Sam Mendenhall, a 1991 graduate of the College of Law and partner at Winston & Strawn, has been named to the inaugural Crain's Chicago Business list of 2017 Most Influential Minority Lawyers. 

Sam Mendenhall represents Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies in antitrust litigation, class actions defense, and complex commercial litigation. Over the past 18 months, Mendenhall has built on his legacy of precedent-setting legal work, successful pro bono representations, and giving back to the Winston & Strawn and greater Chicago communities.

Significant cases include representing the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team in its fight for equal pay; a young man wrongfully arrested for armed robbery who was facing a mandatory minimum of 21 years, a case that resulted in the State's Attorney's office implementing a significant change in their arrest policy; a major automobile manufacturer in a class action alleging it and other automobile manufacturers conspired with the Japanese government to commit various war crimes during World War II; and one of the world's largest oil companies in a major piece of litigation arising from an explosion on the Chicago River.

He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Leadership Greater Chicago, an ordained minister and pastor at Grant Memorial AME Church, and a board member at Just The Beginning Foundation.