Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Washington DC, United States > Firm Profile

Seyfarth Shaw LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Labor and employment > Immigration Tier 1

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 1

The ‘versatile and knowledgeable’ team at Seyfarth Shaw LLP demonstrates capabilities in a range of contentious employment mandates including class action defense, bet-the-company litigation, wage and hour cases, and discrimination and harassment litigation. The team acts for clients in the insurance, aerospace, retail, and financial services segments. San Francisco-based Laura Maechtlen in San Francisco heads up the practice and specializes in large-scale class actions alleging systemic violations of federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Over in Chicago, key contacts include ‘exceptional partner’ and complex litigation practice co-chair Camille Olson; and Noah Finkel, who is well-versed in state wage-and-hour law mandates. Atlanta-based Annette Idalski, lauded as a ‘staunch advocate for her client’, handles wage and hour lawsuits. Recent arrivals include Sul Kim, who arrived at the Atlanta office in June 2023 from Akerman LLP, and Clifford Sethness, who joined the Los Angeles office in November 2023 from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Gary Friedman also joined the New York office from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in February 2024.

Labor and employment > Labor-management relations Tier 1

Glenn Smith, Molly Gabel and Karla Sanchez head up Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s team and are split between New York, Seattle and Chicago respectively. The group as a whole utilizes a ‘strong overall labor strategy‘ and a nationwide presence to handle unfair labor practice charges and representation proceedings in front of the National Labor Relations Board regularly. More broadly, the group tackles complex labor arbitrations, negotiations relating to collective bargaining, unfair labor practice charges, representation, and union organizing campaigns. This strategy is embodied by Arthur Telegen in Boston, a notable practitioner in the team who ‘is a leader in labor strategy and execution and is remarkably smart and practical.’ Sanchez is a dedicated labor lawyer with a strong focus on traditional labor law matters, and Brian Stolzenbach, who operates out of the firm’s Chicago office, is a ‘highly trusted go-to lawyer on complex labor matters‘. Bryan O’Keefe is key for the group's traditional labor law matters.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 1

Seyfarth Shaw LLP, which is headquartered in Chicago, offers a wide range of services for large international corporations, from investigations to helping clients implement diversity and inclusion strategies, and has significant experience with regards to federal legislative and regulatory policy issues. David Baffa, located in Chicago, leads the workplace counseling and solutions team. William Perkins, who has decades of experience advising clients on complex matters, is based in New York – he is particularly experienced in the application of leave laws and matters concerning disabled employees. Lisa Damon, based in Boston, is a well-versed litigator and counselor on matters concerning company senior executives. Operating from Washington DC, Lawrence Lorber frequently works on regulatory enforcement actions. Joshua Seidman, working from New York, has notable expertise in both mandatory paid sick and safe leave laws, as well as family medical leave laws. In Atlanta, Renate Walker is adept in handling paid leave, absence management and accommodations, and employment policy development and review. In January 2024, Gary Friedman joined the firm from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.  

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 1

Seyfarth Shaw LLP houses a team of ‘excellent advisors’, handling the full range of contentious construction matters. Michael McKeeman and Alison Ashford jointly co-chair the team from San Francisco and New York respectively, representing owners and contractors in various disputes, and stakeholders in major infrastructure projects. Founding partner Bennett Greenberg is based in Washington DC and provides long-term counsel on contractual matters and disputes for major construction corporations. Seattle-based Meghan Douris and Ashley Sherwood specialize in heavy civil infrastructure cases and represent clients in private and public construction disputes respectively. Large-scale infrastructure claims are another key area of expertise for the team. Also operating from Seattle, Ryan Dumm focuses on residential and rehabilitation construction projects, while senior associate Michael Wagner acts for owners and developers in design and risk management-related disputes from Washington DC. Jason Smith in Washington DC is a key name for complex construction disputes.

Dispute resolution > E-discovery Tier 2

Covering the full spectrum of e-discovery issues, Seyfarth Shaw LLP continues to specialize in handling contentious and non-contentious matters involving discovery and information governance. From the Chicago office, Scott Carlson and Jay Carle co-lead the department. Carlson stands out for his ability to assist clients with cybersecurity aspects, while Carle is an experienced high-stakes litigator with a technology focus. Also in Chicago, Jason Priebe brings longstanding experience in handling ESI preservation and productions, while Matthew Christoff is noted particularly for his discovery work. In San Francisco, Kathleen McConnell has a particular focus on data analytics in litigation, while Chicago-based Jaime Raba is another key member of the team.

Government > Government contracts Tier 2

Well-versed particularly in the contentious elements of government contracts, spanning complex and high-profile bid protests, claims, FCA disputes, as well as international transactions and federal contracting labor and employment compliance counseling, Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a prime choice for federal, state, and local contractors across aerospace, defense, and tech. The team has also prominently achieved success against the US in a $367m claim before the Court of Federal Claims in Anchorage v. United States. Leadership is shared between Adam Lasky in Seattle, who specializes in bid protests involving complex overseas procurement issues, and SBA regulatory compliance and transactions, and Amy Conant-Hoang in Washington DC, who has proved her mettle in recent high-value protests on behalf of Textron Systems, QinetiQ, T-Mobile, and Valor Healthcare. Rounding out the rest of the DC team are Edward Arnold, who has distinguished himself in claims and litigation, prime/sub disputes, internal investigations, and FCA matters, and Erica Bakies, who advises on regulatory compliance and national security-related issues. Former co-chair Donald Featherstun  retired in December 2023.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 2

Complex IP litigation, alleged misappropriations and breaches of contract are mainstays of the trade secrets offering at Seyfarth Shaw LLP which is well-equipped to assist its sector-spanning client portfolio, which includes significant names from the pharma, medical devices, tech and healthcare spheres in particular. Team leads are Michael Wexler who is based in Chicago, Robert Milligan who works from the Los Angeles hub and Katherine Perrelli in the Boston office. Wexler has expertise handling tech-related work including electric vehicles, medical devices and remote storage-related cases; Milligan assists multinational corporations with trade secret, non-compete and data protection work; while Perrelli has a specialism in the enforcement of restrictive covenants and NDAs. Jesse Coleman in Houston has a particular focus on related healthcare disputes, while Dawn Mertineit in Boston is an authority in litigation. Joshua Salinas is a standout associate in LA. Commercial litigation specialists Jesse Miller and Jennifer Fearnow, formerly of Reed Smith LLP, have bolstered the team in San Francisco. Notably, trade secrets specialist Gary Friedman joined the New York team from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in February 2024.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 2

With offices in California, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New York, Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s employee benefits and executive compensation team is well placed to advise on a diverse range of state and national employment legislations in industries with unique specialized employment legal requirements, such as healthcare and construction. Diane Dygert chairs the department from the Chicago office, and is well regarded for 'communicating complex issues in a clear and practical way'. In the same office, Jennifer Kraft is a strong choice for clients in the healthcare, life sciences, and pharmaceutical industries, while Benjamin Conley has strong experience in counseling clients regarding the Affordable Care Act. Also in Chicago, Jon Karelitz assists clients in implementing and administering pension and 401(k) plans. In the Seattle office, Liz Deckman drafts and implements health and welfare plans, in addition to all types of tax-qualified retirement plans and trusts. In Los Angeles, Mitchel Whitehead is particularly knowledgeable in acting for financial services clients.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 2

Seyfarth Shaw LLP is distinguished for representing major insurers, healthcare providers and financial services companies, and is currently expanding into the East Coast. Working closely with employee benefits department, the team deals with complex ERISA cases often involving 401 (k) fees class actions, putative actions and employee benefits disputes. The team is co-led by Kathleen Cahill Slaught in San Francisco, a noted specialist in high stakes ERISA litigation with an impressive client portfolio. The other co-lead is Ian Morrison, who operates from the Chicago office, and represents employers, employee benefit plans and fiduciaries across the full spectrum of litigation. Also, in the Chicago office, Ada Dolph specializes in 401(k) fee, retiree medical and “stock drop” class action litigation alongside Sam Schwartz-Fenwick, who focuses on benefits-related litigation particularly as it relates to gender equity. In New York, Amanda Genovese, who joined the firm from Troutman Pepper as a partner in 2023, defends major companies involving ERISA benefit and fiduciary claims as well as advising clients on the Mental Health Parity Act and Medicaid programs.  

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 2

The ‘business-forward and strategic‘ team at Seyfarth Shaw LLP is sought out by clients ranging from start-ups and middle-market companies to major multinational firms to advise on transactions involving specialized industries such as business services, technology and life sciences. Leadership duties are divided between Suzanne Saxman, who operates from the firm’s Chicago office and is praised for her ‘deep expertise‘ in transactions and joint ventures, and New York-based Andrew Lucano, who is noted for his ability to stay on top of trends in the market such as fraud carveouts in private target acquisition agreements. Further key contacts at the practice include the ‘exceptional attorney’ Aaron Gillett, who is based in Chicago, and Paul Pryzant, a Houston-based practitioner who excels at handling transactions involving private equity funds. In New York, Stanley Bloch has a focus on transactions involving clients from the communications sector, while Breanne Vaclavik is regularly called upon to act as outside general counsel to clients and is based in the firm’s Chicago office.

Tax > Not-for-profit (Fortune 1000 private foundations, national trade associations, and charities) Tier 2

Seyfarth Shaw LLP demonstrates expertise in the full range of challenges faced by tax-exempt organizations, advising on formation, reorganizations, and fundraising matters in addition to providing general counselling and guidance on lobbying activities. Leading the department from Los Angeles are Ofer Lion, whose tax expertise encompasses both contentious and non-contentious matters, and Douglas Mancino, who is a specialist in tax controversy, including audits, appeals, and litigation. Further key members of the team are San Francisco lawyer Arnold Brown, who has significant experience in the technology sector, and Lisa Schaures in Seattle, who covers joint ventures, corporate conversions, and M&A within the non-profit space.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3

The data security and in-house backgrounds of team members in the global privacy and security practice at Seyfarth Shaw LLP are leveraged to help clients proactively put in place incident prevention structures and build compliance programs. In Chicago, team co-head Scott Carlson boasts experience as a software engineer and advises clients on matters including compliance, incident response, and policy development. Co-head John Tomaszewski, based in Houston, has a specialism in cross-border information security matters. Bart Lazar is noted for longstanding experience in the sector, working out of Chicago with matters including reviewing the data collection practices of clients. Also in Chicago, Jason Priebe focuses on information governance and privacy compliance matters.

Real estate Tier 3

‘Friendly and accessible’, Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s broad real estate practice covers the gamut of asset types including data centers, healthcare, hospitality and hotel as well as commercial properties in retail and industrials. Household names like 7-Eleven form part of the firm’s client roster, with a wider base consisting of funds, financial institutions, banks, and REITs, among others. Paul Mattingly, located in the firm’s Atlanta office, acts as national chair of the real estate department, with managing partner of the Atlanta office, Steven L. Kennedy, taking the lead of the development practice group. Catherine Burns is a key name on investment transactions in Boston, as is Eric Greenberg on leasing. In New York, Daniel Evans is noted for his expertise on financing, loan, and restructuring work, while Robin Freeman, based in San Francisco, co-leads the national health care real estate & finance practice. New York’s Cynthia Mitchell is another key name, noted for her role as co-chair of the health care, life sciences & pharmaceuticals industry group. Alongside its transaction and finance expertise, the firm is also highly experienced on joint ventures, leasing, and private-public-partnerships, with further capabilities extending to more niche areas, evidenced through the firm’s Corporate Transparency Act Taskforce. In 2023, the firm gained partners Amy Simpson and Katie Schwarting from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner together with Neil Weisbard, formerly at Pryor Cashman LLP. That same year saw the firm open an office in Dallas.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 4

