Overview
Rachel B. Cowen focuses her practice in various employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases in federal and state courts.
Rachel’s experience includes prosecuting and defending employee mobility and trade secret litigation on an emergency injunctive basis. She also counsels employers facing union organizing activity and picketing, and has successfully tried numerous cases before the National Labor Relations Board. She also handles collective bargaining and labor arbitrations. Additionally, Rachel represents financial services companies and professional engineering firms in unfair competition cases.
Rachel serves as the global co-head of McDermott’s Employment Practice Group.
Results
- Obtained $20 million for a multinational insurance company—one of the largest awards ever in a non-compete/raiding case*
- Obtained a favorable defense verdict in whistleblower case on behalf of a multinational insurance company*
- Prevailed in a FINRA arbitration on behalf of insurance company, where a highly compensated executive alleged U5 defamation*
- Obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) against former sales executives who left a technology supply company and started up a competitive business. A TRO was entered even though there was no non-compete agreement, pursuant to the inevitable disclosure doctrine under the Illinois Trade Secret Act*
- Obtained summary judgment for a multinational financial services company in an age discrimination claim in which the EEOC had issued a finding of probable cause*
- Obtained summary judgment for an automotive and industrial technology company in a national origin discrimination claim, even though the plaintiff alleged that his manager told him directly that he was paid less because he was Brazilian*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.
Recognitions
- The Legal 500 US, 2020-2024
- Thomson Reuters, Stand-out Lawyer – independently rated lawyers, 2024-2025
- Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law – Management, 2022-2025
- Benchmark Litigation, Labor & Employment Star. 2020
- Chambers USA, 2019 and 2024
Community
- College of Labor & Employment, fellow
Credentials
Education
Chicago-Kent College of Law, JD, with high honors, Order of the Coif, 1993
Eastern Illinois University, BA, 1990
Admissions
Illinois
