James S. Whitehead practiced employment and labor law with the Chicago office of Sidley Austin LLP for 42 years. He joined Sidley after clerking for the Honorable John Paul Stevens on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He received his BA degree from Yale University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and his JD from the Law School (cum laude, Order of the Coif).

Mr. Whitehead has had extensive experience in employment litigation in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies, including in cases involving discrimination, harassment, wage-hour, and other federal and state statutory and common law claims. He represented the nation's railroads in employment and labor relations cases arising under the Railway Labor Act and other transportation statutes. He also has handled over 60 employment and labor cases at the appellate level, including cases in the United States Supreme Court, and nine of the federal circuit courts of appeals.