Current Role
- Associate, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
- Ms. Siehl’s Plaintiffs’ litigation practice focuses on complex class-action and individual cases in the areas of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sports law
- Represents an actress and entertainment industry class against The Weinstein Company, Harvey Weinstein and related companies for racketeering and sexual assault
- Represents students and alumnae of the University of Southern California in a class-action lawsuit against the university and Dr. George Tyndall for his alleged decades-long sexual abuse of patients
Recent Success
- Played a significant role in a $4 million settlement for a child who suffered severe and permanent brain damage due to the medical providers’ delay in recognizing a placental abruption
- Assisted in a $3.5 million settlement for a child with a hypoxic-ischemic brain injury that resulted from too much Pitocin and a physician's failure to recognize fetal distress
Experience
- Prior to joining Hagens Berman, worked as an associate in the Chicago office of a well-respected Plaintiffs’ firm representing families and children in birth injury and birth trauma litigation nationwide
- Worked previously at another Chicago firm where she gained experience in all aspects of civil litigation with a focus on medical malpractice and professional liability matters
Pro Bono
- In 2017, received an Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association for her dedication to representing underserved individuals in employment discrimination matters
Activities
- Professional Board Member, PAWS Chicago — the Midwest’s largest no-kill animal shelter, 2015-2020
- TEAM PAWS Marathon Team 2015-present
Legal Activities
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
- Officer Positions:
- President, 2023
- First Vice President, 2022-2023
- Financial Secretary, 2020-2021
- Recording Secretary, 2019-2020
- Board of Directors, 2017-2023
- Officer Positions:
- Member, American Association for Justice
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
- Member, Illinois State Bar Association
- Member, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
- Member, ITLA Women’s Caucus
Recognition
- 500 X — The Next Generation, Lawdragon, 2023
- Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award, Chicago Bar Foundation, 2023
- Service Award, Women's Bar Association of Illinois, 2022-2023
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2019-2023
- Excellence in Pro Bono Service, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter, 2017
- National Champion Team Member, Sutherland Cup National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition, 2013
- CALI Award for Highest Grade in Legislation Clinic, Dispute Systems Design, and Comparative Legal Professions
- Public Service Fellow with Dean’s Special Recognition, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 2013
Publications
- "#Us Too: Gender Inequality in the Legal Profession," American Association for Justice, Birth Trauma Litigation Group Newsletter, February 2018
Personal Insight
Whitney is an avid golfer and chairs the annual golf outing for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. At Northwestern, she was a member of the women’s golf team. She was previously a member of the Miami University cross country and track teams, where the cross country team was selected as NCAA Academic All-Americans. As a four-sport athlete, Whitney was recently inducted into the Port Clinton High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
She enjoys epic feats of endurance, and was selected to the 2021 Chicago Athlete Magazine Ambassador Team to help inspire busy professionals to live healthier and balanced lives through endurance sports. She also serves as a pace group leader for Chicago Marathon training. To date, she has completed 11 marathons, a half Iron distance triathlon, and numerous short course triathlons including the 2019 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco.