Congratulations to Emily Johnson (JD 2010) and Daniel R. Saeedi (JD 2008) who were named 2021 Rising Stars in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business. Johnson and Saeedi were among the emerging attorney partners recognized for their leadership to diversify the legal profession and guide their clients through uncertainty created by the pandemic.
Released each year, Crain’s Chicago Business’s Rising Stars in Law list comprises honorees who have been partner at their firms for five years or fewer and who have demonstrated an impact at their firm and in the community. Honorees are selected by Crain’s editorial board from submitted nominations and accompanying letters of recommendation.
“[Crain’s] rising stars are active in their firms’ governance. Many are involved in efforts to expand diversity and inclusion and are adding more women and people of color to their teams… They’re certain to make even more of a mark in the years to come,” stated the Crain’s Chicago Business editorial board.
Graduates of the law school honored this year include:
Emily Johnson (JD 2010), a Member of the National Health Care Practice Group at McDonald Hopkins, provides regulatory and compliance assistance related to HIPAA policies, breach prevention procedures and response, and related government investigations. Throughout the pandemic, her compliance and cybersecurity expertise made her a crucial advisor for clients transitioning to remote operation, and she became a sought-after speaker on the CARES Act and issues related to buying/selling distressed health care companies. Before joining McDonald Hopkins in 2015, Johnson was a health care attorney and senior consultant at a national legal-based health care management consulting firm. At the firm, she serves as Chair of the firm’s wellness committee and is a member of the Women’s Council and Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Daniel R. Saeedi (JD 2008), a Partner with Taft Stettinius & Hollister, handles issues relating to employment law, unfair competition, and data privacy and represents clients in trade secrets and restrictive-covenant disputes around the country. A certified information privacy professional (CIPP), Saeedi also litigates complex class-action cases in the realm of computer fraud, privacy law, and biometric face-recognition technology. He leads the ISBA’s restrictive covenants and trade secrets CLE programming and training on drafting, consulting, and litigation best practices. Saeedi is an active member of Taft’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and offers hundreds of lawyers implicit-bias training each year.
