Departments

Phone: 312.873.3631
Fax: 312.819.1910

Sang-yul Lee

Shareholder
Sang-yul Lee leads the labor and employment practice in Chicago. He has a broadly based practice and represents clients in both litigation and transaction matters. He advises clients on all aspects of labor and employment law and human resources issues.

Mr. Lee has successfully represented clients in EEO litigation, collective bargaining, organizing campaigns, strikes, arbitrations, layoffs and closures, wage and hour audits and class actions and union pension/welfare audits. He represents clients before federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, as well as numerous other governmental agencies, in matters arising under a wide range of federal and state labor laws. 

Mr. Lee has extensive experience representing parties in employment, separation, change-in-control, independent contractor and restrictive covenant agreements and has served as primary labor counsel on numerous M&A transactions and bankruptcy matters.

Mr. Lee also has extensive experience working with both domestic and foreign companies in several industries including: hotel/hospitality, health care, transportation, airline, food, publishing, media, financial services and manufacturing.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Practising Law Institute, Faculty
  • American Bar Association
    • Labor and Employment Law Section
  • International Bar Association
    • Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee
  • International Association of Korean Lawyers
    • Overseas Board of Governors
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Foundation
    • President, Board of Directors
  • Asian American Bar Association of Chicago
    • Board of Directors 
  • Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms
    • Board of Directors
  • Japan America Society of Chicago
    • Board of Directors
  • Korea Society
  • University of Illinois College of Law
    • Board of Visitors  
  • Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
    • Hearing Board Chair

Distinctions

  • Leading Lawyers Network - Employment & Labor Law (management side) and International Business (2011-2012)
  • “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch,” Law Bulletin Publishing, 2007
  • Illinois Super Lawyers “Rising Star," 2007
  • “Best Lawyers Under 40," National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, 2006
  • Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Senior Associate, DLA Piper LLP
  • Trial Attorney, National Labor Relations Board

Publications & Presentations

2005-present
BNA - ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law
2012
2012 edition, Aspatore, a Thomson Reuters Publication
November 2011
Presented at 2011 Workplace Issues and Answers Program for AAIM Employers' Association
November 2011
September 2011
International Conference on the Development of ADR
September 2011
Presented to the Life Sciences Network
March 2011
Chapter on Colorado
Each chapter has been written by an experienced employment lawyer from the Polsinelli Shughart PC Labor and Employment practice group, and is arranged in convenient chapters by jurisdiction. The chapter on Colorado is co-authored by Gretchen Lipman and Sang-yul Lee.
February 2011
Presented to Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago Chapter
June 2010
Health Care Compliance Association: Compliance Today Magazine
2009
2009
2008
Presented to the ABA Section on International Law
2008
2008
Presented at the LERA-NLRB Joint Program, Chicago
November 2008
Presented to the National Asian Pacific Bar Association, Seattle
September 2008
Presented to the International Association of Korean Lawyers, Philadelphia
2008
Presented to the Japan Business Society of Detroit Views
2007
2007
Japan Business Society of Detroit
2006
Presented at the PricewaterhouseCoopers Japanese Practice Group Seminar Series in Chicago
2006-2009
Practising Law Institute (PLI) Hotels Acquisition Program Faculty, New York
2006-2007
Financier Worldwide Magazine, London, Post-Deal Integration Supplement