Employment, Labor & Benefits: 

Past Achievements

• Successfully defended numerous clients in cases alleging discrimination, wrongful discharge, violation or enforcement of noncompete agreements, OSHA violations, and FMLA violations.
• Advised several clients with respect to the fiduciary duty rules applicable to those who administer and manage ERISA-covered retirement plans.
• Advised and assisted several unionized clients to negotiate the termination and withdrawal from multiemployer deferred benefit pension plans.
• Assisted several clients with designing, drafting, and implementing supplemental retirement plan agreements for senior executives along with counseling regarding compliance with the new IRS rules on deferred compensation.
• Represented numerous clients in union contract negotiations and grievance arbitrations.
• Assisted several clients with updating their employee handbooks and employment policies.
• Represented several employers who successfully accomplished employee union decertification.
• Successfully negotiated new labor agreements for a major healthcare provider as a precondition to the purchase of a healthcare facility in another state.
• Participated in the production of an instructional video with a major insurance company regarding strategies for avoiding employment-related litigation in regards to sexual harassment.
• Successfully represented a municipality in developing a Tax Incremental Finance District, a development agreement, and a contested case hearing involving the DNR before the Department of Hearings and Appeals.
• Negotiated the resolution of several noncompete matters with positive outcomes for clients enforcing restrictive covenants. 
• Resolved a discrimination matter for a nationwide client, avoiding federal investigation of claims and bringing the matter to a quick, confidential settlement.
• Represented a corporation, its shareholders, and its related entities in a withdrawal liability assessment by a multiemployer pension plan, and successfully negotiated a reduced assessment and release of the shareholders from personal liability.
• Created a new Federal Contractor Compliance practice area that offers employers who are federal contractors a broad range of services including drafting affirmative action plans, complying with EEO and OFCCP regulations, and defending OFCCP audits.
• Successfully represented a client in federal court litigation, prevailing on a motion for summary judgment dismissing the plaintiff’s due process claims.