Samera Syeda Ludwig

Partner, Administrative Partner | 312.628.7189 | sludwig@lgcounsel.com

Samera Syeda Ludwig concentrates her practice in labor and employment law, immigration and commercial disputes. For more than 20 years, she has represented employers in both state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings throughout the country. As an experienced litigator, she counsels and represents businesses on matters involving employee discipline, employee claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation and conducts internal investigations.

Ms. Syeda Ludwig’s immigration practice focuses on advising employers on I-9 compliance issues, internal and government I-9 audits, and training HR professionals and in-house counsel on I-9 compliance. She also conducts due diligence and advises companies on immigration–related issues during corporate acquisitions. Additionally, she assists companies and individuals with obtaining work visas, including business professionals, skilled workers, investors and religious workers. As part of her pro bono practice, Ms. Syeda Ludwig assists individuals fleeing other countries with asylum applications and seeking U visas for victims of crimes.

Ms. Syeda Ludwig’s commercial disputes practice involves representing companies in lawsuits involving a wide variety of claims, including, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, negligence, defamation, false advertising and consumer fraud. Having practiced in numerous federal and state courts around the country, Ms. Ludwig helps clients navigate the complex litigation process advising clients on how to reach their goals which sometimes means not pursuing litigation.

As the firm’s Administrative Partner, Ms. Syeda Ludwig is involved in many aspects of firm management including working with the senior management team, acquiring legal talent and overseeing the firm’s administrative operations.

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Lead trial counsel for FMLA retaliation case in five-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
• Successfully obtained asylum for a Pakistani woman fearing persecution after three day hearing in Chicago Immigration Court.
• Served as national employment counsel for a Fortune 50 company based in Burlington, North Carolina defending claims in federal and state courts.

• Secured the dismissal via summary judgment of a disability discrimination claim brought by a former flight attendant against a major U.S. airline company.
• Successfully defended a large automaker in a consumer class action relating to alleged defects of specific tires equipped on certain models of vehicles.
• Successfully represented a laboratory testing company against claims of defamation and negligence relating to its testing and results.
• Won the dismissal for a Fortune 50 pharmaceutical company through a summary judgment of false advertising claims under the Lanham Act.
• Represented former officers of a lease financing company in a securities fraud action brought by a special purpose investment vehicle alleging claims under Section 10 and 20(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act.

EDUCATION

Columbia Law School, J.D., 1997
Editor-in-Chief, Columbia Journal of Gender & Law

Wesleyan University, B.A., with Honors, 1994

BAR ADMISSIONS

State of Illinois
State of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Professional & Civic Affiliations

• American Immigration Lawyers Association, ICE Workplace Enforcement Committee Co-Chair, Greater Chicago Chapter
• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Investigator, The Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening
• Board of Directors, Asian American Bar Association of Chicago
• Board of Directors, Chicago High School for the Arts
• Adjunct Professor, University of Illinois- Chicago Law School

PRESENTATIONS AND WEBINARS

Speaker, Back to the Office, Workplace Compliance Issues & Guidelines for Employers, French American Chamber of Commerce – Chicago, Webinar Series
Chicago, IL, July 2020

Speaker, Worksite Compliance, Chicago Healthcare Risk Management Society,
Oak Brook, IL, January 2020

Speaker, Human Resources Issues, Food & Beverage Litigation Conference,
Chicago, IL, October 2019

Speaker, PINCUS Education

10th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts, April 2019
The Art of Jury Selection, November 2018
Mastering the Deposition: A Critical Skills Workshop, April 2017
Visa Processing 101, March 2017

Speaker, Illinois Technology Association
I-9 Compliance and Enforcement Webinar, March 2017

Back to Our Attorneys >