The Legal 500 > United States > United States > Workplace and employment counseling

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is well versed in advising clients from various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, financial services, retail, technology, energy and transportation, on employment law challenges. The Washington DC office was reinforced by the arrival of former commissioner of the EEOC Chai Feldblum and her then chief of staff Sharon Perley Masling in February 2019. The team is particularly involved in the emerging #MeToo in the workplace area, and practice head Grace Speights, also based in DC, acted as a special investigation counsel to National Public Radio (NPR)'s board of directors’ special committee on sexual harassment. She also led an internal investigation for the Humane Society of the United States regarding sexual harassment complaints against a former CEO. Princeton's Michelle Sedin Silverman represented a government contractor in a matter alleging systemic discrimination against transgender employees. Deputy practice leader David McManus splits his time between Boston and New York and has notable crisis management experience. Michael Banks in Philadelphia, David Bowman and Douglas Schwarz in Boston, Jacqueline Aguilera in Los Angeles and Barbara Miller in Orange County are other key individuals. Further names to note include the Chicago-based Ross Friedman and Stephanie Sweitzer as well as Palo Alto's Michael Schlemmer. Susan Harthill joined the Washington DC office in October 2018 from the US Department of Labor (DOL). Around the same time, there have been several partner promotions, including Jocelyn Cuttino, also in Washington DC.

Paul Hastings LLP has expertise in advising on the full gamut of employment matters, including but not limited to terminations, internal harassment investigations and mandatory arbitration agreements. Practice head Patrick Shea is based in New York and focuses on employee benefits, employment discrimination, and wrongful discharge. He and Kenneth Gage led settlement negotiations in a global mediation for a telecoms company, which followed the acquisition of a satellite service provider. Other clients include Google, IBM and General Electric. In Washington DC, Barbara Brown  handles employment compliance diagnostics and strategic advice on diversity programs, while Kenneth Willner is a key contact for high-level testing and employee selection procedures and related questions; Carson Sullivan is also noted. New York-based Marc Bernstein has more than 25 years of experience. Senior counsel Kirby Wilcox in San Francisco, Bradford Newman in Palo Alto and Nancy Abell in Los Angeles are key contacts in California.

Proskauer Rose LLP fields a team of 'premier advisers in the profession', possessing 'significant expertise in US employment law'. The team handles investigations, compliance and advisory matters for corporations, universities and, famously, several professional sports leagues. The practice is jointly led by Neil Abramson and Elise Bloom. Work highlights included representing CBS in an investigation looking into sexual harassment allegations against a former talk show host; the lead partner on this investigation was Bettina Plevan, who is widely recognized for her expertise in counseling clients in employment matters. Together with Howard Robbins, Plevan also advised the Metropolitan Opera on an investigation of a former conductor. Erika Collins specializes in advising on international and cross-border workplace issues and is praised for her ‘astonishing breadth of knowledge, which is coupled with a practical, strategic approach’. Chicago’s Nigel Telman is regularly engaged by McDonald’s to handle day-to-day counseling and internal investigations. Sports leagues clients include the NFL and NHL, and the firm also advises several media organizations. Kathleen McKenna is a key contact for other law firms in sensitive matters. Washington DC-based Guy Brenner, Keisha-Ann Gray, Evandro Gigante are further noted individuals. Harris Mufson made partner in November 2018. The practice’s former head Connie Bertram left for Polsinelli PC in September 2018, and Michelle Gyves joined Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in 2019. Named attorneys are based in New York, except when indicated otherwise.

Clients appreciate Seyfarth Shaw LLP for being ‘smart, creative, practical and for genuinely caring about getting the best quality’. The team has experience in advising on organizational change and developing innovative technology tools as well as in workplace discrimination and harassment counseling. Chicago-based David Baffa chairs the workplace compliance solutions practice group and is an expert on a variety of employment-related matters, such as workforce reductions and restructurings, pay equity and training. Senior counsel Lawrence Lorber in Washington DC is regularly engaged by the US Chamber of Commerce in connection with employment issues, including regulatory representation on pending rule making. Ellen McLaughlin, who is based in Chicago, assisted an automotive manufacturer in increasing productivity while staying compliant with federal and state laws. The firm also has a dedicated group advising on pay equity, which is led by Christine Hendrickson (recently promoted to partner) and Annette Tyman in Chicago. Lisa Damon in Boston has ‘detailed knowledge of the law and is pragmatic and unfailingly responsive’. Further notable practitioners are the ‘fantastic’ Daniel Waldman in New York, the ‘excellent strategist’ Jon Meer in Los Angeles and Frederick Smith in Atlanta, who has a ‘great amount of experience to lean on’. In New York, William Perkins is well versed in the different forms of discrimination and harassment claims, while associate Joshua Seidman specializes in paid sick leave matters. Chelsea Mesa in Los Angeles has a ‘meticulous no-nonsense approach’. Scott Nelson was a new arrival in May 2018 in the Houston office, joining from Baker McKenzie LLP.

