Nilofer Umar
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
Nilofar Umar represents corporations, boards of directors and directors and officers in federal securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, M&A litigation, proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in connection with shareholder demands and special committee investigations. Described in Chambers USA as an “outstanding” litigator, clients say that Nilofer has “great people skill and great judgment” (2023). Nilofer has defended securities and shareholder matters around the country for clients including Walgreens, Caterpillar, Discover Financial Services, Allstate, NiSource, Power Solutions, Cabela’s, Diplomat Pharmacy, Keurig, Platform Specialty Products, Beam, West Corporation, CNO Financial Group and others. She is ranked by Chambers USA within the Litigation: Securities – Illinois category (2021–2023). Earlier in her career, Nilofer was recognized as a “Notable Rising Star in Law” by Crain’s Chicago Business; as one of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch” by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin; by Law360 as a Rising Star in the area of Securities Litigation; by The Legal 500 as a Next Generation Lawyer in the area of M&A Litigation; and by Leading Lawyers as an Emerging Lawyer in the areas of Directors & Officers Liability Law and Commercial Litigation. Nilofer is Chicago co-chair of Sidley’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. She serves as a member of the board of directors CARPLS, Cook County’s largest provider of free legal services. She is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow. She was a Co-Chair (Programming) of the 2021 Annual Meeting of the National Association of Women Lawyers. Prior to joining the firm, Nilofer clerked for the Honorable David H. Coar in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.