Avvanti D. Bakane

Avanti Bakane is a commercial litigation partner at Gordon, Rees, Scully, Mansukhani LLP with a focus on consumer and class action defense. As a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and co-chair of the firm’s Cyber, Privacy & Data Security group, Avanti’s practice consists of representing businesses and creative professionals in software and e-commerce development, data privacy, data loss, licensing, and copyright infringement disputes.

Avanti also represents clients in the cannabis space. A member of the California and Illinois bars, Avanti represents clients in state and federal courts across the country.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and raised in several continents, Avanti has a global perspective that allows for understanding diverse viewpoints and the value of her clients’ time. After completing her undergraduate degree at University of California, Santa Barbara, Avanti returned to Chicago to attend DePaul University College of Law. During law school, Avanti served as an extern to Judge Irwin J. Solganick of the Cook County Circuit Court Law Division. She also worked as a research assistant to DePaul Professors Steven H. Resnicoff and Song Richardson. Avanti was a member of DePaul’s International Moot Court team.

Serving as co-chair of the firm’s South Asian Affinity Group and member of its Diversity Committee, Avanti dedicates her time outside of the office to the community. She serves as an Advisory Board member for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), Co-Chair of the Outreach & Inclusion Committee for the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law, Chicago chapter and is a member of Leading India’s Future Today’s (LIFT) Board of Governors. Avanti is a past President of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago, past Honorary Board Member for the Asian American Bar Association of Chicago (AABA), and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth, end gender violence, and find homes for rescue dogs.

Avanti’s dedication to the law and her community have not gone unnoticed. In 2020, DePaul College of Law recognized Avanti as an Outstanding Young Alumna. The year prior, Crain’s highlighted Avanti as a Notable Minority in Accounting, Consulting, and Law. The Diversity Scholarship Foundation named Avanti an Advocate for Diversity in 2017, and Leading Lawyers has recognized Avanti as an Emerging Lawyer from 2016 to 2021. In 2013, she was recognized in the Lawyers of Color’s inaugural hot issue, and was named a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers from 2014 to 2020.

Avanti is proficient in Spanish and Marathi and was a consulting academic tutor for the University of Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica, where she tutored, translated and taught Spanish for International University students learning the language.

Avanti’s life partner is Jonathon Drews, a securities litigation lawyer at Ulmer & Berne P.C. The two enjoy travel, food, and great company, all of which Avanti blogs about in their travel blog.