Today’s employers face a variety of complex issues. They must effectively deal with the highly complex and rapidly changing world of employment law and labor relations. And because every decision can have far-reaching consequences, smart employers want legal guidance that is comprehensive and proactive, so that today’s solution doesn’t become tomorrow’s problem.
That’s why so many employers turn to Lathrop & Gage – we counsel and represent employers across the country in matters involving claims of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unfair labor practices and other traditional labor matters, covenants not to compete and protection of confidential and trade secret information. We also represent employers in matters involving federal and state labor laws, union campaigns and elections, grievance and arbitration proceedings, collective bargaining negotiations, strikes and union contract interpretations.
Overview of Lathrop & Gage’s Labor, Employment & Benefits Practice:
We believe the best and most cost-effective way to assist our clients is to work closely with corporate counsel and human resources personnel. Seeking preliminary legal advice in situations where litigation is a threat can save significant costs down the road.
We work closely with clients providing day-to-day counseling and advice, prevention audits, management training and seminars, and, when necessary, responding to claims through the administrative charge stage and trial. Our day-to-day counseling and advice is not only in personnel matters including evaluation and discipline, but also in connection with force reductions and restructuring, wage/hour, OSHA, affirmative action compliance, immigration including I-9 Compliance and employee benefits issues.
We appear regularly in state and federal courts and before governmental administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Labor Relations Board, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and their state and local counterparts if applicable.
Our group’s attorneys are asked regularly to speak at various seminars. We also routinely present in-house training seminars on a variety of issues, including interviewing and screening job applicants, sexual harassment prevention, effective performance reviews, termination procedures, avoiding discrimination charges and developing personnel manuals and procedures. We believe in-house training is an effective way to reduce litigation and potential legal expense.
Our Labor, Employment and Benefits attorneys have been elected Fellows in the College of Labor and Employment Attorneys, College of Tax Counsel, named respectfully as “Best of the Bar”, Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for Business, Who’s Who in Law and participate in many other employment related organizations, including the Employment Law Alliance (ELA), American Employment Law Council, Defense Research Institute, ABA Sections of Labor and Employment Law and Taxation Employee Benefits Subcommittee, Counsel for a Union-Free Environment (CUE), National Association of College & University Attorneys and American Health Lawyers Association.