Employment Law

Employees are the backbone of any business enterprise.  We help to write employee handbooks and manuals that clearly outline employer expectations and lay out the rules of the road.  We believe it pays dividends to institute employee welfare programs like employee stock ownership, 401(k) plans, flexible scheduling, family medical leave, and long-term disability benefits.  We take a collaborative approach and work in consultation with in-house counsel and business executives to improve employment practices and earn employee buy-in to corporate objectives.

A just judge serves justice, which means acquitting the innocent, punishing the guilty, and handing down uniform sentences where the punishment fits the crime. Parity in outcomes creates confidence in the justice system. The same principles hold true for progressive discipline in organizations. We believe in setting clear precedents so that everyone receives equal treatment and knows ahead of time what to expect if rules are broken.

We find that clear expectations and fairness of outcomes is the best way to ensure that employees do not feel mistreated or singled out.

As soon as a dispute arises, we start by doing an exhaustive internal and external investigation to determine the facts.  Getting a clear picture of the unvarnished truth helps to better understand the claims and the exposure on both sides of the issue, which sets up an early resolution.  While an employer has to handle claims even-handedly, just as they do with corrective actions, it is better to reach a resolution early and minimize the potential cost and disruption of a lawsuit.

Our employment lawyers are trial lawyers by nature who have litigated both sides of employment law disputes. We know how high the stakes can be. Nothing is better than vindicating an employer by achieving a dismissal of a baseless claim or getting a summary judgment decision that ends a lawsuit. But, many employment law cases are fact-intensive “he said/she said” affairs that result in an airing of an organization’s employment practices in a public forum.

Settling a case to avoid conflict and embarrassment should never be done when you are in the right—lest it encourage the moral hazard of more frivolous litigation. Our attorneys are committed to fighting those cases that call for war instead of diplomacy and which require vindication instead of capitulation. Taking a stand on appropriate cases sends a clear message that an organization won’t back down from a fight and has the mettle and backbone to fight for what is right. In litigated cases, we are led by the evidence and come up with compelling narratives backed-up by facts. Trial theories and themes that match the evidence persuade mediators, arbitrators and juries alike.

We view the defense of an employment lawsuit as an opportunity to show that an employer’s employment policies and procedures have been set up properly, that it values its employees, and that it makes sound judgments—including knowing when to take a stand and fend off unprincipled fortune-hunting campaigns by opportunistic actors.