Seyfarth Grows Atlanta Office with Labor & Employment and Litigation Group

Four Partners Join the Firm’s Southeast Presence

ATLANTA (August 26, 2019) -- Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today the arrival of four partners to its Labor & Employment and Litigation departments in Atlanta. Nancy E. Rafuse (Labor & Employment), William B. “Hill” Hill, Jr. (Litigation), James J. Swartz, Jr. (Labor & Employment), and Stan Hill (Labor & Employment) all join Seyfarth from Polsinelli’s Atlanta office.

Rafuse, who served as chair of Polsinelli’s Labor & Employment department, leads the team of three Labor & Employment partners joining the firm. She has over 25 years of experience in employment law, as a c-suite advisor and employment litigator, including as lead counsel in class-action and “bet the company” trials.

“This is an exciting moment for our department. It’s rare to announce the arrival of three remarkable partners who are highly skilled in the most complicated matters developing in today’s workplace,” Seyfarth Labor & Employment chair Laura Maechtlen said. “Nancy, Jim and Stan bring an unparalleled acumen in wage and hour class actions, labor employee relations, internal executive suite investigations, and trial work.”

With more than 435 lawyers across the country, Seyfarth’s Labor & Employment department stands at the forefront of the employment industry, defending companies of all sizes at the epicenter of today’s largest, most complex, and strategic matters.

The Litigation side of the group features William “Hill” Hill, a partner with over 40 years of experience. Earlier in his distinguished career, Hill worked as a Deputy Attorney General for Georgia followed by a career in public service that culminated in a position as a Superior Court Judge for Fulton County.

“In the legal and business community, Hill is well-known for his powerful courtroom presence and his resulting victories in high-value litigation disputes,” said James McGrath, chair of Seyfarth’s Litigation department. “I speak for the entire department in welcoming Hill to our outstanding bench of litigators.”

Comprised of more than 160 attorneys, Seyfarth’s Litigation department helps clients with every aspect of their dispute resolution needs, nationally and internationally. The practice covers the full spectrum of litigation services, including trials and appeals in federal and state courts.

“Every lawyer in this group is a dynamic talent and well-respected by clients and colleagues in Atlanta, and across the country,” said Steven Kennedy, managing partner of Seyfarth’s Atlanta office. “Building off of the firm’s already strong reputation in the Southeast, these new team members enhance the capabilities of our Atlanta office, the Labor & Employment and Litigation departments, and the firm.”

Founded in 1996, Seyfarth’s Atlanta office has grown to more than 100 lawyers who practice in nearly all areas of the law. The office has been recognized as one of the fastest growing Atlanta law firms over the last five years.

About the New Partners:

Nancy E. Rafuse focuses her practice representing companies on the full gamut of employment and litigation obstacles facing today’s employers. Her trial experience is extensive, acting as lead trial counsel in every area of employment litigation, including matters involving Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Section 1981, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination Act, FMLA, FLSA, ERISA, and OSHA. In addition, Rafuse counsels businesses on executive employment issues, such as executive contracts and compensation agreements, and executive investigations, placements and departures.

Rafuse received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law, Order of the Coif, where she served as Notes Editor for the Georgia Law Review. Earlier at the University of Georgia, she earned a B.B.A., cum laude, in Finance.

William B. “Hill” Hill, Jr. represents clients in negotiations, ADR, at trial and on appeal, and also in significant and high-profile cases, including commercial litigation, products liability, employment law, Lanham Act cases, internal investigations, restrictive covenants enforcements and trade secrets, fiduciary and shareholder disputes and professional services litigation. He has successfully counseled major industries, private companies and individuals in state and federal courts throughout the United States.

Hill received his J.D. and B.A. from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

James J. Swartz, Jr. advises employers on all issues facing businesses, including class and collective lawsuits, discrimination and retaliation claims, restrictive covenants, wage and hour matters, public accommodation cases, and sexual harassment claims. In addition, he counsels clients with workplace investigations and audits of EEO and wage and hour practices.

Swartz received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he served as Symposium Editor for the Journal of College and University Law. Earlier at Notre Dame, he earned his Bachelors of Arts Degree.

Stan Hill focuses on individual, collective, and class actions brought under state and federal employment laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and state wage and hour laws.

Hill earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as Executive Authorities Editor for the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law. He received his B.S., highest honor, in Materials Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

About Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Seyfarth Shaw has more than 850 attorneys in 16 offices providing a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate and real estate. Seyfarth’s clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies and reflect virtually every industry and segment of the economy. A recognized leader in delivering value and innovation for legal services, Seyfarth has earned numerous accolades from a variety of highly respected industry associations, consulting firms and media.

Contacts:

Brian Kiefer, Director of Communications, (312) 460-6401, bkiefer@seyfarth.com

Martin Grego, Senior Public Relations Manager, (312) 460-6659, mgrego@seyfarth.com