Recently named among the Crain's Chicago Business Notable Women in Law, Venable partners Erin McCloskey Maus and Heidi Hennig Rowe are helping shape the future of the firm's Chicago office while leading sophisticated practices in construction and consumer goods. In this Q&A, Erin and Heidi discuss what drives their work, what makes the Chicago office distinctive, and what this recognition means to them.
Q: You both have highly specialized practices. What does your work involve, and what do you most enjoy about it?
Erin: I'm a litigator by training, and I focus much of my practice on consumer product-related work. That includes product liability defense, regulatory counseling, and a great deal of product safety work. As a litigator, you see the consequences when something goes wrong, and that perspective allows me to help clients proactively manage risk across the entire product life cycle. One perennial challenge is global compliance, which creates significant regulatory complexity. AI is another emerging issue. As more products incorporate AI, companies have to think carefully about the risks that introduces and how consumers will interact with those products.
Heidi: My practice is focused primarily on representing project owners and developers on construction projects across the country. I draft and negotiate design and construction contracts, advise clients regarding potential claims that arise during projects, and help them resolve disputes without having to resort to litigation or other formal dispute resolution. I fundamentally love the practice of law, and being able to do so in the construction industry alongside great client teams is very rewarding. Construction is dynamic and has to continuously evolve and adapt to change. I really enjoy helping clients stay ahead of the curve by being proactive and developing strategies that strike the right balance between protecting their legal interests and helping them achieve their larger business goals.
Q: Heidi, you were one of the original partners to join the Chicago office. What drew you to Venable?
Heidi: Our Construction Law Group launched Venable's Chicago office in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, so it was an unusual time to start. But even then, it was clear that Venable has a strong culture of camaraderie and a genuine commitment to investing in their lawyers and helping them to succeed, so we were eager to join. It was also clear that the Chicago office would be built thoughtfully. From the start, there was a shared commitment to building something excellent. That was part of the appeal for me. We weren't trying to grow as quickly as we could for the sake of saying we were big. We were trying to build the kind of office where people think, "That's where the best of the best go."
Q: Six years in, how do you think the move to Venable has helped your practice?
Heidi: When we moved our practice to Venable, many of our clients were genuinely happy for us. They knew Venable's reputation and loved that we were joining such a strong firm-they realized that the move would be good for them as well. The firm has a broad range of practices and really wonderful lawyers who are generous with their time and expertise, and that benefits our clients tremendously.
Q: Erin, you joined the Chicago office about two years after Heidi. What appealed to you about Venable's Chicago office?
Erin: I was attracted to Venable because it has a long history of product liability litigation and a very deep bench of product liability lawyers. The firm's regulatory strength was also a major draw for me, especially because my practice often involves regulated products and agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Venable's depth in adjacent areas, including FDA-related work, made it an especially strong fit.
The Chicago office was exciting for a different reason. It was a young, growing office, and I saw an opportunity to help shape its future. That was very appealing to me at this stage in my career.
Q: That sense of intentional growth seems important to both of you. How would you describe the Chicago office today?
Heidi: Smart, scrappy, no BS. That is honestly the personality of the Chicago office! What I love is that we have outstanding lawyers who are also good colleagues. We have been able to attract some of the top practitioners in their respective fields, and we truly have fun together. At the same time, there is a real culture of mutual support and respect here. People want the office to succeed, but they also want one another to succeed, and that makes a difference. It is also important to me that, at Venable, there is a real sense that the offices are on an equal footing. That creates opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and growth across the firm, and it has allowed us to custom-build our Chicago office while still feeling fully connected to the broader platform.
Erin: I agree with all of that. The growth has been strategic and very much by design. We want to be a full-service office, and that means adding lawyers who complement the practices that are already here and who can serve the Chicago and Midwest markets comprehensively. But it's not just about practice fit, it's also about culture. We are looking for excellent lawyers who are committed to the community and committed to the firm and are genuinely good people. That combination is a big part of what makes the office special.
Q: Looking ahead, what do you see for the future of the Chicago office?
Erin: I think the goal is continued thoughtful growth. We already have a broad-based group of lawyers across litigation, product law, construction, trusts and estates, wealth planning, corporate transactions, and other areas, and we are continuing to expand. The vision is to keep building a truly full-service office that can meet clients' needs in Chicago and beyond.
Heidi: I agree-continued growth using the same strategy that got us here: a carefully curated office built around top-notch practitioners. We'd like to continue expanding in the areas where we have existing strength, but more broadly we are always interested in outstanding lawyers. The office has a strong identity already, and I think the future is about building on that momentum without losing what makes it work.
Q: Finally, you've both been named Notable Women in Law in Chicago. What does this Crain's recognition mean to you?
Erin: The Chicago legal market is incredibly dynamic and full of thought leaders and lawyers who are truly at the top of their game, so it is a real honor to be recognized on this list. I went to law school in Chicago, many of my friends are lawyers here, and Crain's is really a leading publication in the business community, so the recognition is both meaningful and exciting to me personally. It is also especially meaningful to be recognized alongside Heidi.
Heidi: What makes it especially gratifying is being recognized in connection with this office and this moment in its growth. We have been intentional about establishing something excellent here, and it is rewarding to see that reflected in this kind of recognition. And I think Erin would probably agree with me that this recognition reflects not only our individual practices, but also the strength of the platform, the office, and the people we get to work with every day.
Learn more about Erin's and Heidi's practices and Venable Chicago.