In recognition of Women’s History Month, Adams and Reese is pleased to feature female leaders at our law firm and several of our partner executives leading their businesses in various industries.
Kristina Montanaro Schrader is the team leader of the Adams and Reese Anti-Counterfeiting practice and a Partner in the law firm’s Nashville office.
What is the best advice you received throughout your career?
“Early on in my career, when I was still an intern in DC, I attended a meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill. I was one of the only women in the room and definitely the only intern. There was (literally) no seat for me at the table. I went to sit in the back of the room, until another woman in the meeting dragged a chair over to the table and said, ‘If there’s no seat for you at the table, just add another chair.’ That advice (both literal and figurative) stuck with me ever since.”
What is the biggest professional hurdle you overcame, and what did you learn from it?
“I started my career in-house and left after about four years to join private practice. It was a difficult transition, both because being an in-house lawyer involves a completely different skillset, and because I was worried about my ability to bring in business after being in-house. I put my head down and worked for several years, learning from others in the firm like Haverly MacArthur, Edward Playfair, and Mitch Boult. I learned from Mitch that doing good work for our clients begets more business.”
What does Women's History Month mean to you?
“Women’s History Month is an opportunity to show appreciation for the contributions of women who came before us, and the women who have been and still are my mentors today. I am particularly grateful for the women who make up my support system at work: Haverly MacArthur, Maia Woodhouse, and Amy Hanna Keeney.”
More about Kristina Montanaro Schrader: Kristina received her J.D. in 2010. She was recently ranked among the “The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals” in the 2023 WTR 1000. Kristina previously served as an executive at the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. Prior to joining the IACC, she worked in-house at Gucci America and Dolce & Gabbana USA. Kristina is a frequent speaker on issues related to IP enforcement, payment processing and the growing incidence of infringement on the dark web. She has directed public awareness campaigns for consumers and conducted training sessions for law enforcement, financial industry, and online marketplace personnel. Check out Kristina’s latest anti-counterfeiting article on “What’s Next Following the INFORM Consumers Act?”