Seyfarth Shaw Recommended as a Preeminent Law Firm by Legal 500 United States

Clients Report Seyfarth's "Service and skill level far exceeds that of any other firm"

Chicago, IL (July 15, 2008)—Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of America’s leading full-service law firms, is recommended as one of the best law firms in the country in multiple national practice areas in the 2008 edition of Legal 500 United States, the independent guide to America’s foremost law firms. In addition to the firm’s national top honors, the Real Estate Practice Group in the firm’s Chicago office also earned praise from the guide.

Seyfarth Shaw ranked at the top of the best-in-class rankings in two areas of Labor and Employment Law: Workplace and Employment Counseling (Tier 1 of 4) and Management Relations. The firm was one of only five law firms in the country to be recommended for its Management Relations practice. Rounding out the firm’s national rankings, the Labor and Employment Litigation group earned a Tier 2 of 5 ranking among the country’s most elite practice groups in the field. Additionally, the real estate practice group in the firm’s Chicago office earned a Tier 3 of 5 ranking in Illinois for their transactional and finance work.

Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
Legal 500 reported that “clients repeatedly remar[k] on ‘a strong bench strength on a host of employment areas,’” which underscores that “Seyfarth Shaw undoubtedly ‘rates with the best’ for workplace and employment counseling.” Citing the firm’s dedicated practice to workplace counseling, Legal 500 noted, “The firm is described as being ‘very attentive to client needs,’ which culminates in ‘excellent legal advice.’” The guide notes that Seyfarth Shaw “is engaged by Fortune 500 clients across industry sectors for its employment law counseling prowess.”

In addition to the practice as a whole, Legal 500 singled out five partners who received exceptional praise from clients. The guide noted, “New York-based Robert Nobile is widely regarded as ‘a preeminent employment counselor’ who is ‘extremely knowledgeable on all matters of employment law, and respected and admired by the highest executives.’” Additionally, Legal 500 reported, “Clients say that Noah Finkel in Chicago provides ‘very good guidance on FLSA matters’ and ‘is very practical.’ Also in Chicago, clients praise Ellen McLaughlin for her ‘helpful and reliable advice on the many intricacies of employment law.’” Meanwhile, clients told the guide that New York partner William Perkins “is phenomenal—he would have a plane land early if he could to respond to you,” and “Anthony Rao is lauded by clients, who describe him as ‘extremely attentive and very knowledgeable on employment law… his work is top-notch.’”

Labor and Employment: Management Relations
The guide noted that “Seyfarth Shaw is adept at handling the full gamut of labor relations matters,” which is one reason why the firm earned honors for its Management Relations practice. Legal 500 observed, “Among other client praise, one client notes that ‘after extensive research it was clear that Seyfarth Shaw had the strongest labor team, both in terms of numbers as well as experience.” The guide additionally reported, “Clients also note that the ‘customer service is phenomenal, extremely responsive and timely….’” In addition to outstanding client service, the firm’s “breadth is clearly appreciated by clients, one of whom comments: ‘I wanted a firm with a national footprint, and Seyfarth Shaw satisfied that required.’”

Legal 500 also spotlighted four partners in its Management Relations practice. The guide noted, “Bradford Livingston chairs the national labor relations practice, and is based in Chicago. William Schurgin, also based in Chicago, is a key member of the team and has particular expertise in healthcare. Jeremy Sherman and Kristin Michaels ‘deserve special praise,’ according to clients, as ‘they are two exceptionally dedicated and committed attorneys.’”

Labor and Employment: LitigationClients reported to Legal 500 that the firm’s “service and skill level far exceeds that of any other firm” with regard to labor and employment litigation matters. The guide noted that the firm’s “impressive employment litigation department” is comprised of “a number of different national practice groups,” which create “communities within the firm who work together across the firm’s nine U.S. offices.” The group’s structure “creates deep expertise and valuable knowledge repositories, with clear benefits: clients say that ‘Seyfarth Shaw attorneys are superior subject-matter experts in all aspects of employment law.”

Four partners in the labor and employment litigation practice were singled out by the guide. Legal 500 noted, “For labor litigation, Chicago-based practice leader Jeremy Sherman is described by clients as ‘outstanding… the best there is.’ Also in Chicago, partner David Baffa is considered by clients to be ‘a fine litigator.’” In New York, clients told Legal 500 that Gary Glaser and William Perkins are both “very good employment litigators.”

Real Estate: Illinois—Transactions and Finance
Legal 500 reported, “Seyfarth Shaw’s strength is its business-like approach to real estate work, which has helped create an ‘increasingly visible’ market presence.” The guide observed, “The firm has maintained a strategy of broadening the practice offering to the maximum, and handles direct instructions from developers and investors, including REIT managers and pension fund trustees, as well as assisting other departments on assignments from M&A to reconstructions and refinancings.”

In Chicago, three of the practice group’s partners earned recognition from the guide. Clients told Legal 500, “Joel Rubin is a very senior practitioner, described as ‘one of the strongest real estate lawyers in Chicago’ and noted for his work for pension funds.”  In addition clients told the guide, “Gregg Dorman is a ‘well-known, and well-respected attorney,’ an extremely competent real estate polymath,” and “J. Kelly Bufton is ‘great to work with,’ and includes zoning within his wide practice.”

This is the second year that Legal 500 has covered the legal marketplace in the United States. The guide provides America’s businesses and other law firm clients with “independent, unbiased commentary on the leading law firms—and lawyers—in the most important legal marketplace in the world.” According to Legal 500, the United States edition “is a guide to the ‘best of the best’—the pre-eminent firms in the world’s strongest and most competitive legal market.”

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys located in nine offices throughout the United States including Chicago; New York; Boston; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Houston; Los Angeles; San Francisco and Sacramento; as well as Brussels, Belgium.  The firm provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation and business services. Seyfarth Shaw’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.