Paul Hastings Strengthens Employment Practice in Chicago with Addition of Top Employment Litigator

February 01, 2010

Chicago, Illinois (February 1, 2010) Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that Michael Sheehan has joined the firm as partner in the Employment Law practice. He is based in the firms Chicago office.

Mr. Sheehans practice focuses on employment litigation as well as trade secrets and employee mobility matters. He has tried cases for Fortune 100 companies around the country, building an impressive practice and a notable record of wins in significant and high profile cases. He has successfully prosecuted and defended clients in unfair competition litigation involving large-scale raiding, corporate takeovers and breach of non-compete agreements.

We have been very impressed with Michael's work on a broad array of employment cases in which we have been co-counsel in recent years. He is a gifted trial lawyer, said Nancy Abell, global chair of the Paul Hastings Employment Law practice. Mikes depth of experience and his track record as a trial lawyer will allow us to further develop our client base and expand our service offerings both in Chicago and nationally.

Paul Hastings is a firm I have long respected for its impressive talent and commitment to serving clients at the highest level, said Mr. Sheehan. I am very excited to be a part of the team and look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to provide the best counsel to clients.

Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Mr. Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as managing partner at the boutique employment firm he co-founded, Connelly Sheehan Harris LLP. The firm represented Fortune 100 corporations, including AIG and MetLife. In 2008, Connelly Sheehan merged with Drinker Biddle & Reath.

Rachel Cowen will join Mr. Sheehan as of counsel. Ms. Cowen is experienced in handling a wide range of labor and employment issues, including complex trade secret and non-competition matters. She has represented a number of financial services and engineering firms in unfair competition cases. Ms. Cowen is also based in the Chicago office.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP is a leading global law firm with offices in Asia, Europe, and the United States. We provide innovative legal solutions to financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies. Please visit www.paulhastings.com for more information.