Women in Law 2024

2024

WHITNEY SIEHL CO-CHAIR, DATA PRIVACY AND SEXUAL ABUSE PRACTICE GROUPS Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP

W hitney K. Siehl is a Plaintiffs’ litigator focused on class actions, co-chairing Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP’s data privacy and sexual abuse practice groups. Her practice also includes consumer protection, antitrust, and sports litigation. Notable settlements include an over $17 million fund for survivors of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse, a $215 million fund for USC students for sexual abuse by gynecologist Dr. Tyndall, and millions for college students in contract disputes and children with birth injuries. She is the immediate Past President of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (“WBAI”). Among her many initiatives to support and empower women, she started WBAI’s Mentoring Circles program to bring together early career lawyers and law students, formed partnerships with the Chicago Sky and Red Stars, introduced the Employer Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Flexible Workplace Awards to WBAI’s Top Women Lawyers in Leadership Awards, and started a monthly walking club. She has been recognized for her dedication to pro bono and community service including: 2024 Cook County Bar Association President’s Award, 2023 Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award from the Chicago Bar Foundation, 2023 WBAI Service Award, and 2017 Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Since 2019, Whitney was recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star and since 2023 Lawdragon’s 500 X, The Next Generation. She served as a founding member of Bar Presidents’ Leadership Council to strengthen partnerships and succession planning among bar associations, the Force of Lawyers Against Sexual Harassment

(“FLASH”), and the inaugural Happy Hour in Her Heels to raise awareness about sexual harassment and funding for WINGS. She also served as an Advisory Council Member for the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism's novel study on bulling in the legal profession. Whitney currently serves as the Secretary of the ISBA’s Sports and Entertainment Law Section Council and on other committees. She served on the Chicago Bar Association’s Election Committee and is an active member of various bar associations. She served on the WBAI board since 2017, an officer since 2019, co-chaired the Annual Golf Outing for eight years, hosted multiple golf clinics, co-chaired the Judicial Reception, Annual Dinner, and Mentoring Committee numerous times. She received her J.D., cum laude, from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law where she was a member of the 2013 Sutherland Cup National Champion Constitutional Law Moot Court Team. She graduated from Northwestern University and was a member of the Women’s Golf Team. She was named an NCAA Academic All-American with the Miami University Women’s Cross Country and Track Teams. In 2017, she was inducted to Port Clinton High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Whitney is the 2006 Women’s Catawba Island Club Golf Champion. She enjoys volunteer marathon pace coaching with Chicago Area Runners Association, guiding first-time marathoners to achieve what they once thought was impossible. In 2021, she received her training location’s Service Award. She has completed 16 marathons and multiple triathlons including Ironman 70.3 Ohio and the Escape from Alcatraz in San Francisco.

WOMEN IN LAW 2024