Amy Fisch Solomon

Solomon negotiated a $19 million global settlement with Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc. on behalf of about 80 female clients who suffered blood clots, strokes and other dangerous side effects associated with the use of birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin containing the hormone drospirenone. Bayer, which did not admit wrongdoing, was motivated to resolve the case, one of a number of lawsuits involving about 8,560 plaintiffs in the U.S., Solomon said.

"It was seven years of litigation, and we went back and forth for what seemed like forever," she said. "We were able to obtain a plethora of documentation and strong scientific evidence that made Bayer very nervous." Her clients' individual claims are now before a special master. "I put together packages of medical evidence, bills and evidence of lost earnings, and [the special master] comes up with allocations," Solomon said.

With that case all but over, Solomon said she redefined her practice in 2015. "I made a little bit of a shift in my focus," she said. "From lead trial attorney I moved to a very heavy mentoring and teaching role. I began with the extremely talented young lawyers at our firm and zeroed in on aspects of civility and professionalism. Also, I was asked by my alma mater, Loyola Law School, to talk on the same subject to 30 to 40 recent graduates" in a course she called boot camp.

Solomon said she tried to instill in the Loyola students the values that have always been in place at Girardi & Keese. "I started as a law clerk here 30 years ago, and I have enjoyed every minute of the positive atmosphere here" as she rose to partner, she said. "It can be a struggle for law school graduates, because civility and professionalism are not really part of the law school curriculum. That puts new lawyers in the position of adopting their new employer's policies and practices. That can be good or not so good."

She criticized the trend of some firms who take what she called a "war zone" approach. "That mentality turns zealous advocacy into scorched earth tactics. That's not a good thing, because you lose civility in the process."

? John Roemer