With decades of experience breaking barriers in the legal profession, Laurel Bellows has become the go-to advisor for corporate leaders facing pivotal career moments.
As Founder and Managing Principal of The Bellows Law Group, P.C., Laurel has earned an international reputation for her incisive negotiation skills and unwavering advocacy on behalf of senior executives at critical career junctures.
The Bellows approach: beyond the bottom line
The Bellows Law Group views executive transitions through a wide-angle lens. “We’re not just negotiating numbers,” Laurel explains. “We’re architecting futures.”
Laurel’s practice spans the intricate landscape of employment agreements, separation packages, and complex compensation structures. “It’s not only about salary, title or financial outcome”, Laurel emphasises. “We’re looking for equity participation, reputation protection, and long-term security.”
The Bellows Law Group excels at anticipating challenges before they arise, ensuring that clients are always a step ahead. This comprehensive approach has earned Laurel and her firm the role of trusted advisors for executives across industries, particularly during complex scenarios, such as mergers and acquisitions, involving the competing interests of executives, management, and investors.
“Our goal is simple,” Laurel states, “executives should call us the instant they face a career-defining moment, whether it’s an unexpected offer or a looming separation.”
“When clients come to us before their crisis hits the front page, we can save reputations and obtain a favourable financial result.”
Whether advising a CEO on an unanticipated job offer or helping an executive plan a graceful exit, Laurel’s hands-on approach ensures her clients are prepared for every possibility.
Shaping the future for senior executives globally
For Laurel, negotiating employment agreements, separation benefits, or compensation, is about more than securing favourable financial outcomes. The firm’s holistic approach considers the immediate legal implications of agreements and the long-term trajectory of an executive’s career. This comprehensive perspective makes the Bellows Law Group the firm of choice for discerning executives worldwide.
“We don’t just negotiate deals,” Laurel emphasises. “We shape careers.”
“It’s never just about salary or title – executives in transition need to understand the full scope of their agreements, and we work closely to develop approaches that anticipate every possible outcome,” she continues.
Laurel’s success lies not only in her legal expertise but also in her ability to manage the emotional complexities of these situations. “These negotiations are emotionally charged—whether from fear, anger, excitement, or uncertainty. My job is to ensure clients remain capable of making cogent decisions amid chaos.”
A career forged in adversity
Laurel’s journey to becoming a powerhouse in executive compensation law is a testament to her resilience and innovative thinking. Breaking into the legal profession when women were rarely seen in prominent roles, Laurel was determined to carve out her space.
Laurel wanted to be a trial lawyer at a time when women were being hired to practice probate law for dead people or bankruptcy law for dying corporations.
“The image of a trial lawyer back then was a tall white man in a tailored suit with silver hair,” she recalls.
A pivotal moment came with a serendipitous call from her law school about a lawyer seeking to hire a woman to try cases. Sceptical but intrigued, she met with him.
“Why a woman?” Laurel asked. The lawyer explained that, while a litigation firm would not hire a woman and no clients would send Laurel business, he believed that a woman could build an instant rapport with a jury (it took decades for brain research to validate his belief).
Her journey began in women’s court (prostitution and petty theft) to develop her ability to read people and the room and to think on her feet under pressure.
Simultaneously, Laurel was introduced to the world of high-stakes commodities and securities law, working with her soon to be partner in law and life, Joel Bellows, while he assisted Congress to draft the Commodities Futures Trading Act – an area that would later become a significant part of her career.
These early experiences equipped her with the resilience, confidence, and legal acuity needed to trust her gut instincts which would later benefit top-level executives making critical career decisions.
Driving systemic change
Laurel’s influence extends beyond individual clients. As President of the nearly 400,000 member American Bar Association (ABA), she spearheaded the initiative to combat human trafficking in the United States, a cause she continues to champion.
“Few people understood that human trafficking and forced labour was a daily occurrence within the U.S.,” Laurel recalls.
Under her leadership, the ABA mobilised efforts to rewrite state and national laws, shine a light on the supply chain protocols of U.S. global corporations, and train every judge, prosecutor, and public defender, plus federal and local law enforcement, to enable an orchestrated response to this $200 billion criminal enterprise on the streets of their hometowns.
Through corporate General Counsels, the ABA developed protocols to train airline and hotel staff in a comprehensive national attack to minimise the horror of modern-day slavery.
A legacy of excellence
Laurel’s contributions have earned her numerous accolades.
She was honoured to serve on the Global Citizenship Commission, chaired by Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, reporting directly to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The Commission’s task was to review and comment on the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights on its 60th Anniversary. During this two-year project, Laurel worked closely with world leaders to address some of the thorniest human rights issues confronting our world.
Other accolades include receipt of the first Lexis Rule of Law Award alongside Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, Mary Robinson, past president of Ireland. Laurel receives acknowledgments by Crain’s Chicago Business on theirannual list of Power Players; The ATHENA International honoured Laurel with the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award presented to exemplary leaders. Laurel received the ABA Commission on Women Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award and the Visionary Award from Vision 2020 for her efforts to combat gender inequity and human trafficking.
Laurel remains focused on her passion: negotiation. She is renowned for her ability to navigate high-stakes negotiations with precision, foresight and a smile.
“Negotiation is an art… a skill I always enjoy sharing,” she says. “The most rewarding part of our work is empowering others to advocate for themselves …that’s what drives me.”
Beyond her legal career, Laurel has a passion for causes that overlap with her professional life. Her advocacy for democracy, gender equality, and human rights is more than just a professional commitment – it’s a personal one: “Democracy is fragile. I am deeply passionate about actively protecting freedom which is under siege around the world.”
Global reach through IR Global
Laurel’s niche lies in guiding executives through critical transitions. Because of the intermittent nature of her clients’ needs, referrals are the lifeblood of her business. “When clients successfully negotiate a new offer or separation, they are off on a new adventure until their next opportunity arises. Maintaining a strong referral network through IR Global is essential.”
Given the increasingly international nature of executive careers, “the beauty of our IR Global network,” Laurel says, “is the ability to provide our clients with top-tier legal support wherever they are relocated.”
Lasting impact
For executives navigating complex career transitions, Laurel Bellows and The Bellows Law Group continue to be the guiding light, turning potential pitfalls into stepping stones for future success.
As Laurel looks to the future, her passion for negotiation and advocacy remains unwavering. “The legal landscape is always evolving, and so are we,” she says.
“At The Bellows Law Group, we’re not just keeping pace with change – we’re leading it.”