Over the course of more than three decades, attorney Barbara Dunn has built her career as a trusted legal and business advisor to her clients. Her guiding principles are simple:
Collaborate with clients to maximize their return and to minimize their risk.
Negotiate contracts alongside clients to provide practical solutions to overcome common obstacles.
Innovate the way her clients do business and set them on the path to success. common obstacles.
Barbara is nationally known for her practice in the meetings and hospitality industry where she exclusively represents nonprofit and for profit organizations that conduct, sponsor, or host meetings, conferences, trade shows, and special events.
Her practical, no-nonsense approach makes her an effective advocate for her clients.
Barbara has also been fortunate to work with many nonprofit organizations as they start operations, pursue federal tax exemptions, develop governing documents, train board members, and build their operations.
Her depth of knowledge in these areas places her in a unique position to guide those organizations toward adopting best practices, successful strategic plans, and powerful member engagement.
While at the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Barbara was elected as a capital partner and proudly served as Co-Chair of the firm’s Associations & Foundations Practice Group.
Barbara started her legal career with the law firm of Howe & Hutton Ltd., initially as a law clerk during law school and thereafter as an associate and finally a partner. Now, as the owner and principal of her own firm, Barbara can customize her practice to fit each client’s unique needs.
Barbara is a frequent speaker for organizations in both the meetings industry and in the association/nonprofit community. She is co-founder of the Legalease with the Ladies® webinar series and serves as a legal columnist in several publications including Meeting Mentor.
Barbara has been recognized by her peers who selected her to serve as President of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys (2016-2018) and Chair of the American Society of Association Executives Legal Section Council (2005-2006).
Barbara is a proud alum of the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School. She is admitted to practice law in Illinois, Missouri and the District of Columbia.