Seyfarth Shaw Again Ranks as National Leader in 2010 Chambers USA

Clients tell Chambers that Seyfarth is “Extremely customer-focused, with knowledgeable lawyers in virtually every area; most importantly, they understand how to partner with their clients and deliver results.”

Chicago, IL (June 14, 2010)—Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of America’s leading full-service law firms, is regarded as among the best law firms in multiple practice areas nationally and in regional markets in the 2010 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, and 41 of the firm’s attorneys were also individually ranked as leaders in their field.

The firm ranked second in the country in Labor & Employment and Retail, and its ERISA Litigation and Construction Practice Groups each earned third-band rankings in the nation. Practice groups in Seyfarth Shaw’s regional offices also earned impressive rankings. The Labor & Employment groups in Chicago and Boston landed in first place in Illinois and Massachusetts, respectively. Further, the Chicago office’s Employee Benefits and Compensation practice ranked second in Illinois. Similarly, the Construction Practice Group in Washington, D.C. earned a second-band ranking, as did the Immigration Practice Group in the firm’s California offices. The Labor & Employment practice in California was also ranked Band 2. Band 3 honors were earned by the firm’s Environmental attorneys and the Real Estate Practice Group in the Chicago office for Illinois; Atlanta’s Immigration, Labor & Employment and Real Estate Practice Groups for Georgia; and New York and Washington, D.C.’s Labor & Employment practices.

Forty-one of Seyfarth Shaw’s attorneys throughout the nation were singled out as leaders in their field of law. In California, seven attorneys were recognized (Labor & Employment and Immigration); Georgia had eight (Construction, Immigration, Labor & Employment, Litigation and Real Estate); the firm’s Chicago office saw 14 attorneys make the list (Employee Benefits & Compensation, Environment, Labor & Employment and Real Estate); Chambers ranked four attorneys in the Boston, Massachusetts office (Labor & Employment and Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation); three attorneys in the New York office were ranked (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate); and the firm’s Washington, D.C. office is home to five of the firm’s attorneys ranked by Chambers (Construction, Labor & Employment and Real Estate).

Practice Group Rankings

#2 National Ranking in Labor & Employment
Clients told Chambers, “Its lawyers work hand in hand with their clients, offering a seamless service across the country.” According to the guide, “This firm is headquartered in Chicago and is particularly strong in the Midwest; however, its substantial network of offices from coast to coast ensures that it maintains a strong national reputation as well…. The team comprises more than 325 specialists, who cover everything from single plaintiff to class action litigation. It is particularly well-regarded in the wage and hour arena, in addition to having a substantial labor law group of 50 dedicated attorneys.”
 
#2 National Ranking in Retail
Chambers observed, “This firm currently represents more than 300 domestic and international retailers, including department, grocery, drug, convenience and luxury brand stores, nationwide chains and membership warehouses. The team excels in retail-related labor and employment matters and also advises on real estate, commercial litigation, products liability and IP issues for retailers. The group is increasingly taking on work with an international element. Recently, this has included successfully settling a dispute for Talbots with one of its Hong Kong-based vendors relating to the schedule for and completion of millions of dollars of purchase orders for the manufacture of a clothing inventory.”

#3 National Ranking in Construction
Sources told Chambers, “This firm's spread of offices throughout the USA is extremely advantageous for clients; it has great resources and goes above and beyond the call of duty for its clients.” The guide noted, “This group combines contentious and non-contentious expertise, offering clients an impressive depth of representation. It covers contracts, teaming agreements, project management and a range of disputes. It also regularly assists clients with infrastructure projects on a global basis, and PPP work is a forte. The group's client base includes contractors, owners, architects, engineers and a variety of design professionals.”

#3 National Ranking in ERISA Litigation
Sources told Chambers, “[Seyfarth Shaw is] playing an increasingly prominent role in major matters and winning a lot of work. This is definitely a firm to keep an eye on.” According to Chambers, “The group handles a high volume of cases and has particular expertise in representing clients in 401(k) expenses litigation…. The team also handles stock drop cases and matters relating to breach of fiduciary duty.”

#1 in Labor & Employment in Illinois
Clients told Chambers, “I have never had a problem that they can’t handle,” and that the firm is “Extremely customer-focused, with knowledgeable lawyers in virtually every area; most importantly, they understand how to partner with their clients and deliver results. They provide sound legal judgment that allows your business to achieve its goals.”

#1 in Labor & Employment in Massachusetts
Sources told the guide that “The team combines superior lawyering skills with efficiency and cost-consciousness.” Chambers elaborated, saying, “This impressive practice is substantially focused on defending wage and hour cases, and also handles sex, race and age discrimination and harassment claims. The team successfully represented Staples in a wrongful termination case; other clients include Abbott Laboratories, Kelly Services and TJX Companies.”

#2 in Construction in Washington, D.C.
Chambers interviewees commented that “The group has an impressive number of extremely smart and talented experts.” According to the guide, “This firm is well known nationally, and the Washington, D.C. office is a vital contributing factor to this profile. The group has expertise across the entire range of construction and government contracts law, including litigation and related real estate issues. Sources highlight the team’s impressive roster of clients, which includes the likes of Turner Construction, Black & Veatch and Skanska USA Building.”

