Abigail Cahak

Ms. Abigail Cahak is an associate in the Labor & Employment Department in the Chicago office of  Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Her practice focuses on single and multi-plaintiff claims of discrimination, retaliation, and harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act and other state and local statutes as well as claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and other state and local wage and hour laws.

She often represents clients in proceedings before state and federal courts, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Ms. Cahak counsels and advises clients with legal and practical advice on litigation matters as well as day-to-day issues that affect their business operations.

She regularly advises clients in the transportation, retail, hospitality, and staffing industries on subjects such as employee classification, off-the-clock work, tip credit use, and alleged discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. For example, Ms. Cahak has recently defended:

• A national retail client against allegations of gender discrimination for a failure to promote;
• A national transportation client against allegations of driver misclassification; and
• A regional hospitality client against allegations of improper tip credit use.

Ms. Cahak has completed all coursework in Seyfarth Retail University, which demonstrates her ongoing commitment to clients in the retail industry. She has also completed all of the courses which comprise Seyfarth’s Labor University and is a certified member of Seyfarth’s Labor Team.

Ms. Cahak is actively involved in the firm’s pro bono efforts and frequently represents clients in their applications for asylum and in Immigration Court proceedings. She is also Co-Chair of the Junior Leadership Board of the National Immigrant Justice Center.

Education:

• J.D., University of Illinois College of Law, magna cum laude (2013)
  • Production Editor, University of Illinois Journal of Law, Technology, & Policy(2012-2013)
• B.A., Politics, University of York, England, with honours (2009)

Affiliations:

• American Bar Association