The labor and employment team at Jones Day is experienced in advising clients on the full gamut of related matters, including compensation systems, terminations, investigations and compliance. The client portfolio comprises names such as McDonald’s, Verizon and Kraft-Heinz. Joint practice heads Michael Gray, who knows employment policies and disciplinary actions well, and discrimination-specialist Matthew Lampe are based in Chicago and New York respectively. In Dallas, Lindsay Hedrick was engaged on several occasions to conduct investigations regarding allegations of workplace misconduct and sexual harassment, while Stanley Weiner and Brian Jorgensen were active in advising a company on wage-and-hour issues and implementing preventative measures. Deborah Sudbury in Atlanta is well versed in all kinds of investigations, such as inappropriate behavior, code of conduct violations and pay equity. Chicago’s Michael Rossman specializes in discrimination and labor questions. Jonathan Linas, Elizabeth McRee, Michael Ferrell and David Birnbaum are further key contacts in that office. Brian Easley, who divides his time between the Minneapolis and Chicago offices, Joanne Bush in Houston, Columbus-based Tonya Blosser Braun, Terri Chase in New York, and of counsel Elaine Walsh in Atlanta are also names to note. Washington DC-based Thomas Chiavetta made partner in January 2018.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's team of experienced lawyers counsels employers in a variety of matters, such as internal investigations and compliance audits, workforce reductions, diversity initiatives and compensation arrangements. Recent work includes being engaged by several clients to conduct internal investigations involving claims of workplace misconduct and sexual harassment. Mastercard, Signet Jewelers and Belmond are on the group’s client roster. Practice head Jeffrey Klein is well versed in discrimination claims; he has additional expertise as a sports attorney and player agent and is regularly retained by athletes and sports organizations. Another key contact from the New York-based practice is Gary Friedman, who is experienced in advising companies as well as their boards of directors and committees in internal investigations, as well as assisting employers regarding matters pertaining to organizational changes such as reductions in force, reorganizations, restructurings and changes of control. Senior associate Ami Zweig is also noted.

Baker McKenzie LLP's team is regularly involved in workforce management issues on a global scale and works closely with the international network. Practice head Susan Eandi in Palo Alto is particularly experienced in advising on employment matters arising from transactions; she recently assisted Motorola Solutions with due diligence, arrangement agreement and executive employment agreements in connection with its acquisition of Avigilon Corporation. Together with Todd Boyer from the same office, she advised a series of Fortune 500 companies on issues related to equal pay, gender pay, diversity and inclusion as well as OFCCP compliance. Other clients include Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lumentum and Hollister. San Francisco’s Benjamin Ho is well versed in advising clients when entering into new jurisdictions as well as managing their existing workforce. Emily Harbison in Houston and Los Angeles-based Robin Samuel are also recommended. Of counsel Billie Wenter joined the San Francisco office in July 2018 from Littler Mendelson, P.C..

At Davis & Gilbert LLP, the lawyers' 'breadth of knowledge across all areas of employment law makes them an indispensable resource’. The team, which is jointly led by Gregg Gilman and Howard Rubin, has a strong track record in the service industries and regularly advises on matters relating to harassment investigations, discrimination, retaliation, and employee classification. The ‘extremely knowledgeable, proactive and thorough’ Jessica Golden Cortes was engaged by the City of New York to conduct workplace anti-harassment training for members of the city council. The client portfolio further includes Turner Construction, Fortress Investment and BNP Paribas. Shira Franco is a ‘gold-star employment counsel’, while Gregg Brochin is praised for ‘his advice but also his humanity in trying to find win-win outcomes’. Other names to note are the ‘outstanding’ counsel David Fisher and the ‘excellent’ Daniel Feinstein. Jason Pruzansky is another key contact of the New York-based team.

Greenberg Traurig LLP advises clients on how to be compliant with federal, state and local employment laws in a variety of areas, and is particular noted for its 'rock-solid knowledge of OSHA rules and practices'. Washington DC-based Johnine Barnes assisted Profit Investment Management with corporate restructuring, compliance issues and diversification. Jerrold Goldberg in New York counsels Hello & Hola Media and Sunday Sky on a broad range of employment-related matters. Philadelphia's Kelly Dobbs Bunting handled manager, discrimination and harassment training for GTL. Michael Taylor in McLean is 'exceptionally talented at crafting solutions to OSHA-related problems'. Kelly Dobbs Bunting in Philadelphia and Tiffany Fordyce in Chicago jointly lead the labor and employment practice’s workforce compliance and regulatory enforcement group. New Jersey-based Kristine Feher is also noted. Michael Mason re-joined the firm in Phoenix in April 2018 from Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, and of counsel Alicia Voltmer was a new arrival to the Dallas office, coming from Lillard Wise Szygenda PLLC in September 2018.

Mayer Brown 'pairs legal expertise with compassion in providing advice in highly emotional environments'. The team, which is led by John Zaimes in Los Angeles and Marcia Goodman in Chicago, counsels on OSHA matters, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, among others areas. Goodman regularly advises TH Foods on workforce structure as well as discipline and termination decisions. Chicago-based counsel Maritoni Kane is an 'incredible lawyer'; she provides tourism and marketing agency Choose Chicago with day-to-day labor and employment advice. Andrew Rosenman and counsel Kim Leffert in Chicago as well as Ruth Zadikany and counsel Roxanne Wilson in Los Angeles are also noted.