#2 in Immigration in California
Interviewees praised Seyfarth Shaw, saying, “The firm is prominent in immigration law and has some excellent attorneys who really invest in their clients.”
 
#2 in Labor & Employment in California
Sources told Chambers, “Seyfarth Shaw is one of the preeminent employment litigation firms; its lawyers are knowledgeable and client-oriented.” The guide elaborated that “Seyfarth Shaw's 135-strong California team covers the full range of labor and employment matters, including counseling and litigation in areas such as wage and hour class actions, discrimination, harassment and noncompete agreements, as well as traditional labor work including union relations.”
 
#2 in Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation in Illinois
The guide reported that “The employee benefits team is equally sizable and diverse” as the Chicago office’s broad Labor & Employment bench.

#3 in Environment in Illinois
Sources report, “They think outside the box to secure a good position in cases.”

#3 in Real Estate in Illinois
Clients reported to Chambers that Seyfarth is “Top-notch in everything we have asked of them.”

#3 in Immigration in Georgia 
Clients told Chambers, “We transferred our business to Seyfarth Shaw due to the firm's responsiveness and quick turnaround times. It is a delight to work with.”

#3 in Labor & Employment in Georgia 
Clients told the guide that “Seyfarth Shaw provides high-caliber, wide-ranging labor and employment expertise and impressive client service.”

#3 in Real Estate in Georgia 
Clients reported, “The attorneys suggest directions for us and cover issues that we had not thought of. The team gave us a feeling of comfort, which reinforced that we were getting good value for our money.”

#3 in Labor & Employment in New York
Sources told Chambers, “Its lawyers are quick to understand their clients’ constraints and business interests, which is invaluable when bridging the gap between commercial and legal concerns.”

#3 in Labor & Employment in Washington, D.C. 
According to sources, Seyfarth is “Sought out by management teams due to its prowess and reputation in the field.”

Individual Attorney Rankings by State and Practice Group

California

Immigration
Angelo Paparelli (Los Angeles)
Paparelli is highly regarded by interviewees as a “forward thinker who is always coming up with new ways to help clients.”
Susan K. Wehrer (San Francisco)
Chambers noted that Wehrer assists companies in the technology and automotive industries with matters such as labor certifications and M&A, as well as advising on issues affecting start-up companies. In addition, she works closely with universities and research institutions.

Labor & Employment
Brian T. Ashe (San Francisco)
The guide reported that Ashe focuses on employment litigation, including wage and hour class actions, discrimination and trade secrets, and he also counsels on a range of employment matters.
Gilmore F. Diekmann, Jr. (San Francisco)
The guide found that Diekmann is well respected as an employment litigator and trial lawyer, with a focus on class actions. Sources praised him as being “incredibly bright, able to work his way through a mountain of facts and focus on critical issues.”
Michael L. Gallion (Los Angeles)
Clients reported to Chambers that Gallion “provides excellent practical advice,” which includes training and assisting with wage and hour audits. He is particularly experienced in complex wage and hour and discrimination class action cases, and is also licensed to practice in Tennessee.
David D. Kadue (Los Angeles)
Chambers researchers learned from sources that Kadue is well respected for his prowess in wage and hour, discrimination and wrongful termination cases.
Kenneth D. Sulzer (Los Angeles)
Chambers noted that Sulzer co-heads the national wage and hour class action practice. The guide also reported that he has considerable experience in labor relations matters, including collective bargaining and arbitrations.

Georgia

Construction
C. Walker Ingraham
Chambers researchers reported that clients are impressed “with his solid grasp of the issues, his knowledge of the applicable law and his timeliness in getting things done.”

Environment
Craig K. Pendergrast
Chambers noted that Pendergrast heads up the firm’s environmental, safety and toxic torts practice. In addition to his high-quality legal work, sources reported that “he does much work for citizen advisory boards.”

Immigration
Nicole A. Kersey
Sources reported to Chambers that Kersey applies her “great business skills” to matters such as devising audit tools with specialist training in workforce authorization compliance.
James W. King
The guide reported that King is described by clients as a “phenomenal leader” who heads the firm’s workforce authorization team and routinely counsels clients on matters related to I-9 compliance, E-Verify and social security mismatch letters. His ability to explain issues in layman’s terms is praised by clients.

Labor & Employment
Stuart Newman
Chambers researchers learned from sources that Newman is “a respected traditional labor lawyer particularly noted for his expertise in complex collective bargaining.”

Litigation
John A. Sherrill
Chambers reported that Sherrill “is a seasoned litigator with extensive experience of handling jury trials, arbitrations and mediations. His areas of expertise include real estate disputes, products liability litigation and allegations involving trade secrets.”

