Seyfarth Shaw Adds Labor & Employment Trio in New York

Contact:  Ivette Delgado, Senior Public Relations Associate
(212) 218-5273, idelgado@seyfarth.com

Firm adds more than 100 attorneys to Labor & Employment group in past 18 months

NEW YORK (April 9, 2012) — Leading law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP is pleased to announce the addition of three attorneys to the firm’s national Labor & Employment Department, fortifying the firm’s extensive group of labor lawyers, and continuing Seyfarth’s expansion of more than 100 new attorneys hired within the past 18 months in the department. Partners Cliff Fonstein and  Nicholas H. De Baun and associate Tara Conroy have joined Seyfarth’s New York office from Sidley Austin LLP.

Fonstein said, “Seyfarth Shaw provided the best opportunity for the growth of my practice and the continued support of my clients. The firm’s established reputation as the go-to law firm for employment legal expertise was a huge draw, and I look forward to working with and getting to know my new colleagues.”

“The depth of Seyfarth’s capabilities in the employment law arena is unmatched in my book,” said De Baun. “Bringing my practice here was a clear choice, and it will yield several benefits for my current and future clients.”

“Our national Labor & Employment practice has been growing in all of our offices over the last 18 months with many key hires across the country,” said Seyfarth Shaw Labor & Employment Department Chair Lisa Damon. “We’ve benefitted substantially from several groups of new attorneys, each expanding our reach within the particular niches of employment law. Crucial for any firm with a New York presence, Nick and Cliff deepen our ranks of attorneys with their particular experience advising financial services clients with extensive Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration and trial experience; they are an excellent fit for our department.”

Lorie Almon, Seyfarth Shaw’s New York Office Co-Managing partner and chair of the New York Labor & Employment group added, “Cliff, Nick and Tara are excellent employment litigators, and their reputation in our legal market is first-rate. With their addition, Seyfarth’s New York office continues aggressive yet sustainable growth, which enables us to expand the range and quality of services that our clients require.”

Cliff Fonstein has more than 25 years of experience counseling clients in all areas of employment law and has litigated a broad array of employment cases for  these clients, ranging from single plaintiff whistleblower and discrimination claims to large class actions. While Fonstein’s practice has focused on representing clients in all facets of the financial services industry from hedge funds to large investment banks, he has also represented airline, manufacturing and media clients as well. On behalf of these clients, he appears regularly in state and federal courts and before FINRA arbitration panels. Fonstein received his undergraduate degree from University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from University of California at Los Angeles. He is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.

Nicholas De Baun has almost 20 years of experience representing employers across a broad spectrum of industries with a special emphasis on financial services. In particular, De Baun has extensive experience representing employers in virtually every sector of the financial services industry, including investment banks, broker-dealers, private equity firms, hedge funds, and accounting firms. De Baun provides a full range of employment law services, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA and common law employment matters. He also counsels clients, investigates employment and whistleblower claims, prepares position statements, drafts employee handbooks, and negotiates and drafts severance agreements. He has represented clients in state and federal court, before state and federal administrative agencies, and in mediations and arbitration, including extensive FINRA arbitration experience. De Baun received his undergraduate degree from Oberlin College and his law degree from New York University School of Law. He is a member of the New York bar.

Tara Conroy also joins Seyfarth as part of the Labor & Employment department. She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her law degree from Cornell Law School. She is a member of the New York bar.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 800 attorneys located in 10 offices throughout the United States, including: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., as well as internationally in London. Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate and real estate. The firm’s clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies, and our practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the economy. For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com .