Celebrating Black History Month 2021

In honor of Black History Month 2021, featured on this page is a profile series highlighting the successful careers and contributions of current Sidley partners Byron F. Taylor and Deeona R. Gaskin, and Sidley associates Toi K. Carrion, J. Simone Jones, and Teri H. Peeples.

Byron Taylor is a partner and a member of the firm’s Environmental practice group. He joined the firm as an associate in 1990 and became a partner in 1998. Byron is also a long-serving member on Sidley’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee in Chicago.

“This was exactly what I was looking for at the time, a combination of litigation, policy work, negotiations with regulators, and even the occasional conversation with the local sheriff as an added bonus.”

You have been a leading and well-regarded practitioner in the Environmental practice group for almost 30 years. What are some of the most memorable matters that you have worked on?

There have been so many over the years, but I’ll never forget the first significant matter I worked on with our retired partner, Jim Cahan. As a young associate, the issues presented were fascinating to me. We represented a former owner of what was then an abandoned industrial site. The buyer of the site had gone bankrupt and dissolved, the site contained a small mountain of radioactive waste, surrounded by open ponds of acid runoff, the state refused to take title to the property, and scavengers were constantly trespassing onto the site to take scrap steel and anything else of value. This was exactly what I was looking for at the time, a combination of litigation, policy work, negotiations with regulators, and even the occasional conversation with the local sheriff, as an added bonus.

Deeona R. Gaskin is a partner in Sidley's Food, Drug and Medical Device Compliance and Enforcement group in the firm’s office in Washington, D.C.

To begin with—congratulations are in order! You were elected to Sidley’s 2021 new partnership class a few weeks ago. What does it feel like to reach this career milestone? Who is the first person you called immediately after you learned you were elected partner?

It feels great to reach this goal and milestone. I have been fortunate to receive amazing support and mentorship, not only from the partners in the FDA group, but broadly across the firm as well. Over the years, partners have provided me with numerous opportunities to counsel on significant matters. I’m excited to continue to help our clients innovate for patients and the public health.

The first person I called was my mom! She was very excited.

You joined Sidley in 2016 following a successful career as the Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). What are some of the most impactful matters that you handled while at the FDA?

I helped the agency take enforcement and judicial action when the FDA determined it was needed to bring companies into compliance with the law or to protect the public health due to an issue with a certain product. That was meaningful to me as someone committed to public health. One highlight was work I did when there was an outbreak of liver illnesses. I worked with a cross-functional team to help make sure that the product allegedly linked to the outbreak was removed from the market.

At Sidley, among many other things, you have advised clients with COVID-19-related issues, including, for example, providing advice and counsel to clients concerning newly issued FDA guidance documents. What has been most rewarding for you as you help clients navigate these extraordinary circumstances?

Too many lives have been lost and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — disproportionately so in minority communities. It’s hard not to feel frustrated and powerless. The life sciences industry has really stepped up to confront the pandemic. I feel fortunate to be able to support these efforts related to COVID-19 countermeasures.

You also serve on CAIR Coalition’s Legal Advisory Committee. What attracted you to CAIR? Can you tell us about your work and leadership role with the organization?

My parents and many of my family members are immigrants, and I care a lot about immigration issues. CAIR Coalition does amazing work to help give asylum-seekers and other immigrants a fighting chance in our legal system. My clients are resilient and courageous. It’s a privilege to have the incredible opportunity to serve on the Legal Advisory Committee.

What city in the U.S. or aboard is your favorite and why?

I don’t have a favorite! I love to travel and explore different places and discover my favorite parts of each city.

J. Simone Jones is an associate in Sidley’s Environmental practice group in the firm’s office in Washington, D.C. She also leads the Washington, D.C. chapter of Sidley’s Women of Color Initiative.

“At a high-level, my most impactful investigations and litigations are those where I am able to achieve the clients’ desired outcomes. Clients place a lot of trust in us to handle their largest and most important matters, and when we deliver the results that clients want, it feels good.”

You are a successful senior associate in the Environmental practice group. What drew you to the Environmental practice, and what are some of the most impactful deals or matters you have worked on while at Sidley?