Real Estate
Mark A. Block
Sources told Chambers that Block “can quickly dissect your needs and offer excellent, timely advice.”
Carl E. Westmoreland, Jr.
According to the guide, “sources are effusive in their praise of Carl Westmoreland, describing him as ‘one of the best zoning lawyers’ in the Atlanta region. He recently assisted a REIT on the redevelopment of a 68-acre executive park.”

Illinois

Employee Benefits & Compensation
Peter C. Miller 
Interviewees reported that “He’s very good at making sure the client doesn't have to interpret legal language themselves; in my experience some lawyers never achieve this ability.”
Mary K. Samsa 
Chambers noted that Samsa “concentrates on executive compensation and qualified retirement plans, and is held in high regard by peers.”

Environment
Eric E. Boyd 
Chambers noted that Boyd “spends much of his time on air matters, as well as advising on chemical issues for Rhodia.”
Andrew H. Perellis 
Sources reported to Chambers that Perellis is “very knowledgeable, and effective for his clients.”
Jacqueline M. Vidmar 
According to sources, Vidmar is “extremely effective” on behalf of her clients.

ERISA Litigation
Mark Casciari—National Ranking
According to Chambers, Casciari “is regarded as one of the leading experts in cash balance litigation, and he has a growing profile for excessive fee expertise. Peers say that he is ‘a great choice of lawyer to refer matters to in a conflict because he's a safe pair of hands who always has his clients' interests at heart.’”

Labor & Employment
Kenneth R. Dolin
Sources reported to Chambers that Dolin is lauded for “understanding that businesses need to accomplish certain results, and helping them to do this.”
Joel Kaplan 
Peers reported to Chambers that Kaplan is “one of the top three attorneys in Chicago.”
Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. 
Clients reported that Maatman is “fabulous to work with, and a great communicator,” and “He was on top of the case in spite of a heavy workload and always responded to any queries I had.”
Ellen E. McLaughlin 
Chambers noted that McLauglin “is regularly involved in employment litigation and also has FMLA expertise.”
Camille A. Olson 
Chambers reported that Olson “works on nationwide class actions and is a highly accomplished litigator.”
Thomas Piskorski 
Sources reported to Chambers that Piskorski is “extremely knowledgeable, well organized and responsive.”
Jeffrey K. Ross 
Chambers interviewees report that Ross is “extremely impressive—he is able to balance the legal niceties of any case with practical considerations.”

Real Estate
Joel D. Rubin 
According to the guide, Rubin “moves up the rankings thanks to praise for his experience in real estate, pension fund, and corporate law.

Massachusetts

Labor & Employment
Richard Alfred
Sources told Chambers that Alfred is “a top lawyer with a wealth of experience.”
Ariel D. Cudkowicz
Sources consider Cudkowicz “a smart lawyer with excellent client skills.”
Lisa Damon
Chambers reported that Damon is praised as “a top-notch, energetic lawyer who really understands her clients’ needs.”
Arthur Telegen
Chambers respondents reported that they consider Telegen “an excellent lawyer: meticulous and a fantastic strategic thinker.”

New York

Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Howard Pianko
Sources reported to Chambers that Pianko is praised for his “communicative, thoughtful and proactive” approach, and they agree that “he really knows his stuff.”

Labor & Employment
Edward Cerasia II
Chambers noted that Cerasia has a “wealth of experience in representing financial institutions and insurance companies,” and that he “handles a vast range of litigation including discrimination, retaliation and wage and hour cases, and ERISA disputes.”

Real Estate
Peter J. Korda
Sources praised Korda as “a gentleman, a scholar and a great lawyer” who advises lenders on real estate transactions, including workouts and restructurings.

Washington, D.C.

Construction
Bennett D. Greenberg
Chambers noted that Greenberg “has a wide-ranging construction practice, which encompasses disputes arising out of both the public and private sectors. He is lauded for his deep knowledge of the major players in the DC marketplace and ‘understands that clients are colleagues.’”
Richard McKim Preston
The guide reported that Preston, “the practice group chair, is an immensely experienced and respected attorney. He is famed for his performance in complex disputes, which often have international dimensions. According to sources, ‘he has always been highly regarded for having a strong and very broad-based construction practice.’”

Labor & Employment
Peter Chatilovicz
Clients told Chambers that “He is noted for his prowess at the negotiating table and his tirelessness in achieving the best outcome for his client.”

Real Estate
Ronald S. Gart
According to the guide, clients report that Gart is “good at seeing the big picture and boiling the issues down to those that really matter.” He is particularly highlighted for his real estate financing expertise and his representation of investors in joint ventures.
Robert L. Bodansky
Researches learned from sources that Bodansky “is praised for the breadth of his real estate knowledge. His client base consists largely of a combination of public pension funds and private owners and developers.”

Chambers USA ranks the leading firms and lawyers in an extensive range of practice areas throughout America. The research is in-depth and client focused and the guide is read by industry-leading companies and organizations throughout the US and worldwide. It is also widely used by firms in all states for referral purposes.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys located in ten offices throughout the United States including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as Brussels, Belgium. Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of Labor & Employment, employee benefits, litigation and business services. The firm’s practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country’s business and social fabric. Clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities. For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com.