Crystal Woods
Crystal Woods has a diverse legal practice involving labor and employment and complex commercial litigation, with a primary focus on litigating disputes and counseling on matters implicating trade secrets, restrictive covenants and fiduciary duties.
She has successfully represented clients in a range of disputes before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitration panels, including disputes involving enforcement of employment agreements and restrictive covenants; workplace discrimination, retaliation and harassment; wage-and-hour class and collective actions; and a variety of tort and complex contractual matters. She has significant experience defending and prosecuting high-stakes claims involving business entity separations, executive departures, and the usurpation of corporate opportunities by former high-level employees – cases that often require emergency injunctive relief. Her background in the fiduciary duty arena also includes conducting internal investigations, assisting clients in civil and criminal matters before regulatory bodies and defending shareholder derivative actions.
Crystal regularly advises companies on employment aspects of significant business transactions, including overseeing due diligence of a target's employment practices and counseling on executive employment, separation and restrictive covenant agreements. She also counsels employers on compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and regulations, and on litigation avoidance measures.
Prior Professional Experience
DLA Piper LLP (US) – 2021- 2025 (partner)
Winston & Strawn LLP – 2009 – 2021 (elected partner in 2014)
Seyfarth Shaw LLP – 2006 – 2009 (associate)
Bar & Court Admissions
Illinois
California
Supreme Court of the United States
United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Central District of California
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Publications
Author, Workplace Harassment Law (BNA) (2018)
Author, "A More Mobility-Friendly Approach to Non-Competes in Illinois?" Law360 (April 2018)
Author, "President Obama Signs Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act," IPWatchdog (May 2016)
Author, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Labor Law Handbook (2010, 2013)
Author, Workplace Harassment Law (BNA) (2012)
Editor, The Developing Labor Law (2009, 2010)
Award and Recognitions
Named among 500 Leading US Corporate Employment Lawyers by Lawdragon (2021-2025)
Named a Benchmark Litigation "Labor and Employment Star" (2018-2024)
Named a finalist for Benchmark Litigation's "Labor & Employment Illinois Attorney of the Year" award (2019)
Named an "Up and Comer" in the editions of Lawdragon, Human Resources Executive's Guide to The Most Powerful Corporate Employment Lawyers (2018-2020)
The Legal 500 United States
Recommended, Labor and Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense (2022)
Next Generation Lawyer, Labor and Employment Disputes - Defense (2017-2020)
Education
The University of Michigan Law School, J.D. 2005
ABA-BNA Labor Law Award
Editor, Journal of Law Reform
Columbia University, B.A. (History) 2001
Dean’s List, 1997 – 2001