TOP 50 WOMEN IN LAW HONOREE
K imberly Blair, a partner in the Chicago office of national law firm Wilson Elser, has impacted her profession in a number of areas over her 20 years as a litigator. Kim joined the firm in 2009 as a partner in the Chicago office from her position as a partner in a full-service national firm providing comprehensive litigation and business transactions services to public and private companies. She has litigated actions in Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Utah, Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Mississippi. Kim was selected along with a fellow Chicago partner to represent the firm in the U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers Best Law Firms 2021 publication by authoring a Policy in Action article, “Digital Dangers.” In addition, she has authored articles and presented programs addressing how to deal with matters regarding and impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kim’s litigation practice centers on professional liability, including accountants, attorneys, insurance agents, real estate agents, technology and media professionals, consultants, brokers, architects and engineers, in addition to directors and officers liability, insurance coverage and bad faith matters. Kim is a co-chair of the firm’s Lawyers Liability Practice. She has tried cases in Illinois and has appellate experience throughout the United States, including a number of published appellate decisions on coverage matters. She is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriters Association (PLUS). Carrier clients rely on Kim’s vast experience in all 50 states rendering coverage opinions on all types of professional liability insurance policies, as well as her resolute defense of wrongful denial claims and prosecution of declaratory judgment actions. Kim develops a strong rapport with the attorneys and other professionals she defends, envisioning herself in their position and skillfully guiding them toward positive outcomes. To add further value to her client relationships, Kim addresses in-house claims professionals and insureds on topics such as coverage, liability and damages. In addition, Kim defends private- and public-sector employers in all aspects of federal and state employment discrimination laws, handling cases arising under state and federal fair employment practices statutes. She is quite literally at her clients’ side before such administrative and judicial tribunals as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board or the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as state and federal administrative agencies and courts. Kim was quoted on racial and gender diversity in “Observers: D&O Writers Should Brace for Wave of Costly Diversity Lawsuits,” an article that appeared in the January 29, 2021, BestWire , from Best’s News & Research Service. Kim earned her J.D. degree at Vanderbilt University School of Law after graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
KIMBERLY RIENTS BLAIR
PARTNER WILSON ELSER Vanderbilt University School of Law
“Kim does an amazing job of mentoring the team of attorneys and staff that work with her.”
56 • CHICAGO LAWYER JUNE/JULY 2021
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