WASHINGTON - (Business Wire) Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Virginia A. Seitz, a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, is a recipient of a 2009 PAR Flex Success Award given by the Project for Attorney Retention (PAR), a national organization dedicated to advancing women lawyers and improving work-life balance for all lawyers. The Award, which honors lawyer-client pairs, also recognizes Ms. Seitz’s client, Michael Weiner, General Counsel of The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). “The flexible time arrangement is invaluable to Virginia’s clients and colleagues, as it enables her to continue her practice while maintaining her commitment to her family and children,” said Carter G. Phillips, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. “I have worked alongside Virginia in numerous cases and on many briefs, and she is one of the most talented appellate lawyers in the nation. I am thrilled to congratulate her on this Award on behalf of the firm.”
Ms. Seitz maintains a significant litigation practice, with a focus on the briefing and arguing of appellate cases, in particular in the United States Supreme Court, and advising in the areas of labor and employment law. She works a 60% schedule, and has done so since 1991. Ms. Seitz has been a primary outside labor counsel to the MLBPA for approximately 20 years. The client relationship is successful, in part, because both parties have a full understanding of each other's situations and are committed to each other professionally and as colleagues.
“It is rewarding to have a client like MLBPA and to work with Michael, who understands the mutual benefits of my flexible time arrangement,” said Ms. Seitz. “I am also lucky to work for a firm that values and is supportive of my alternative work arrangement.”
Ms. Seitz briefed three cases in the Supreme Court this Term. In 2007, she argued Sole v. Wyner, in which she won a unanimous reversal of a lower court decision involving the standards for determining prevailing party status for purposes of federal attorneys’ fees statutes. Ms. Seitz also wrote the widely cited amicus brief in the Supreme Court case of Grutter v. Bollinger challenging the affirmative action policies at the University of Michigan where the firm represented numerous retired officers and civilian leaders of the military. The Legal Times noted the “significant role” of the firm’s brief, stating that in an “avalanche” of amicus briefs, this one “stood out” and “made a difference to the Court.”
Sidley has a long-standing commitment to recruiting, retaining and promoting women lawyers. Many women lawyers have taken advantage of the firmwide reduced hours policy, which enables lawyers, at both the associate and partner levels, to work a flexible schedule. Women hold key management positions within the firm and a number of women lawyers serve as advisors, board members and officers for professional, volunteer and community organizations. Sidley was recently named as a 2009 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firm for Women and is one of only 15 law firms that have received this honor every year since the list’s inception, having been named to the list in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, Sidley was also recognized by Yale Law Women as one of their “Top Ten Family Friendly Firms,” their list of law firms that are leaders in developing and implementing family friendly policies. In 2005, Sidley became the second law firm to win the Catalyst Award, presented by Catalyst, the leading research and advisory organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for women and business.
Sidley Austin LLP is one of the world's largest full-service law firms, with approximately 1700 lawyers practicing in 16 U.S. and international cities, including Beijing, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. Every year since 2003, Sidley has been named to Legal Business’ Global Elite, its designation for the 18 firms “that define the pinnacle of the legal profession.” BTI, a Boston-based consulting and research firm, has named Sidley to their Client Service Hall of Fame as one of only two law firms to rank in the Client Service Top 10 for seven years in a row, and to the BTI Power Elite as one of only seven law firms demonstrating the best client relationships for the fourth consecutive year.
For purposes of the New York State Bar rules, this press release may be considered Attorney Advertising and the headquarters of the firm are Sidley Austin LLP 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, 212.839.5300 and Sidley Austin LLP One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, 312.853.7000. Prior results described herein do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Sidley Austin LLP
Janet Zagorin, Director of Practice Development, 212-839-8797
jzagorin@sidley.com
or
Rubenstein Associates
Daria Hall, 212-843-8292
dhall@rubenstein.com
