Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame: Ice Miller’s LaTonya Ellis

Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts new members in its Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. We also run profiles of these new inductees on our site. Today, we look at the busy career of LaTonya Ellis, practice group director with the Chicago office of Ice Miller.

LaTonya Ellis serves as a practice group director in Ice Miller’s Real Estate and Municipal Finance Practice Groups. She is responsible for overseeing aspects of the strategic growth, diversity and inclusion priorities and day-to-day business operations for the groups.

“Incorporating this distinct tier of leadership in a law firm’s structure is extremely forward-thinking. Practice groups have become the driving element for strategy development and implementation. The practice of law is a different animal,” Ellis said recently.

“It is essential to get the best leaders installed in the right roles to move the needle on profitability, diversity and inclusion, competitive brand building and most importantly, recruiting and maintaining the best talent. As a leader, it’s necessary to understand the practice at every vantage point, only then will you be able to drive change.”

Ellis works closely with firm leadership to design and implement strategic plans and develop innovative approaches to business operations and development to help execute the groups’ business plans. She also is responsible for implementation of synergies, efficiencies and best practices across the practice groups.

Prior to joining Ice Miller, Ellis served in leadership roles as a real estate attorney at two law firms. She oversaw operations for real estate and labor and employment transactions, developed legal compliance standards, pursued opportunities for growth and coordinated strategic planning. In addition, she maintained a legal practice in which she regularly drafted wireless carrier leasing and purchase agreements, reviewed title and environmental due diligence for real estate transactions and represented landlords and tenants in a wide variety of leasing and management matters.

As a former real estate client, Ellis understands the challenges and expectations of Ice Miller’s clients. She uses her unique experiences to drive growth and to ensure they always receive the highest and best service.

Ellis is Six Sigma Black Belt certified and licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois.