40 Under Forty 2021

2021

ERIN WRIGHT LOTHSON

Erin is a change-maker, leader and enabler of others to reach their potential.”

C utting edge. That’s the best way to describe the legal career that Erin Wright Lothson has built. During her ca- reer, she has provided legal counsel to some of the fastest-growing companies in the country. That is the case today, too, as she serves full-time as senior counsel to Uber. Lothson is working to scale the Uber Freight business division, whose glob- al headquarters are in Chicago. At Uber, Lothson is a legal generalist whose team manages all legal aspects for Uber Freight, which includes commercial contract- ing, business development deals, privacy counseling and compliance, product re- view and counseling, and operational and regulatory support as well as working with subject-matter experts on IP and litigation matters, among others. In addition to her role within Uber Freight, Lothson also contributes to the Uber legal team by serving as co-chair of the Product Counsels’ Professional Skills & Development Committee where she is responsible for planning internal legal training sessions which have included topics such as conflict management, in- terview training, and legal writing. Lauren Schwartz, general counsel and corporate secretary for Chicago’s clever- bridge, said that it’s not surprising that Uber made Lothson the first product lawyer it hired in Chicago. “Erin is an ex- pert in her field,” Schwartz said. “She is one of only a handful of product lawyers in Chicago, and has been and will contin- ue to be instrumental in the technology

growth we’ve seen in the last decade within the city.” Before moving to Uber in 2019, Lothson gained valuable experience in tech during her time at Groupon. Lothson worked at Groupon during the height of its business expansion and innovation; during her time there, the company operated in 48 coun- tries around the globe and boasted more than 48 million active customers. Grou- pon’s fast-paced environment and focus on growth enabled Lothson to develop a breadth of skills that have positioned her well at Uber. At Groupon, Lothson’s role evolved over time and included managing the global trademark and copyright port- folios and IP review for all television, on- line and print marketing for North Ameri- ca. Lothson also managed and oversaw all pre-litigation dispute handling as well as the commercial legal work for Groupon’s operations in India. In addition to her dynamic practice, Lothson is also focused on serving the Chicago legal community as the 137th President of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, the first IP bar as- sociation in the country. “Erin is a change-maker, leader and en- abler of others to reach their potential,” said Tiffany Gehrke, partner with Chi- cago’s Marshall, Gerstein & Borun. “She is relentless in her pursuit of helping to make the legal profession a better, more inclusive and diverse field. And on top of all that, Erin is a brilliant and well-respect- ed attorney.

COMPANY Uber Technologies, Inc.

LAW SCHOOL The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

AREA OF PRACTICE Technologies

40 Under Forty 2021 CHICAGO LAWYER & CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN