People: Ellen E. McLaughlin, Partner

Ellen E. McLaughlin

Partner

Chicago
Direct: (312) 460-5887
Fax: (312) 460-7887
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Biography

Ms. McLaughlin is a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP and former past national Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Department.  She is engaged in a broad-based employment and labor relations law practice, specializing in federal and state court and administrative agency employment litigation.  Ms. McLaughlin also has an extensive advice and counseling practice that focuses on avoiding litigation. She regularly consults with employers to implement nationwide practices and systems which are both legally compliant and which meet an employer’s business needs. 

Ms. McLaughlin is a frequent lecturer on a wide variety of employment and labor law topics.  Ms. McLaughlin has served as a guest lecturer for the American Bar Association, National Employment Law Institute, Society for Human Resource Management, Corporate Counsel Institute, American Arbitration Association, American Hospital Association, Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, Illinois State Bar Association,  Retail Industry Leaders Association, American Hospitality & Lodging Association, and Metropolitan Chicago Health Care Council.  She has written extensively on employment issues and co-authored “A Client’s Guide to the ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation,” The Journal of the American Corporate Counsel Association as well as “Training Becomes Important Step to Avoid Liability,” The National Law Journal.  She also co authored  the “The Family and Medical Leave Act” and “Employee Selection Procedures” chapters in Federal Employment Laws and Regulations and Employment Discrimination — How to Comply, both R.A. Apland publications.  She also authored “Physicians and the ADA: Examining Current Policies,” Medical Staff Leader, “Status of Staff Physicians Uncertain under the ADA,” Quality Management Update, and “Physicians and the ADA,” Hospitals Magazine.  She is a member of the American Bar Association, Labor and Employment and Litigation Sections and the Chicago Bar Association.

She co-authored comments to the EEOC’s proposed regulations for the ADA as well as the ADA Amendments Act, and comments to the DOL’s proposed regulations for the FMLA on behalf of national employer coalitions.  In June 2011, she was one of two management attorneys in the country invited by the EEOC to testify at a public hearing on the issue of leave as a reasonable accommodation.  She speaks on a national basis on leave issues and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost ADA and FMLA experts.

Ms. McLaughlin is a partner in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP and former past national Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Department.  She is engaged in a broad-based employment and labor relations law practice, specializing in federal and state court and administrative agency employment litigation.  Ms. McLaughlin also has an extensive advice and counseling practice that focuses on avoiding litigation. She regularly consults with employers to implement nationwide practices and systems which are both legally compliant and which meet an employer’s business needs. 

Ms. McLaughlin is a frequent lecturer on a wide variety of employment and labor law topics.  Ms. McLaughlin has served as a guest lecturer for the American Bar Association, National Employment Law Institute, Society for Human Resource Management, Corporate Counsel Institute, American Arbitration Association, American Hospital Association, Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, Illinois State Bar Association,  Retail Industry Leaders Association, American Hospitality & Lodging Association, and Metropolitan Chicago Health Care Council.  She has written extensively on employment issues and co-authored “A Client’s Guide to the ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation,” The Journal of the American Corporate Counsel Association as well as “Training Becomes Important Step to Avoid Liability,” The National Law Journal.  She also co authored  the “The Family and Medical Leave Act” and “Employee Selection Procedures” chapters in Federal Employment Laws and Regulations and Employment Discrimination — How to Comply, both R.A. Apland publications.  She also authored “Physicians and the ADA: Examining Current Policies,” Medical Staff Leader, “Status of Staff Physicians Uncertain under the ADA,” Quality Management Update, and “Physicians and the ADA,” Hospitals Magazine.  She is a member of the American Bar Association, Labor and Employment and Litigation Sections and the Chicago Bar Association.

She co-authored comments to the EEOC’s proposed regulations for the ADA as well as the ADA Amendments Act, and comments to the DOL’s proposed regulations for the FMLA on behalf of national employer coalitions.  In June 2011, she was one of two management attorneys in the country invited by the EEOC to testify at a public hearing on the issue of leave as a reasonable accommodation.  She speaks on a national basis on leave issues and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost ADA and FMLA experts.

Education

  • J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School (1981)
  • B.A., University of Notre Dame (1978)
    cum laude

Admissions

  • Illinois

Courts

  • Trial Bar, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Circuits

Affiliations

  • American and Chicago Bar Associations (Labor and Employment Section)
  • National Employment Law Institute (Advisory Board)
  • American Arbitration Association Employment Law Advisory Board
  • Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law Firms, Board Member
  • Anti-Defamation League Women of Achievement Committee
  • Editorial Board, Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Guide, Thompson Publishing
  • Editorial Board, The Leave & Disability Coordination Handbook, Thompson Publishing
    Chambers USA Rated Attorney

Representative Engagements

  • Peter Broccolo v. Deutsche Bank Holdings of America, (N.D. Illinois 2009) (Bench trial defense verdict in breach of contract action involving payout under a deferred compensation plan)
  • Ken Smith v. Hilton Hotels Corporation, (Illinois Circuit Court 2009) (jury trial defense verdict on 2 of 3 counts for intentional infliction of emotional distress and fraudulent misrepresentation)
  • Squibb v. MemorialMedicalCenter, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 19449 (7th Cir.. Ill 2007) (complete dismissal of various ADA and retaliatory discharge claims with court finding plaintiff was not disabled)
  • Guirdinella et al. v. Regis Corporation, Case No. 04C0710 (N.D. Ill. 2005) (summary judgment in national origin discrimination and harassment case)
  • Lermo v. Palmer House Hilton, ALS No. 9156 (Ill. Hum. Rts. Com. 2004) (directed finding in favor of hotel in national origin discrimination)
  • Luks v. Baxter Healthcare, Case No. 04-2958 (N.D. Ill 2004) (summary judgment granted in age discrimination case)
  • O’Donnell v. Town & Country Homes, Case No. 03C2815 (N.D. Ill. 2004) (summary judgment in case alleging sexual harassment and retaliation)
  • Beaver v. MemorialMedicalCenter, (Ill. Hum. Rts. Comm. 2004) (affirmed agency decision relating to failure to accommodation claim)
  • Stevenson v. Carle Clinic Association, Case No. 01-2232 (C.D. Ill. 2003) (summary judgment granted in race discrimination case)
  • Myart v. Doubletree Hotels Corp., Case No. 01-CV-4083, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 720 (N.D. Ill 2002) (summary judgment in retaliation case and also upholding effectiveness of sexual harassment investigation)
  • Valdes v. BroMenn Healthcare, Case No. 98 C 1299, (C.D. Ill. 1999) (summary judgment obtained in FMLA case)
  • EEOC v. Regis Corporation, Case No. 99 C 8270 (N.D. Ill. 2001) (Partial summary judgment granted in English-only pattern and practice case)
  • Marshall v. American Hospital Association, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 24684 (7th Cir. 1998) (summary judgment obtained in pregnancy discrimination case, affirmed on appeal)
  • Ferback, et. al. v. EMH Regional Medical Center, Case No. 95 CV 113745 (Ohio State Court) (class certification denied in hostile work environment case)
  • Staudt v. Glastron, Inc., 92 F.3d 312 (5th Cir. 1996) (class action WARN case; statute of limitations issues)
  • Muenchow v. Parker Pen Company, Case No. 84 C 966C, (W.D. Wisc. 1987) (successful defense of 41 plaintiff ERISA severance pay case in bench trial)
  • Goldman v. Walgreen Company, Case No. 88 L 11096 (Circuit Court Cook County, 1991) (directed finding at close of plaintiff’s retaliatory discharge/breach of public policy case)
  • Altman v. AT & T Technologies, 55 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1739 (N.D. Ill. 1987), aff’d, 870 F.2d 386, (7th Cir. 1989) (obtained summary judgment in class action disparate impact sex discrimination suit, affirmed on appeal)
  • Sikich v. Playboy Enterprises, Inc., 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18538 (N.D. Ill. 1992) (obtained summary judgment in ADEA reduction in force case)
  • Nutall and Hudson v. Ruzic (N.D. Ill.) (bench decision in Fair Housing Act case)
  • Craddock v. Zeigler Coal Company (Circuit Court Illinois) (jury verdict in breach of oral contract case)

Publications

  • "Training Becomes Important Step to Avoid Liability," The National Law Journal (January 29, 2001)
  • “A Client’s Guide to the ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation,” The Journal of the American Corporate Counsel Association
  • “The Family and Medical Leave Act” chapter in Federal Employment Laws and Regulations and Employment Discrimination — How to Comply, an R.A. Apland publication
  • “Employee Selection Procedures” chapter in Federal Employment Laws and Regulations and Employment Discrimination — How to Comply, an R.A. Apland publication

Recognitions

  • Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
  • Chambers USA Rated Attorney (2006-2011)
  • Legal 500, Special Mention for Employment Law Counseling
  • Leading Lawyers Illinois (top 5%)
  • Top 50 Women Lawyers in Illinois (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)