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

The team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP has great expertise in supporting international companies and financial institutions in employment and workplace counseling mandates. Its offering includes everything from advising on policies, agreements and compensation to conducting audits, investigations and providing training. Washington DC-based Grace Speights leads the group and is an expert on discrimination matters who knows the media, financial services, nonprofit, retail, and legal sectors well. In the same office, the former EEOC members Chai Feldblum and Sharon Masling head up a newly founded, dedicated workplace culture consulting team, focusing on inclusion and respect in the workplace. Boston's David Bowman is a specialist in providing trainings on a variety of topics. Jacqueline Aguilera is noted for her broad practice and together with Kathryn McGuigan is a key contact in Los Angeles. David McManus, who splits his time between New York and Boston, is well versed in crisis management. Other experienced practitioners include New York's Douglas Schwarz, Michelle Silverman in Princeton and Michael Schlemmer in Silicon Valley.

Proskauer Rose LLP has established itself as a go-to address for a multitude of companies, universities and sports institutions. Its broad practice covers compliance advice, trainings, internal investigations and assistance in government audits, among other matters. Noteworthy is also the team's engagement by other law firms in related mandates. The New York-based Neil Abramson and Joseph Baumgarten, who both have a comprehensive background in the field, lead the team. In the same office, Bettina Plevan stands out as an expert on discrimination, harassment and employee benefits matters. Mark Batten in Boston is regularly approached by clients to advise them on hiring, leaves, termination and the accommodation of disabilities. Guy Brenner, based in Washington DC, is a key contact for trade secrets and non-compete matters. Kate Gold bolstered the Los Angeles office, which is headed up by Anthony Oncidi, with her arrival in February 2019 from Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. Other prominent practitioners include Elise Bloom, Steven Hurd, Kathleen McKenna and Howard Robbins as well as Keisha-Ann Gray and Evandro Gigante in New York. Erika Collins left for Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. in August 2019.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP's team has an impressive range of multinational companies from various industries on its client roster and regularly advises them on organizational change as well as on the design and implementation of compliance systems and processes by developing technology tools in order to avoid litigation. Particular areas of expertise include pay equity matters, in which practice head David Baffa, Annette Tyman and Christine Hendrickson in Chicago are noted, and workplace discrimination and harassment matters, for which New York's William Perkins is a key contact. In the Boston office, Lisa Damon's assistance with policy implementations is instrumental to clients to avoid lawsuits. In Chicago, Ellen McLaughlin has extensive experience in conducting sensitive internal investigations, while Tracy Billows is well versed in leave and accommodations related rights. Counsel Lawrence Lorber, based in Washington DC, is experienced in corporate reorganizations. In the same office, Karla Grossenbacher is also noted. Associate Joshua Seidman in New York is a specialist in paid sick leave laws.

Jones Day is noted for its comprehensive labor and employment practice, which is regularly sought out by clients from a variety of industries, such as healthcare, hospitality and media. It impresses with its close cross-office cooperation, which in particular adds value for companies with an international setup. The team, which is led by Michael Gray in Chicago and Matthew Lampe in New York, assists clients with everything from terminations, reductions and compensation systems to the development of compliance systems and policies. Chicago-based Elizabeth McRee is a specialist in wage-and-hour topics, while Michael Rossman regularly advises on litigation-avoidance strategies. In the New York office, Terri Chase is noted for her broad counselling practice and Martin Schmelkin is a key contact for finacial services firms. Lindsay Hedrick, Brian Jorgensen and Stanley Weiner are highlighted practitioners in Dallas. Atlanta's of counsels Deborah Sudbury, who has a strong track record in board-level investigations, and Elaine Walsh are other names to note as well as Steven Zadravecz in Irvine and Joanne Bush in Houston.

Paul Hastings LLP has a strong footprint in the labor and employment area in its Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York offices. While a strong focus of the practice is on contentious work, the team also counsels multi-national clients on a wide range of employment and workplace matters, such as internal investigations, terminations and compliance systems. Los Angeles' Elena Baca leads the practice, which also includes Nancy Abell and government investigations expert Leslie Abbott. In the New York office, Patrick Shea is a go-to specialist for employment discrimination and wrongful discharge, while Kenneth Gage is well versed in reviewing employment processes and pay equity studies. Carson Sullivan in Washington DC is noted for her expertise in the trade secrets and restrictive covenant field. Bradford Newman is the key contact in Palo Alto for employee mobility matters.

Managements from companies and financial institutions regularly seek Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's team for advice on the full gamut of employment-related matters. Areas of special expertise include internal investigations, executive terminations as well as whistleblower claims and complaints regarding discrimination and harassment. The New York-based group is led by Gary Friedman, who is experienced in discrimination matters and advice on organizational changes. Another key figure is Jeffrey Klein, who is frequently approached in connection with sensitive internal investigations. Counsel Ami Zweig is particularly active for financial service companies, non-profit organizations and funds.

Baker McKenzie LLP acts as trusted advisor for a range of international companies, particularly from the financial services and technology industries. The team's activity in diversity & inclusion and pay equity mandates, investigations as well as compliance queries in IPOs and data privacy matters is considerable. Projects such as spin-offs or workforce restructurings, often in an international context, are another area of expertise. This is also a focus for Palo Alto's Susan Eandi, who heads up the practice. Houston-based Emily Harbison's broad practice includes advising on executive mobility, wrongful discharge and wage-and-hour topics. Benjamin Ho in San Francisco is regularly involved in various transactions, and Joseph Deng in Los Angeles and Elizabeth Ebersole in Chicago are also noted.

Davis & Gilbert LLP's employment counseling practice is based in New York and covers the full spectrum of related matters, including executive contracts, restrictive covenants, retaliation, discrimination and employee retention. The team is regularly sought out by employers from the transportation, construction and real estate management sectors, as well as increasingly by financial institutions and clients from the fashion, publishing, and hospitality industries. The practice group is jointly chaired by Gregg Gilman, who is well versed in the crisis management of various situations; and Daniel Feinstein, who has a track record of securing favorable settlements for clients in contentious negotiations. Jessica Golden Cortes is recognized for her niche experience in social media issues in employment contexts. Shira Franco, whose focus is on advising financial service clients, and Jason Pruzansky are also recommended.

Greenberg Traurig LLP fields a significant team of experienced lawyers who regularly assist clients with labor and employment matters such as trainings, compliance and the drafting of policies and agreements. The team is experienced in topics such as pay equity, leave laws, discrimination and wrongful discharge, among others. Kelly Dobbs Bunting in Philadelphia has expertise in the drafting and negotiating of various agreements. Chicago's Tiffany Fordyce is frequently approached to give employment training seminars, and Kristine Feher in New Jersey is another go-to contact for workplace trainings. Johnine Barnes in Washington DC, Atlanta-based John Richards and Boston's Justin Keith are also highlighted. James Boudreau, Naomi Beer and David Long-Daniels in Philadelphia, Denver and Atlanta respectively head up the practice.

The team at Mayer Brown acts as experienced advisor for clients from industries including financial services, transportation, food and beverages, and technology. A particular area of expertise is the wage-and-hour space, be it contentious or non-contentious. John Zaimes in Los Angeles is well versed in a variety of topics such as discrimination, restrictive covenant and OSHA investigations. Chicago-based Marcia Goodman also has a broad practice which includes advising on equality matters, transactions, terms of employment and policies. Wage-and-hour specialists Ruth Zadikany in Los Angeles and Andrew Rosenman jointly lead the practice group. Richard Nowak is also recommended.