Sylvia Nichole Winston
Professional Profile
Sylvia Nichole Winston is a litigation associate in Kirkland's Chicago office and focuses her practice on civil litigation in federal and state courts, including complex commercial, environmental, products liability, mass tort/toxic tort and class action matters. In addition, Sylvia maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in civil rights lawsuits against various entities.
Sylvia is experienced in various phases of civil litigation, including all aspects of discovery, working with experts, preparing witnesses to testify at depositions, deposing fact witnesses, preparing briefing for dispositive and nondispositive motions, and trial preparation.
Representative Matters
Litigation Matters:
Represented major oil company in ongoing multidistrict litigation arising from the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico.
Represented major oil company in ongoing multidistrict litigation brought by states and other municipalities seeking damages under theories of strict liability, public nuisance, trespass, negligence and natural resources damages from exposure to MTBE from groundwater contamination.
Represented e-commerce company in putative class action lawsuits involving claims of false advertising, fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract and violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Represented major domestic automobile manufacturer in arbitrations in Illinois and Wisconsin, under the Federal Dealer Arbitration Act, Section 747 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 (Public Law 111-117).
Represented major airline in its tax litigation against the State of Illinois protesting its payment of Illinois franchise taxes. Favorable settlement reached shortly before trial.
Represented creditors (reinsurance companies) seeking millions of dollars in damages in the bankruptcy proceedings of Lehman Brothers. Case settled on favorable terms.
Represented major domestic automobile manufacturer in lawsuit brought by former employees alleging breach of contract, promissory estoppel, fraud, tortious interference with contract and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. Case settled on favorable terms on the eve of trial.
Pro Bono Matters:
Represented Illinois state prisoners in civil rights lawsuits against the Illinois Department of Corrections and Wexford Health Sources Inc. for inadequate medical care. Cases settled on favorable terms prior to trial.
Represented client in a civil rights lawsuit against his former employer involving claims for racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation. Favorable settlement reached before trial.
Represented class members in a class action lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services seeking a temporary restraining order and a mandatory injunction. Case involved claims of discrimination in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to U.S. Constitution. After the court granted the temporary restraining order, case settled on favorable terms prior to trial.
Represented federal prisoner in his criminal appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals appealing convictions for wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft and raising sentencing issues. Argued before Judge Joel Flaum, Judge Ilana Rovner and Judge Diane Wood. U.S. v. Aslan, 644 F.3d 526 (7th Cir. 2011).
Memberships & Affiliations
Associate Board, The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms
Scholarship Fund Board, Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, Inc.
Member, Kirkland & Ellis Diversity Leadership Series Planning Committee
Member, Kirkland & Ellis Women's Leadership Initiative Planning Committee
Member, Duke Law Club of Chicago
Member, American Bar Association
Mentor, LINK Unlimited
Other Distinctions
Recipient, Kirkland & Ellis Pro Bono Service Award, 2009-2011
Recipient, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Award, 2011
Prior Experience
Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P., Kansas City, Missouri
Summer Associate, Summers 2005 and 2006
Courts
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Illinois State Court
