Presented by the Women in the Law Section and
Young Lawyers Section Women in the Law Committee
Pathways to Leadership for Women Lawyers is an annual dinner and award ceremony hosted by the Women in the Law Section and Young Lawyers Section Women in the Law Committee where the Ladder Award is presented to a distinguished woman attorney each year.
The Ladder Award was created by the YLS Women in the Law Committee in 2007 to honor a woman attorney who has “left the ladder down” for those women who follow in her footsteps. The award is aimed at recognizing the efforts of women in the profession who have recognized the importance of mentoring and supporting more junior lawyers in their own journeys to success in the profession.
We invite you to join us for this year’s event, where we will honor Attorney Nancy Kennedy with the 2026 Ladder Award.
Cost
$89 CBA Member
$99 Non-Member
2025 Ladder Award Recipient
Nancy Kennedy
Stites & Harbison PLLC
Nancy Kennedy is a seasoned intellectual property attorney whose practice encompasses the full spectrum of domestic and international trademark, copyright, trade dress, domain name, and cyberlaw matters. With nearly two decades of experience in private practice and in education, she brings a rare blend of technical skill, strategic insight, and unwavering dedication to her clients and students.
As a partner of Stites & Harbison PLLC, one of the oldest full service law firms in the nation, Attorney Kennedy’s work includes conducting complex trademark clearance searches and providing thoughtful, practical opinions on availability and registrability; prosecuting applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and U.S. Copyright Office; recording registrations with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to safeguard clients’ brands at the border; and representing clients in contentious proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She is also a trusted advisor on the strategic use, policing, and enforcement of intellectual property assets, guiding clients from the earliest conception of a trademark all the way through marketplace protection and enforcement (i.e. “from soup to nuts”).
Attorney Kennedy is equally devoted to shaping the next generation of legal professionals. As a visiting professor from practice at the University of Connecticut School of Law, she brings real-world experience into the classroom, offering students not only the substantive tools of the IP trade, but also the practical judgment, communication skills, and professional confidence necessary to succeed as a lawyer. She is known for her mentorship, kindness, and ability to distill complex issues into accessible, actionable guidance.
Beyond her professional achievements, Attorney Kennedy is deeply committed to service. She devotes her extra time to pro-bono practice, advocating for animals and thereby providing a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. Her generosity extends to her mentorship of young attorneys and law students, many of whom credit her counsel with shaping, and sometimes preserving, their legal careers. She is known as an attorney who extends genuine care beyond the office, offering support, mentorship, and encouragement to anyone who needs it.
Attorney Kennedy’s career reflects an unwavering commitment to integrity, mentorship, and the advancement of others. She exemplifies what it means to “leave the ladder down” by lifting up female lawyers, colleagues, students, and members of the broader legal community with humility, excellence, and grace.