I began my career as a White Collar and General Litigation associate. My White Collar practice consisted of defending against and investigating claims of bribery and alleged violations of criminal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other federal statutes; conducting internal investigations; and responding to government subpoenas. My Litigation practice, on the other hand, primarily consisted of defending automobile manufacturers in consumer class actions and representing clients in other complex commercial litigations. After working for years on several large environmental investigations and other environmental matters, I transitioned to the Environmental practice group where I continue to lead investigations and litigations, but primarily in cases with an environmental focus.

I was drawn to the Environmental practice by the varied subject matter and by the one thing that all of the cases on which I work have in common: they are highly technical. The technical nature of the cases allows me the opportunity to use my science and public health backgrounds in understanding the issues and, ultimately, in advancing successful arguments on behalf of my clients.

At a high-level, my most impactful investigations and litigations are those where I am able to achieve the clients’ desired outcomes. Clients place a lot of trust in us to handle their largest and most important matters, and when we deliver the results that clients want, it feels good. In terms of specifics, we defended a client in several government investigations that — we believe — were precipitated by claims made by company whistleblowers. After years of hard work and regular engagement with the government agencies, most of the agencies have indicated that they will not pursue criminal or other charges against our client — and the remaining agency has expressed a similar view, although its decision is not yet final.

You also maintain an active pro bono practice, correct?

Yes, I represent a class of veterans unlawfully denied certain combat-related special compensation. We were able to obtain certification of the class and prevailed on a motion that decided the sole legal issue in the case. The litigation is ongoing but, if we ultimately prevail, thousands of veterans — men and women who have served the country — will obtain the compensation denied to this point. This case has special meaning to me because my dad, who passed away in 2017, was a Vietnam veteran. He was devoted to helping his fellow veterans, and I feel that I am following in his steps and honoring his legacy by litigating this case on behalf of my veteran clients.

In addition to success in your practice area, you help lead an important and successful D&I initiative – Sidley’s Women of Color Initiative.

Yes, I lead the Women of Color (WOC) Initiative in the Washington, D.C. office. The WOC Initiative began several years ago as a pilot program in our New York office to provide Sidley’s women of color lawyers with more valuable networking and mentorship opportunities with firm leadership. It was so successful under the leadership of co-founders Teri Peeples and Toi Carrion, the Initiative will be expanded to our Boston, Chicago, Greater Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. offices.

My overall priority for the WOC Initiative in the Washington, D.C. office is to build an inclusive community of women of color lawyers — one where the members empower, uplift, support, and encourage one another. I started a similar group in Sidley’s Chicago office, although informally so. The group brought together Black associates from various practice groups. We grew to know and trust one another, and we now are each other’s biggest fans, gathering — now virtually — to celebrate each other’s successes and encouraging one another in the hard times. I’m working to replicate this same experience with the WOC Initiative. Outside Sidley, I co-founded Environmental Women of Color, a group created to support diverse female environmental law and policy professionals.

What are your goals for the Women of Color Initiative in Washington, D.C. in 2021?

Initially, I hope to create an office-wide community of women of color that grows together and supports one another. While the Initiative will begin in the Washington, D.C. office, I envision Teri, Toi, and I bringing together women of color lawyers across all offices, particularly in this virtual environment.

More than anything, my goal is for this Initiative to be whatever our individual women of color lawyers need the Initiative to be, whether by helping a member connect with a partner to work on a specific matter or by assisting a member with an appointment to a board of directors. Although we face similar challenges as women of color lawyers in a large law firm, we are unique and have different needs. I want the WOC Initiative to address all of these needs to the extent possible.

Celebrating Black History Month 2021

Byron Taylor is a partner and a member of the firm’s Environmental practice group. He joined the firm as an associate in 1990 and became a partner in 1998. Byron is also a long-serving member on Sidley’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee in Chicago.

Deeona R. Gaskin is a partner in Sidley's Food, Drug and Medical Device Compliance and Enforcement group in the firm’s office in Washington, D.C.

J. Simone Jones is an associate in Sidley’s Environmental practice group in the firm’s office in Washington, D.C. She also leads the Washington, D.C. chapter of Sidley’s Women of Color Initiative.

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