The following is an excerpt from Practice Perspectives: Vault's Guide to Legal Practice Areas.
Lindsey Lusk, Associate—Aerospace and Defense Litigation
Lindsey Lusk helps clients navigate complex civil litigation, particularly in the aerospace and defense industries. Lindsey has a broad range of litigation experience in federal and state courts as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. She has played a key role in litigating multi-million-dollar disputes, taking cases to trial, and securing settlements.
As a former journalist, Lindsey brings a seasoned approach to fact investigation and helping clients assess potential and ongoing litigation. She has assisted clients in complex disputes, including those involving suppliers, customers, and the U.S. government, as well as in navigating various regulatory issues.
Lindsey also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in criminal and civil matters. Her pro bono victories include winning asylum for a client fleeing political persecution and successfully negotiating with the state of Illinois to change regulations governing Medicare recipients’ access to life-saving medication. Lindsey has been recognized by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for her commitment to pro bono work. She is a member of the firm’s Associates Committee, Wellness Committee, and the Family Friendly Task Force.
Describe your practice area and what it entails.
My primary practice group is our Aerospace and Defense Team. We are a sector-focus team that represents clients in the aerospace and defense industries. We handle litigation, investigation, and regulatory work in these industries.
What types of clients do you represent?
As a litigator in the Aerospace and Defense Team, I work with a lot of interesting clients who are leaders in very dynamic industries, including companies like Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and General Dynamics Information Technology. I’ve also worked with a diverse set of clients outside my primary practice area, including clients in the real estate, automotive, and beauty retail sectors.
What types of cases/deals do you work on?
The cases I work on are exciting, complex, high-stakes litigation. They can range from things like novel contract disputes to consumer class actions to investigations and litigation over fraud. The thing I love most about my cases is the challenge in distilling what can often be a complex set of facts or contractual language into a compelling and accessible story.
How did you choose this practice area?
I fell in love with my practice area completely by accident. I started working with aerospace clients in my third year of practice because of a mentoring relationship with a partner at the firm. I didn’t know much about the industry, clients, or subject matter, but I immediately found the work to be exciting and engaging. Sometimes, the subject matter of the disputes is highly technical, and I enjoy the challenge of learning and becoming an expert in new subject matter and then taking that expertise and turning it into compelling advocacy. In addition to the quality of the work, the clients are fantastic to work with and trusted and supported me in opportunities even as a more junior associate. When it came time to choose a practice area, it was a no brainer for me.
What is a typical day like and/or what are some common tasks you perform?
I love this question because the truth is, there is no typical day! One of the things I love about litigation in general is the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of the work. You may sit down one morning thinking you’re going to write a brief, only to have an unexpected motion filed that you need to react to, or a call from a client regarding an urgent matter. The dynamic nature of the work is especially true in my practice area, where our clients often interface with the federal government, which can require more time-sensitive responses. Even though no day is typical, there are common types of work I regularly do, including team meetings and strategy sessions (strategizing is one of my favorite things you don’t really learn in law school but is so key to practice!), research and drafting, client calls, and fact investigation and interviews.
What training, classes, experience, or skills development would you recommend to someone who wishes to enter your practice area?
I think if you want to be a litigator in this practice group, you should first focus on experiential courses that get you on your feet practicing basic litigation. Think trial advocacy classes, clinics, or classes on client counseling. Then, for my practice area, I would recommend getting involved in organizations that focus on the aerospace and defense industries, like a bar association with a section on aerospace law.
What do you like best about your practice area?
I like the context in which issues are litigated in my practice area. For example, if it’s a contract dispute in the industries I work with, the stakes are high. It’s not necessarily just a case seeking damages. There are often far-reaching implications, ranging from significant safety concerns to implications with government regulations. Those settings make the cases extra interesting, the facts a little more complicated, and the ability to successfully advocate a little more rewarding.
What are some typical tasks that a junior lawyer would perform in this practice area?
In my practice area, junior associates can hit the ground running. At Jenner & Block, we’re a smaller practice group, and we staff our cases very leanly. So, junior associates are given a lot of responsibility and substantive opportunities. You can expect to engage with clients, to be heavily involved in fact investigation—including taking the lead on interviews—and to have opportunities to research case law and assist in drafting substantive motions.
What kinds of experience can summer associates gain at this practice area at your firm?
We treat summer associates like they are actual junior associates, so we give them real, substantive work that we need assistance with. This includes research and writing opportunities, including for work product that will go directly to clients. Summer associates will also have the opportunity to participate in team meetings and strategy sessions, assist in fact investigation, and engage in other experiential opportunities that might be available over the summer, such as observing depositions, attending hearings, etc.
What are some typical career paths for lawyers in this practice area?
There are a lot of options in this practice area! You can stay in private practice at a firm, go in-house at a client in the aerospace or defense industry, or go to work at a government agency.