Anne McClain Sidrys, P.C.
Overview
Anne Sidrys is a litigation partner in Chicago. She is a Certified Public Accountant and, prior to law school, worked for five years as an auditor for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte & Touche). Given her financial background and accounting experience, Anne focuses her practice on financial and complex commercial litigation and contract disputes. In her more than 25 years at Kirkland, she has handled a number of lawsuits and disputes involving contracts, Information Technology (IT) outsourcing agreements, fraud, non-competes, accounting malpractice, products liability, securities claims and a number of class action lawsuits.
In addition, Anne has chaired a number of trials, including a breach of contract/fraud action for IBM in Minnesota District Court and a trial in the Southern District of New York for Motorola, that involved fraudulent transfer and preference claims — both of which resulted in complete victories for her clients. Anne was featured in the November 2015 National Law Journal "Winning" contest for her work on the IBM/Carlson trial. She was also featured in the “Big Suits” article in The American Lawyer for her work in the Motorola/Iridium bankruptcy matter. She was named as a 2012 BTI Client Service Super All-Star and as a favorite litigator by the BTI Consulting Group in its 2012 Client Service All-Stars report. In 2014, Law360 featured Anne in the article “Female Powerbrokers Q&A” for her work in litigation. Anne was also named to Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” list from 2014 to 2020. Anne was recognized as one of two “favorite outside counsel” in commercial litigation by IBM’s then General Counsel in The Wall Street Journal. In 2018, Crain's Chicago Business named Anne to its second annual list of “Chicago's Notable Women Lawyers.” Anne was recognized in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers list and Law Bulletin Media’s Leading Lawyers in 2019.
Anne was also featured in the following articles for her role in K&E Parenting Link, a program she co-founded to respond to questions and issues raised by parents at Kirkland: Law Firm’s Luncheon Meetings Hit the High Points – “On Parenting,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 3, 2005; “The Daddy Diaries, Fathers Juggle Work, Kids, and Stress, Too,” The Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2005.
Summary of Professional Experience
Kirkland & Ellis, 1993–present (Partner since 1998)
The Honorable James B. Moran, Northern District of Illinois, 1992–1993 (Judicial Clerk)
Deloitte, Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte & Touche), 1984–1989 (Audit Manager)
Distinctions
Certified Public Accountant, 1985
Experience
Representative Matters
Trials
Carlson, Inc. v. IBM Corporation (D. Minn.): Represented IBM Corporation in a $360 million lawsuit brought by Carlson alleging breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud in relation to outsourcing services performed by IBM. IBM brought a counterclaim against Carlson for failure to pay early contract termination fees. Complete victory for IBM: $0 awarded to Carlson and the full $20 million counterclaim awarded to IBM.
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Iridium LLC v. Motorola, Inc. (S.D.N.Y.): Led the Kirkland team for Motorola in a multibillion dollar fraudulent conveyance and preference action brought by Unsecured Creditors against Motorola. Anne chaired the six-month trial which resulted in complete victory for Motorola as $0 was awarded to the Unsecured Creditors on their $3.8 billion claim.
Procter & Gamble v. Stoneham (Ohio Ct. Comm. Pl.; Ohio Ct. App.): Represented executive in non-compete action brought by Procter & Gamble. Tried case to successful verdict.
Complex Commercial Litigation
IBM
Carlson Inc. v. IBM
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Discussed above. Complete victory for IBM at trial. Court awarded plaintiff nothing, and awarded IBM its entire counter claim.
Bowman, et al. v. IBM, et al.
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Represented IBM in class action pending in the Southern District of Indiana alleging §1983, negligence and breach of contract claims against IBM and its subcontractors relating to prior IBM contract with the State of Indiana.
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Successfully opposed class certification. Case successfully resolved.
Land v. John Doe, et al.
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Represented IBM in lawsuit pending in the Southern District of Indiana alleging §1983 and negligence.
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Successful dismissal of action on motion to dismiss.
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Successful appeal before the Seventh Circuit.
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Refiled lawsuit in Indiana State Court; dismissed on motion to dismiss.
Gibson v. IBM; Novak v. IBM
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Represented IBM in lawsuit pending in the Southern District of Indiana alleging §1983 and negligence in connection with IBM’s prior contract with the State of Indiana. Case successfully resolved.
IBM Various Contract Disputes
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Handle (and have handled and resolved) a number of commercial disputes involving IBM outsourcing contracts.
Revlon
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Represent Revlon in various contract/employment disputes.
Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Iridium LLC v. Motorola, Inc.
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Discussed above. Tried $3.8 billion fraudulent conveyance and preference action brought against Motorola in New York bankruptcy court. Complete victory for Motorola as the Unsecured Creditors were awarded $0 on the $3.8 billion claim.
Memorylink Corp. v. Motorola, Inc.
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Represented Motorola in patent infringement and fraud action.
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Successful summary judgment; affirmed on appeal before Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Memorylink Corp. v. Motorola, et al. (Legal Malpractice)
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Represented Motorola and individuals in malpractice case filed against the Company and various individuals.
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Successful dismissal of action on motion to dismiss.
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Affirmed on appeal to Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Other
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Represent Motorola in various contract/non-compete disputes.
In Re General Motors LLC Ignition Switch Litigation (S.D.N.Y.)
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Representing GM in more than 250 class action and personal injury lawsuits and other civil litigation arising out of GM’s voluntary recalls relating to ignition switches, power steering, and numerous other recalls relating to safety, customer satisfaction, and other matters that have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation.
JMB Realty v. Alright Parking
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Represented JMB Realty in contract action. Tried case to successful verdict.
Securities Fraud, Accountants’ Liability and Financial Litigation/Investigations
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Silverman v. Motorola, et al.: Represented Motorola and individual defendants in federal securities class action litigation pending in the Northern District of Illinois.
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Williams/Cinotto Shareholder Derivative Litigation: Represented Motorola and its officers and directors in shareholder derivative action in Illinois State Court.
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St. Lucie Pension Fund v. Motorola, et al.: Represented Motorola and individual defendants in federal securities class action litigation in the Northern District of Illinois. Successful resolution on motion to dismiss.
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Waber v. Brown, et al.: Represented Motorola and its Officers and Directors in shareholder derivative action in the Northern District of Illinois. Successful resolution on motion to dismiss.
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M&C Partners III v. Galvin, et al.: Represented Motorola Board of Directors of Motorola, Inc. in shareholder derivative action brought in Illinois state court. Successful dismissal of action after briefing and arguments on motion to dismiss.
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Warner v. Parkinson et al.: Represented Baxter International, Inc. in shareholder derivative action pending in Lake County, Illinois.
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Baldwin v. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP: Represented PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in accounting malpractice/negligence misrepresentation action in Illinois state court.
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CBeyond, Inc. Derivative Action: Represented Madison Dearborn Partners in derivative action brought in Georgia state court.
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In re Red Hat, Inc. Securities Litigation & Derivative Actions: Represented PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 federal securities litigation, and in related shareholder derivative action. PwC dismissed from both lawsuits after filing/briefing motions to dismiss.
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Rivera v. Parkinson, et al.: Represented PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in shareholder derivative lawsuit.
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In re Norand Securities Litigation: Represented accounting/auditing firm in federal securities litigation.
SEC/DOJ Investigations/Litigation
Pharmaceutical Pricing Litigation
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Represented Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation and its subsidiaries (Roxane Laboratories, Inc., Ben Venue Laboratories, and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) in more than 25 state AG lawsuits and DOJ actions involving claims relating to pharmaceutical pricing and state reimbursement.
SEC — Chicago Office
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Represented outside Board of Directors for large financial institution in SEC investigation.
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Represented venture capital company and individuals in SEC inquiry re potential insider trading.
SEC — Washington, D.C., Office
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Represented telecom company in SEC investigation.
SEC — Atlanta Office
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Represented accounting firm in SEC investigation.
Clerk & Government Experience
Judicial ClerkHonorable James B. MoranUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois1992–1993
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Memberships & Affiliations
- Member, Illinois and Minnesota Bar
Trial Bar, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Litigation Counsel of America- Fellow, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
- Instructor, Accounting Theory & the Law
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 1992Illinois
Courts
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois1993
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit1994
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit1994
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit2010
Education
- Georgetown University Law CenterJ.D.
magna cum laude
1992Order of the Coif
Associate Editor, The Georgetown University Law Review
- University of IowaB.B.A.with Highest Distinction/Honors1984