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Margo Wolf O'Donnell

Co-Chair, Labor & Employment Practice Group; Co-Chair, DEI Committee
Chicago
T.
312.212.4982
liamE

“Margo is a phenomenal litigator who engages in thought leadership."

"She is incredibly responsive, pragmatic and truly a joy to work with.”

- Chambers USA

“Margo is a phenomenal litigator who engages in thought leadership."

"She is incredibly responsive, pragmatic and truly a joy to work with.”

- Chambers USA

"Margo is a great lawyer and is very helpful. She knows her subject matter expertly."
"Margo is terrific. She is very responsive and gives us what we need in a timely and efficient manner."
- Chambers USA

Margo is a nationally recognized employment attorney with more than twenty-five years of experience litigating complex and “bet the company” employment claims. Margo's cases involve high stakes restrictive covenants and trade secrets, whistleblower claims, wage-and-hour issues, and statutory claims of harassment and discrimination. Margo also acts as a crisis manager and business advisor to her clients on best practices for workplace safety, compensation, leave issues, employment agreements, diversity and inclusion, individual and group discharges, and internal investigations. She has been widely recognized as one of the top employment attorneys in the country. 

Margo serves as outside employment counsel for many clients nationwide. Clients praise Margo’s ability to contribute to a “positive, productive and inclusive work environment for employees” and describe her advocacy as “persistent, smart, tough and innovative.”

Margo is ranked in Chambers USA and is listed as a Labor & Employment Star in Benchmark Litigation.  She has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and Illinois Super Lawyers. Crain’s named Margo to its lists of the “Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago” and “Most Notable Women Executives.” Best Lawyers named Margo as one of 15 “Women of Influence” in the legal profession nationwide. She holds an “AV Preeminent” Peer Rating by Martindale-Hubbell (the highest possible rating).

Margo’s litigation experience ranges from the defense of one of the largest race discrimination class actions in history to two-party restrictive covenant disputes. Recent wins include:

  • A judgment in favor of a trading firm in a noncompete case pending in both state court and in an arbitral forum, which included the recovery of attorneys’ fees for Margo’s client;
  • The dismissal of a federal court lawsuit alleging statutory employment claims brought against one of the largest diagnostic testing companies in the world;
  • The dismissal of wage-and-hour class action brought against a national call center;
  • The dismissal of a breach of contract lawsuit brought against a steel manufacturer involving claims to a $6 million bonus;
  • The entry of summary judgment in cases involving claims of discrimination and harassment;
  • The successful resolution of hundreds of employment claims;
  • Sensitive and high level investigations relating to whistleblower claims brought against Fortune 500 companies and group terminations of executives.

Margo has devoted significant time to mentoring and supporting the success of women and diverse attorneys. Margo currently co-chairs Benesch’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. She is the founder of and currently leads B-Sharp, Benesch’s professional development program for women in-house attorneys. B-Sharp has provided programming and networking opportunities to hundreds of in-house lawyers since its founding. For this work, Chambers & Partners recognized Margo as an “Inspiring Role Model Promoting Gender Diversity.” Margo also is a Corporate Counsel 2018 and 2020 Women, Influence, & Power in Law Honoree.

Margo is Past President and recipient of the Leadership Award of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law. She is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. Margo serves on the Boards of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law, the Yale Alumni Fund, the Yale Club of Chicago, the Women’s Board of the University of Chicago, and the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.

  • Labor & Employment
  • Employment Litigation & Counseling
  • Contract, Business, Commercial & Consumer Disputes
  • Litigation
  • Dialysis, Nephrology, and Vascular Access
  • Trade Secrets, Restrictive Covenants & Unfair Competition
  • Retail & E-Commerce
  • Food & Beverage
  • Transportation & Logistics
  • University of Michigan Law School, 1994, J.D.
  • Yale University, 1990, B.A.
    • Magna Cum Laude with distinction in history
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
  • Named, Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer, 2024-2025
  • Listed, Crain’s Chicago Notable Leaders in Employment & Labor Law, 2023
  • Listed, The National Law Journal’s 2023 Employment & Discrimination Law Trailblazer
  • "2023 Top Lawyers Women Leaders," Leading Lawyers
  • "2023 Top Lawyers HR-Related," Leading Lawyers
  • Best Lawyers®, Commercial Litigation; Employment Law - Management, Lawyer of the Year, 2023, 2024
  • Listed, Best Lawyers® "Best Lawyer®", Employment Law Law, 2025
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, Employment Litigation, 2023-2025
  • Listed, Chambers USA Leading Lawyers, Labor & Employment, 2021-2024
  • Listed, Crain’s Chicago Notable Women Executives over 50 List 2020
  • Listed, Crain's Chicago Notable Women in Law, 2018 and 2020
  • Listed, Benchmark Litigation, Labor & Employment Star, 2020-2024
  • Martindale-Hubbell, “AV Preeminent” Peer Rating
  • Crain’s Chicago, 2017 “Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago”
  • “Top 10 Women Employment Management Attorneys in Illinois,” Leading Lawyers
  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America©, Commercial Litigation; Employment Law 2013-2023
  • Best Lawyers in America, recognized as a “Woman of Influence” in the legal profession
  • Chambers & Partners, 2017 shortlist for “Inspiring Role Model Promoting Gender Diversity”
  • Law Bulletin Publishing Company, recognized in its editions of “40 Under 40 Hall of Fame” and "Women Making an Impact"
  • Top 100 Attorneys in Illinois, Illinois Super Lawyers, 2014-2017
  • Top 50 Women Attorneys in Illinois, Illinois Super Lawyers, 2013-2017
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Board of Directors, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
  • Board of Directors, Woman’s Athletic Club
  • Women’s Board, University of Chicago
  • Board of Directors, Yale Club of Chicago
  • Women's Advisory Board Member, Chicago Lawyer magazine
  • Past President and National Board Member, Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law
  • Member, B-Sharp Professional Network for Women In-House Attorneys

Highlights

Articles and Presentations
January 14, 2025
Illinois Employers Take Note: Several New Requirements for Illinois Employers in 2025
October 22, 2024
FTC Appeals Noncompete Ban Ruling
October 16, 2024
Illinois Employers Take Note: New Pay Transparency Requirements Go into Effect in 2025

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News
March 26, 2025
Margo Wolf O'Donnell Profiled in Law360 on Advice from Women Law Firm Leaders to Associates
March 4, 2025
Thomson Reuters Honors 13 Benesch Attorneys as 2025 “Stand-Out Lawyers”
January 23, 2025
17 Benesch Attorneys Selected to 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

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