The employment group at DLA Piper LLP (US) is routinely retained on employment disputes involving sensitive reputational concerns, as well as on wage and hour matters for leading corporates. Marc Katz sits at the head of the practice and leads from the Dallas office. Katz brings significant experience representing corporate clients in trade secret and unfair competition litigation, as well as in collective and class actions, to the team. In the New York office, Mary Dollarhide concentrates her practice on wage and hour class actions brought under PAGA and WARN laws, while Brian Kaplan shines in the defense of claims of employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Julie Dunne is a key figure in the San Diego office and frequently defends employers in wage and hour class and collective actions, as well as those under the FLSA.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Accessibility has been most important. The senior partner has always been available, as has the entire team, to work through issues as they arise in real time.'
- 'Brian Kaplan managed a team in a large employment dispute. His excellent case planning and availability helped get us very good results.'
- 'The DLA Piper team that we have worked with on labor and employment matters, including collective actions, is an outstanding group of lawyers and support staff with vast experience and deep knowledge of the law.'
- 'Brian Kaplan is an articulate, skilled litigator who is also a seasoned negotiator in mediation settings. His diverse experience prepares him for any unexpected turns or developments in a case. He works well with clients to find creative solutions to thorny legal issues.'
- 'Mary Dollarhide is the best in any wage-hour class action. She is a superior intellect, and at the upper echelon of courtroom practitioners. Drawing on her deep experience, Mary provides clients with clear sighted guidance in complex collective actions.'
Key clients
- Venetian Las Vegas Gaming, LLC
- Sands Corporation
- AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.
- Six Flags, Inc.
- Fortiline Waterworks
- Conifer Health Solutions, LLC
- The Royal Bank of Canada
- United Parcel Service
Work highlights
- Represented Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Sands Aviation, LLC in a Fair Labor Standards Act case where former pilots alleged misclassification as exempt employees and claimed entitlement to on-call waiting time compensation.
- Acted as employment counsel for Six Flags, advising the organization concerning significant wage and hour matters and sensitive employment-related investigations.
- Represented a wholesale distributor in multiple lawsuits alleging employee raiding, breach of restrictive covenants, and unfair competition schemes across several states.
Lawyers
Practice head
Marc Katz
Other key lawyers
Mary Dollarhide; Julie Dunne; Brian Kaplan