practice areas
practice accolades
The American Lawyer Magazine's Litigation Department of the Year – Labor and Employment Law Finalist 2004, Winner 2006, Finalist 2008, Finalist 2010, and Finalist 2012
Listed in the highest tier for National Labor and Employment Practice in Chambers USA 2011
Ranked in the top tier by The Legal 500 for Labor and Employment Litigation, ERISA Litigation, Labor-Management Relations, and Workplace and Employment Counseling (2011)
Ranked, National Tier 1: Employment Law – Management, U.S. News and Best Lawyers (2010)
Named one of Law360's Employment Groups of the Year (2010)
Ranked #1 for "Most Prestigious" Labor and Employment Practice, Vault 2012 Associate Survey
Listed in the highest tier for National ERISA Litigation Practice in Chambers USA 2011
honors + affiliations
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Employee Benefits Committee, Management Co-Chair, Ethics Subcommittee (2008–present)
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Employee Benefits Committee, Management Co-Chair, Retention Subcommittee (2006–08)
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Employee Benefits Committee, National Faculty for Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (2007–present)
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Employee Benefits Committee, contributor, Fiduciary Responsibility Subcommittee (2005–present)
Chair, Chicago Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee (2006–07)
Vice-Chair, Chicago Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee (2005–06)
Secretary, Chicago Bar Association Employee Benefits Committee (2004–05)
Membership Chair, Metropolitan Family Services Metro Board (2007–08)
bar admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Illinois Supreme Court
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Central and Northern Districts of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
- Chicago
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77 West Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL 60601-5094
Phone: 312.324.1159
Fax: 312.324.1001
Deborah S. Davidson is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Labor and Employment Practice and the hiring partner for the Chicago office. She is also a member of the Firm's eData Advisory Committee. Ms. Davidson represents clients on a wide range of labor and employment matters, with a primary emphasis on litigation arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), in particular class action and multi-party ERISA actions. Ms. Davidson has represented plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers in lawsuits across the country involving employer securities, retirement plan investments, plan fees and expenses, retiree medical benefits, early retirement programs, top-hat plans, alleged cutback or elimination of accrued benefits, claims to recover plan benefits, preemption issues, and a variety of other ERISA claims. She has published and presented multiple articles and papers on ERISA litigation topics.
Ms. Davidson is a co-chair of the national Fiduciary Responsibility Subcommittee for the Employee Benefits Committee within the American Bar Association's (ABA) Labor and Employment Section and a member of the Programming Committee for the ABA Employee Benefits Committee. She has previously served as co-chair of the Ethics Subcommittee and the Retention Subcommittee for the ABA Employee Benefits Committee. Ms. Davidson is also a member of the national faculty of the ABA's Joint Committee on Employee Benefits. In addition, Ms. Davidson served as the 2006–07 chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Employee Benefits Committee after having served as vice chair (2005–06) and secretary (2004–05) of that committee. Ms. Davidson was a member of the Metropolitan Family Services Metro Board between 2006–09.
Ms. Davidson earned her J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1998, where she served as the executive notes and topics editor of the Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law, in which she was also published. Ms. Davidson earned her B.A. in psychology, with honors, from the University of Tulsa in 1995.
Ms. Davidson is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits; the U.S. District Courts for the District of Colorado, Eastern District of Texas, Eastern District of Wisconsin, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and Northern and Central Districts of Illinois; and the Illinois Supreme Court.
education
- Washington University in St. Louis, 1998, J.D.
- University of Tulsa, 1995, B.A., With Honors
