestern and the professors who helped mold her. Some of Alexis’s favorite classes were Law and Social Change with Jordan Hay Hillman and Antitrust Law with Dean James Rahl. She also fondly recalls a Partnership Law seminar with Harold Shapiro.

Since 1932, the NAA has honored alumni who have distinguished themselves as outstanding professional and personal achievers in their fields and who have loyally dedicated their time and service to their alma mater. The NAA award ceremony is an annual celebration that brings together more than 450 alumni, faculty, administrators, family, and friends. For a complete list of 2013 NAA Alumni Award recipients, visit the NAA website.