Samantha Woo represents employers in litigation matters, including collective and class action wage and hour cases and discrimination disputes, as well as labor management relations issues, including collective bargaining and unfair labor practice cases. She also counsels clients in connection with labor and employment issues that arise in mergers and acquisitions and other business transactions.
Samantha represents private employers, such as the Kraft Heinz Company, Abbott Laboratories, and Saputo, Inc., and public employers, such as the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the City of Detroit. Among other matters she prevailed on behalf of Kraft Heinz in a grievance arbitration in which UFCW Local 538 sought plant closure retiree medical benefits for one of its members. Samantha also assisted in the development and implementation of the City of Detroit's labor strategy in connection with its historic chapter 9 bankruptcy and other restructuring matters.
With respect to pro bono work Samantha recently helped to secure the early release from prison of an individual sentenced to mandatory life without parole at age 17 because he was tortured by Chicago police officers during their investigation of the crimes underlying his conviction. She also assisted a persecuted Eritrean citizen who grew up in Saudi Arabia in obtaining asylum in the United States.
Samantha is the immediate past chair of the associate board of the Chicago Committee, a member of the board of directors of the National Employment Law Council and co-chair of its Academy, and co-chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Labor & Employment Committee.
Experience
- Northwestern University (J.D. cum laude 2012; Membership Editor, Northwestern University Law Review); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (M.P.H. 2006); Johns Hopkins University (B.A. in International Relations and Spanish 2004; Phi Beta Kappa)
- Illinois, U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court
- Extern at the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois (Spring 2011) and the Chicago Park District (Law Department) (Summer 2010)
"Rising Star," Illinois Super Lawyers (2016-2020)
"Rising Star," The Legal 500 United States (2019-2020)
- Extern to the Honorable Marvin E. Aspen, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Summer 2010)
- Spanish (fluent)