Co-led from Washington DC and Boston respectively by Thomas Locke and Joseph Orzano, and aided by litigators in other core offices in the Midwest and on the West coast, Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides a notable service to consumer product manufacturers including those within the cosmetics space, defending against product lawsuits throughout the US. The firm is adept at fending off putative class actions, including through a demonstration of lack of personal jurisdiction and through class certification denial, as well as providing advice on risk management strategies to prevent future litigation. Kristine Argentine heads up the consumer class action group from Chicago and is accomplished at defending companies across a range of consumer issues, including as it relates to the TCPA, consumer fraud and false advertising.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 4

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has a deep bench of regulatory enforcement and securities litigation partners across its New York and Boston offices, and its work encompasses the defense of individuals, companies, board committees, and financial institutions in courts across the US. The firm is particularly adept in advising companies in the technology and healthcare sectors on regulatory investigations, securities class actions, and derivative claims. William Prickett in Boston and New York partners Gregory Markel and Vincent Sama are the co-chairs of the securities and fiduciary duty litigation practice. Markel’s work includes the defense of directors of a bankrupt tech company in Silicon Valley in two 10b5 cases concerning alleged misrepresentations and omissions concerning its prospects. Co-chair of the firm’s national whistleblower team Christopher Robertson is also called up on in high-stakes matters.

Industry focus > Cannabis Tier 4

The core strengths of Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s practice lie in assisting clients with corporate transactions, equity and debt financings, and tax, real estate, and labor and employment mandates relating to the cannabis sector. Washington DC-based Stanley Jutkowitz leads the department and has focused his practice on tax counseling, corporate transactions, and cannabis risk assessments.

Real estate > Real estate finance Tier 4

Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s real estate finance practice spans the US, assisting lenders with the full gamut of transactions including construction financings, portfolio loans, capital market loans, and mezzanine loans. The team is also well-equipped to handle distressed real estate matters such as workouts, foreclosures, and bankruptcy. Recently the practice has expanded its reach and has started assisting with issues in California as well as focusing on infrastructure investment, construction, data centers, and healthcare. Daniel Evans and Jay Wardlaw jointly lead the team from New York and Atlanta. Evans centers his practice on structuring and closing mortgage and mezzanine loan transactions, while Wardlaw specializes in cross-country permanent mortgage, bridge, and construction loans. As a part of the health care real estate and finance team, San Francisco-based Robin Freeman is key to lending transactions in the healthcare space as well as concentrating on West Coast transactions. For distressed real estate issues Arren Goldman in Charlotte is the go-to. Also in Charlotte Katie Schwarting and Dallas-based Amy Simpson have expanded the team’s real estate finance expertise, both joining from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in 2023.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 5

Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s strengths lie in institutional investor representation, where they serve as fund counsel to government plans, universities, ERISA plans and private pension funds. The team is jointly led by Robert Bodansky in Washington DC, who is an expert in investment transactions for public and private pension funds and Steven Richman in Atlanta, who advises pension funds, endowments and family offices on their pooled investments, including in private equity and real estate. Michael Jordan and Evan Sarosi are among the names to note in Chicago, who both cover a wide range of investment strategies for the firms client base. Trevor Tullius in Washington DC is well versed in comingled funds and has experience working on emerging markets.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 6

Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s transactional tax practice specializes in real estate sector matters, including real estate capital markets transactions. The team assists clients with a wide variety of real estate-related assets and interests, including shopping centers, REITs, REMICs, and partnerships/LLCs. Steven Meier in Chicago has considerable experience handling real estate and alternative investments such as Qualified Opportunity Funds and REITs. He leads the team alongside New York’s John Napoli, who advises financial institutions, investors, limited liability companies, and subchapter S-corporations, among others. Rotem Bar-Kokhva in New York has experience handling like-kind exchanges, recapitalizations, and workouts in the real estate space. Ofer Lion in Los Angeles represents nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations.