Laura Schumacher’s Post

I think it’s very important to pay it forward.. and am happy to help others benefit from my own experiences. Thanks to Barker Gilmore for creating these opportunities to share!!

My passion for ensuring equal access to justice began during my time at University of Wisconsin Law School and grew during my three-decade career at Abbott and AbbVie. As I shared in this interview, I encourage all in the legal profession to give back to those in need and increase equal representation in our field. 

I am honored to be named Lead Director for General Dynamics. I look forward to continuing to work with this impressive company and Board of Directors.

After an incredibly rewarding three-decade career first at Abbott and then at AbbVie I look forward to my next chapter. Thank you to Richard A. Gonzalez, our Executive Leadership Team, the members of my External Affairs and Legal (EA&L) team, and all AbbVie employees around the world. It has been a privilege to be a part of this company since our inception in 2013, and at Abbott for twenty years before AbbVie. It is beyond rewarding to have had the opportunity to do my part, our part, in positively impacting the lives of so many people. Whether it be through our commitment to innovation and the development of life-saving medicines for millions of patients, our industry-leading Diversity in Law program, or our culture of giving and impacting communities, thank you for making the journey so meaningful. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together and honored to have been a part of it all. My best wishes for future success.

Our longstanding partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital celebrated another important milestone yesterday with the ribbon cutting for Family Commons, a centralized, private space for patients and families that was made possible thanks to a $50 million AbbVie donation. I am proud of the role our company played in building a thoughtfully designed place extending St. Jude’s mission of family-centered care. It’s amazing to see what happens when we work together to make possibilities real.

Since the inception of AbbVie almost a decade ago, I have been proud of how our culture of giving back has grown. Here are some of the ways we have stepped up for our communities and those in need through the years. #AbbVieGivesBack

This week, I was honored to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the new Neal Math and Science Academy in North Chicago alongside students, teachers, community partners and AbbVie colleagues. Funded by a $40 million donation from AbbVie, this brand-new school will advance the academic excellence of North Chicago middle school students for decades to come. I’m proud of the role we played in transforming a vision into a reality. This building is more than a school. It represents the future. It represents a bridge to what is possible. For more information: https://lnkd.in/gnpi9HYV #AbbVieGivesBack   

Thank you to the Legal Aid Society and Metropolitan Family Services for the opportunity to share the incredible work we are doing at AbbVie to provide legal aid to those unable to afford or retain an attorney. I’m honored to receive the William H. Avery Award for Equal Access to Justice, and it was a pleasure to share this celebration with other leaders who are making a difference through their pro bono work.

Thank you American Bar Association for the impressive celebration of female leadership at today’s ABA Annual Meeting. I’m honored to be a recipient of the 2022 Margaret Brent Award, which has recognized so many courageous women who have worked tirelessly to create opportunities for other women in the legal profession. This award is a celebration of the progress we’ve made and a call to action to remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing opportunities for women in our profession and to continue our commitment at AbbVie to equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. #BelongAtAbbVie

Thank you to all of the AbbVie employees around the world for making our seventh Week of Possibilities a success. This week you showed the world how AbbVie comes together to make a lasting impact. We worked with our non-profit partners to complete hands-on projects, including renovating schools, playgrounds, and community centers to benefit local communities and help tens of thousands of people. #abbvielife #abbviegivesback #weekofpossibilities