Eileen Sethna’s journey to becoming Partner and Practice Group Leader of Financial Services & Restructuring at Levenfeld Pearlstein has followed an unconventional path. She transitioned to law from hospitality, bringing a unique perspective that would shape her approach to legal practice. When it comes to the practice of law, she loves finding creative solutions to complex problems and advocating for her clients’ interests. She has combined this with her experience and knowledge to establish a robust and successful career.
Eileen sees practicing law as a privilege. For her, continuing to be successful in a competitive market while building relationships – both within and outside the firm – that are lasting, supportive, and fulfilling is a validating achievement.
Transitioning to Law from Hospitality
Eileen didn’t originally plan to pursue a career in the legal space. It is the hospitality industry where she grew up working. She began her career managing human resources for a convention hotel in Chicago with union and non-union employees. In this role, she was responsible for understanding and applying the collective bargaining agreements to managing union employees.
She explains that in the event there was a disagreement, or “grievance,” between a union employee and the hotel management team, a hearing would be held to determine the appropriate outcome by applying the contract to the situation. While preparing for and engaging in these grievance hearings, she became drawn to the legal field.
“It sparked my interest in pursuing a legal career,” Eileen says. Her first job as a freshly minted lawyer was with a creditor rights law firm.
Throughout her career, Eileen has handled jury trials for an insurance defense firm and handled distress workouts bench trials, bankruptcies and litigation. Currently, she represents landlords, lenders, and borrowers in a variety of complex transactions.
Dealing with Challenges
As a lawyer, Eileen has represented a diverse range of clients. She says it is a great privilege to be responsible for clients, colleagues, charities, community commitments, family, and children. “But, at the same time, it is a daunting privilege,” she adds. “So, learning to be patient with myself and mindful of my priorities is an ongoing and fluid challenge.”
She tries to overcome every challenge by staying focused and intentional. Eileen points out that being emotionally aware of her priorities helps her guard her time, manage her schedule, and attend to her tasks with greater mindfulness. “I work to show up, be brave, rest, and show up again,” she adds.
About Levenfeld Pearlstein
Levenfeld Pearlstein, founded in 1999, provides counsel on legal matters ranging from real estate and tax planning to trusts, IP, corporate, and litigation. It invests the time to deeply understand each client’s business and needs, and from this foundation, works together to achieve results. The firm was born of the desire to create a different kind of law firm – one that prioritizes collaborative relationships built on trust. It continues to be known for its commitment to culture and prioritization of collaboration.
Eileen highlights that every interaction between the client and the firm is essential to creating an exceptional experience. From onboarding and communication to legal services and billing, they ensure that everyone is equally committed to a culture of teamwork, service, and personal attention.
“I want all stakeholders – from clients to co-counsels to teammates – to feel that their experience with Levenfeld Pearlstein exceeds that of other firms, and to do this, everyone needs to be invested,” Eileen says.
Curating and Executing Exceptional Service
In June 2019, Eileen joined Levenfeld Pearlstein from Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., where she served as a Principal and Banking Practice Group Leader.
She is “incredibly proud” of – and “humbled by” – her role as leader of the firm’s Financial Services & Restructuring Group (FSRG) at Levenfeld Pearlstein. “I appreciate the trust the firm and the group’s members have placed in me to lead the group,” she says.
Under Eileen’s leadership, in four short years, the practice group’s size has more than doubled. “Because client service is the primary barometer of success,” she says, “I’m also especially proud of the positive experiences I’ve been able to provide my clients.”
For instance, they recently resolved a high-profile bankruptcy matter with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. Eileen led a team that obtained the largest “cure” awarded ever granted to a commercial landlord in connection with the assumption and assignment of a lease.
In every aspect of her life, Eileen is passionate about curating and executing exceptional service, a commitment shaped by her hospitality background. At Levenfeld Pearlstein, she has implemented planning, execution, and accountability practices as the group leader and, in doing so, integrated best practices in both internal and external firm relationships to foster a hospitality mindset and nurture a culture of excellence.
She also inspires her team and colleagues to cultivate a paradigm of distinction while consistently exceeding expectations.
Championing Each Other
Eileen is an exemplary leader who demonstrates empathy by understanding and caring about her team members’ needs and aspirations. She consistently recognizes and celebrates their achievements, which boosts their morale and motivation. Eileen actively promotes her team members’ strengths and accomplishments, helping them gain visibility and opportunities for advancement. She provides mentorship and resources for professional development, encouraging her team to take on challenging projects and grow their skills. Eileen maintains open and transparent communication, ensuring her team is well-informed and aligned with the organization’s goals. She creates a positive and inclusive work environment where team members feel valued and empowered to contribute their best.
Additionally, Eileen has a clear vision for her team’s success and works strategically to achieve it, inspiring her team to strive for excellence.
Engaging with Community
Eileen feels privileged to engage in charitable and philanthropic missions. She says that whether it is a firm-centric event, school or church service, Girl Scout or Boy Scout volunteering, or serving on boards, she strives to make the service of others central to her interactions.
As a member of the Women’s Board and Advisory Board of Misericordia and a mentor of Special Olympics of Illinois, Eileen works to raise awareness and funding for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Additionally, for several years, Eileen has volunteered with Girl Scouts’ Project Law Track, coaching a junior high/high school moot court trial team.
A Leader’s Responsibilities and Typical Day
As a Partner, Eileen engages with clients and counsel to negotiate and structure transactions, which help her clients achieve their business goals. Eileen’s typical day involves thinking about how to serve team members in a way that elevates individual attorneys, their practice group, and the firm. She has a demanding work schedule. So, how does she maintain a work-life balance? Eileen finds the concept of “balance” imperfect. “In my experience, there is no way to perfectly balance personal and professional responsibilities,” she says. She works to be ‘all-in’ in every minute of my day, no matter what she is doing or with whomever she is engaging.
“If, at the end of my day, I can honestly say that in every moment of my day, I tried my very best to be 100% present to whomever and/or in whatever task, that’s the most I can expect from myself,” Eileen shares.
Influencing the Next Generation Legal Professionals
Eileen emphasizes that being a lawyer is more challenging than it may seem. “Any expectation to the contrary is unreasonable,” she adds.
She believes that if lawyers want to grow and achieve, they must know when to ask for help and embrace constructive feedback. As she engages with her clients and colleagues, she is cognizant of letting her behavior exhibit a commitment to these values.
“In turn, I hope by leading by example and making myself accessible to the next generation of professionals, that they feel I am a resource who is invested in building their success,” Eileen says.
The Goal
Eileen’s goal is to continue showing up in the “most authentic” way to her clients, friends, family, and colleagues. In doing so, she strives to affirm the value of being hyper-attentive to others’ needs, creating an integrative experience, and training others to embody a distinguishing service mindset.
Advice to Aspiring Leaders
Eileen tells aspiring leaders to remember that nothing worth doing is easy. “So, if you are willing and committed to a career in service that is challenging and rewarding, you can do it,” she says. “Find patient mentors, honest peers, and a ton of good humor to humble you as you learn.”
