Seyfarth Shaw Recommended by Legal 500 as a Leading U.S. Law Firm

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

“It is constantly thinking and acting one step ahead of opposing counsel.”

CHICAGO (June 6, 2011)—Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today its inclusion in the Legal 500 United States, an independent guide to America’s leading law firms.

For the third consecutive year, Seyfarth attorneys named as elite “Leading Lawyers” by the guide include David S. Baffa (Workplace Counseling & Compliance), William P. Perkins (Workplace Counseling & Compliance) and Angelo Paparelli (Immigration). Partner Bennett Greenberg was also highlighted as a “Leading Lawyer” (Construction). Overall, nearly 65 Seyfarth lawyers were recommended in the editorial of the guide.

The firm was also ranked nationally in 10 areas, including:

Labor & Employment: Counseling (Tier 1)
Noted as “phenomenal,” the firm’s Labor and Employment group was lauded by clients as having “flexibility, technical expertise and the ability to balance legal and management needs.”

The guide highlighted David Baffa as “one of the best lawyers,” and wrote of Robert Nobile, “no lawyer … is better, or a better client service provider,” adding, “He is a stellar lawyer, a fabulous businessman, a highly ethical individual and always exceeds our expectations.” Ellen McLaughlin “has a breadth and depth of knowledge that is unmatched,” and Charles Walters “not only commands his area of law, but understands the business implications of those laws and regulations as well.” Also noted as specialists in the field are Condon McGlothlen, William Perkins and Pamela Devata.
 
Labor & Employment: Litigation (Tier 2)
A client stated, “What sets Seyfarth Shaw’s lawyers apart from many other law firms is their focus not only on results, but also on effective and thorough communication on the defense of litigation within budget and consistent with the client’s interests.”

Camille Olson, Gerald Maatman were called “smart, organized, incredibly responsive,” and “extraordinarily loyal.” Partners David Kadue, Richard Alfred, Lorie Almon, Andrew Paley and Ariel Cudkowicz were highly praised, also noted for their responsiveness and overall knowledge. “A tenacious litigator who stands out for his exceptional patience, calm nature, and likability. This calming demeanor on the one hand, coupled with an aggressive, competitive litigation style on the other hand, is a winning combination,” was said of Raymond Baldwin. Jeremy Sherman, Gilmore Diekmann and Linda Schoonmaker were given special recognition, and the arrivals of Jeffrey Berman and Eric Steinert were acknowledged.
 
Labor & Employment: Labor-Management Relations (Tier 2)
Having one of the largest labor and employment practices in the country, and consistently praised for delivering winning results with matters concerning collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, anti-corporate campaigns, and union organizing campaigns, Seyfarth Shaw was noted especially this year for its strides in the airline, hospitality and printing and publishing industries.

 Of the firm, clients said Seyfarth Shaw “consistently gets my top scores on all service-related matters,” “is very responsive, yet thorough,” “is business minded and pragmatic,” “client centric, but appropriately honest,” and “provides an outstanding value to the client.” It was said of Bradford Livingston that his “skills are outstanding,” and a client said that Joe Damato “is an outstanding lawyer and always reliable.” His clients praised his “honesty, his thoughtful and thorough approach to issues, and his fantastic client skills.” Stacy Shartin “has a unique ability to find a way to relate to everyone on all sides of an issue,” being “Aggressive in substance, but wraps his expertise in a relaxed and comfortable demeanor. He is unflappable in tense situations and quickly can bring reason and sanity to the most difficult situations.” John Toner, Jeremy Sherman, Peter Chatilovicz, Joel Kaplan and Arthur Telegen were listed as leading attorneys. Jeffrey Berman’s arrival to the firm was also mentioned.

Labor & Employment: Immigration (Tier 2)
According to the guide, Seyfarth “operates with the focus of a boutique-style immigration firm, while practicing in all areas of immigration law.”

Atlanta partner James King and Boston partner Russell Swapp were highlighted for leading the practice, and Swapp was noted as being “very knowledgeable and can explain the rules and provide practical guidance in a very comprehensible way.” Dyann DelVecchio and California-based Angelo Paparelli were also recommended.

Litigation: Construction (Tier 2)
The firm’s attorneys were praised by clients for providing “tactically sound advice” and for the ability to “quickly come up to speed on all local rules and issues,” when working in unfamiliar jurisdictions.

Washington, D.C. partner Richard McKim Preston was highly regarded, as well as Bennett Greenberg, who was described as “outstanding in design-build contract negotiations,” and Steven Kmieciak for having a “very good grasp of federal government contracting issues.” Michael McKeeman from the firm’s San Francisco office was “an absolute pleasure to work with,” and the Boston office’s Leah Rochwarg was “wholeheartedly recommended” by clients for her “zealous representation.”

Healthcare and Life Sciences (Tier 3)
A first-time ranking for the firm, Seyfarth represents hospitals and hospital systems in wage-and-hour disputes, and provides comprehensive legal services to healthcare providers.

Los Angeles partner Jeffrey Berman and of counsel Joan Smiles were noted as instilling “total confidence” among clients. Co-chair of the practice, Deborah Gordon was recognized for her “broad depth of experience in the healthcare finance field,” and is “particularly good in contentious negotiations.”

Trade Secrets (Tier 4)
Another first-time ranking, the firm’s trade secrets, computer fraud and non-compete group was praised for its national presence and the ability to concentrate on this specific area of law.

Michael Wexler, Camille Olson, and Robert Milligan were mentioned as demonstrating the firm’s ability to succeed in the niche practice area working on claims involving top-level executive entries and departures. The experience partner Katherine Perrelli brings to the practice was highlighted as a strength, and Michael Levinson was considered “another stalwart” of the group.

For more than 20 years, the Legal 500 series has provided a comprehensive worldwide coverage currently available on legal services providers, in over 100 countries. Used by commercial and private clients, corporate counsel, CEOs, FDs and professional advisers—as well as by other referrers of work both nationally and internationally—the series is widely regarded as offering the definitive judgment of law firm capabilities. A complete list of rankings can be found on the Legal 500 website.

Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 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 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.

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