When Lathrop GPM announced Monique Jewett-Brewster would head its financial services practice, she became the first African American practice group leader for the firm.

The longtime bankruptcy lawyer held a similar practice leadership position at Hopkins & Carley before it completed a merger with her current firm last year. She has more than two decades of experience advising creditors in “every aspect of insolvency law, including workouts, restructuring and enforcement of commercial loans and business bankruptcy cases nationwide,” Lathrop GPM said.