About

Provided by McDermott Will & Emery LLP

McDermott's Chicago practice handles everything connected with employee benefits: retirement plans, fringe benefits, ESOPs, executive compensation and fiduciary and plan investment matters.

McDermott has traditionally invested heavily in and attached a lot of importance to employee benefits. As a result, clients come directly to us for employee benefits advice. We have capability in several specialist areas of employee benefits, such as cash balance and pension equity plans, welfare benefits, wellness programs and alternative investments by pension plans.

McDermott has the best and largest healthcare and employee benefits practices in Chicago. We are, therefore, able to offer dedicated health benefits specialists who advise numerous health and welfare plans. Our client roster features a large number of hospital and medical provider clients. With continued government focus on health care reform/repeal, advising on employee and retiree medical plans remains a busy part of our practice.

As well as a large team handing non-contentious employee benefits planning, we have an additional team of partners specializing in employee benefits and ERISA litigation – one of the top national practices in this area.

Our team has a niche advising on same-sex partner benefits and the implementation of benefit programs for domestic partners of employees. Partner Todd Solomon works with businesses in Chicago in jointly advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the workplace.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Labor & Employment: Highly Regarded - Illinois

1
Band 1

What the Team is Known For

McDermott Will & Emery demonstrates standout expertise in contentious and advisory matters, including arbitration and litigation. The firm represents clients in wage and hour class actions, trade secret cases, and discrimination and harassment claims.

Work Highlights

  • McDermott Will & Emery LLP represented Eventus WholeHealth in connection with a noncompete and patient/healthcare facility non-solicitation dispute against LifeSource of North Carolina.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Michael J Sheehan
3
Michael J Sheehan
3
Band 3
Michael Sheehan continues to serve as the global head of the employment group at McDermott Will & Emery. He focuses his employment practice on complex trade secret and unfair competition litigation.

Mike is a skilled litigator.

Mike's breadth of experience makes him able to handle matters deftly for his clients.

Michael is very practical, is great on his feet in the courtroom and is a strategist behind the scenes.

Rachel B Cowen
4
Rachel B Cowen
4
Band 4
Rachel Cowen is experienced in a wide array of employment litigation, including discrimination, wrongful termination and restrictive covenant related disputes.

She knows everything and is a powerhouse litigator and advocate. She can deftly distill legal arguments.

I would call Rachel for the toughest and most important cases with reputational risks. She's seasoned, experienced and her wisdom and knowledge comes through in those tough cases.

She is very practical and good at getting things done.

Brian Mead
U
Brian Mead
U
Up and Coming
Brian Mead is a skilled lawyer in the employment space, advising employers on discrimination, wrongful termination and breach of contract claims. He also assists them with the employment aspects of M&A and other transactions.

Brian is outstanding to work with. He is responsive, collaborative and knowledgeable.

Ranked Lawyers at
McDermott Will & Emery LLP

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Illinois

Labor & Employment

Michael J Sheehan
3
Michael J Sheehan
3
Band 3
Rachel B Cowen
4
Rachel B Cowen
4
Band 4
Brian Mead
U
Brian Mead
U
Up and Coming

Members

Provided by McDermott Will & Emery LLP

Brian Tiemann

Jeffrey Holdvogt

Lisa Loesel

Todd Solomon

Todd Solomon

Head of Department