Find Lawyers in Grand Rapids, Michigan for Employment Law - Management
Practice Area Overview
Employment law is the practice area of lawyers who advise employers about workplace related issues.
Regulations governing the way employees are hired, managed, disciplined, and terminated are complex and constantly evolving. These laws affect companies differently depending on size, industry, and workforce makeup. Businesses must ensure that employment policies, training program, and everyday practices are in compliance – or risk crippling lawsuits. Employment law practices emphasize preventive counseling to minimize liability and potential business interruption for employers. Employment law audits are frequently utilized to expose problem areas before they become legal nightmares.
Despite the best efforts of conscientious employers to comply with the law and to treat employees fairly, lawsuits can occur. Such suits present problems both obvious – large verdicts, for example – and more insidious – such as the waste of management’s time and resources which can interfere with productive, efficient business operation. This ever-increasing scope of employment litigation intersects with virtually all types of business litigation including class actions, products liability, premises liability, traditional torts, and business contract disputes of all types. The employment litigation practice continues to expand with each new right or legal obligation enacted by federal and state legislators or recognized by the courts.
Traditional labor lawyer and employment law counselor Keith Brodie represents the interests of employers in Michigan and across the country. Personable, detail- and business-oriented when rendering critical legal advice, Keith’s willingness to listen, combined with his strategic legal thinking, allows him to serve client interests while building rapport and consensus. Keith advises on traditional labor law matters under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). His experience includes co...
Nikole L. Canute’s areas of practice include: labor and employment law, employment litigation, energy litigation, civil litigation, fraud investigation and litigation and securities litigation. She is very skilled in handling employment investigations, electronic discovery and matters involving computer forensic investigations. Nikole also specializes in energy matters, including condemnation. Her experience includes working with local municipal authorities and law enforcement during pr...
Scott E. Dwyer has extensive experience in the areas of labor, employment and wrongful discharge law, business litigation, shareholder disputes, noncompete agreements and unfair competition and trade secret litigation and employee misconduct investigations, including fraud and fraud litigation. He is a member of the Grand Rapids and American Bar Associations and the State Bar of Michigan. Scott has several reported cases, including: NLRB v Beacon Light Nursing Home , 825 F2d 1076 (6th Cir 198...
William H. Fallon is a Member of the firm and has been practicing law since 1981. His practice is focused on representing employers in employment and labor matters, including employment litigation. Labor and Employment Law Experience Mr. Fallon helps employers find successful, constructive solutions to their most difficult employment problems, in and out of court. Most employers prefer to stay out of court, which is accomplished by effective early management of potential legal problems. Mr. F...
Jeffrey J. Fraser represents public and private employers across the country in employment and labor relations matters. He has extensive experience counseling employers regarding Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) [disability management] issues; anti-harassment matters; effective discipline and discharge, union avoidance, collective bargaining, employment discrimination avoidance, and administrative agency matters. Mr. Fraser has an advanced understanding o...
Rick is a partner in the Kalamazoo office. Since 1981, he has represented employers exclusively in solving labor and employment law problems in the workplace. He devotes most of his time to advising employers about how to avoid workplace crises, comply with state and federal labor and employment laws and regulations, and prevent litigation. He has significant experience counseling employers on how to stay union-free, and routinely works with clients in the application and enforcement of colle...
John H. Gretzinger graduated from Michigan State University in 1971 and served as a Naval Officer from 1972 through 1975. After completion of his military service, he attended Detroit College of Law, was Managing Editor of the Detroit College of Law Review and received the Charles H. King Award for the highest scholastic proficiency in his 1978 graduating class. John is a specialist in labor and employment law, including collective bargaining negotiations, grievance arbitrations, Act 312 inte...
Dave’s “client-centered” practice involves a variety of labor and employment issues. He provides practical and confidential ongoing advice and consulting on a number of sensitive and complex labor and employment matters, from problem employee situations to multi-facility collective bargaining negotiations. His representative clients include diverse industries (such as automotive, printing, transportation and hospitals) throughout the nation.
Labor and employment law veteran, trusted adviser and proven advocate Don Lawless consistently delivers responsive, focused advice that gets his clients where they need to go under the law, while leveraging their workforce potential and business objectives. Don focuses his practice in the pharmaceutical and health, food processing, manufacturing, higher education and service industries. His traditional labor experience is extensive and includes contract negotiation, grievance arbitration and ...
Larry is an experienced trial attorney concentrating on the defense of individuals and organizations in employment litigation, including matters involving discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, and employment contracts. He has extensive experience advising employers on executive employment contracts, personnel policies and procedures, discipline issues, corporate downsizing, trade secret and non-compete agreements, and drug and alcohol testing. Larry is licensed to practice law in th...
Energetic, confident and a natural-born negotiator, Grant Pecor focuses his practice exclusively on the representation of employers. As a result of negotiating hundreds of agreements over the course of his career, he instinctively knows which way to go and when – by watching all the moves and strategically playing all the cards he is dealt. Leaning on more than 20 years of knowledge and experience in reading a table, Grant seeks out common ground to reach his client’s objectives. ...
Nathan D. Plantinga has been practicing law since 1997 and is the chair of the firm's employment and labor section. He enjoys a busy counseling practice for union and nonunion clients, advising employers on the full spectrum of employment matters, including civil rights charges, difficult medical leave issues, employee discipline and discharge, wage and hour, and unemployment. Mr. Plantinga also specializes in traditional labor work involving collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, unfair ...
Beth is a partner in the labor and employment practice group, focusing on employment issues and litigation. She has counseled business clients on a variety of matters affecting the workplace, including effective employee handbooks and policies, disciplinary and dispute resolution procedures, discrimination issues, disability accommodation, wage-hour matters, family medical leave, and harassment and litigation prevention. When litigation is unavoidable, Beth has significant experience represen...
An accomplished legal counselor with years of experience advising on the complex issues employers face daily, Jenny serves as a skilled problem-solver and defender of employers across the country. Through negotiation, mediation, court dismissals and representation before juries, Jenny brings to bear a pragmatic approach to risk management. Jenny’s labor and employment practice is national in scope, and Fortune 500 multinational clients and other public and private companies seek her rep...
Mary L. Tabin is a Member at Miller Johnson and has been practicing law since 1998. In her employment and labor practice, she provides day-to-day HR guidance in areas such as employee relations, retention, employee handbooks/policies and employment contracts including non-compete agreements and restrictive covenants. Ms. Tabin has vast experience in counseling on issues related to discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also works with clients regarding compliance with laws governing ...
Pat White's practice concentrates on the full spectrum of civil rights issues, race and gender disability matters, free speech and electronic privacy issues in the workplace. In addition to litigation, he also does traditional labor work, including negotiation and arbitration, both for public and private sector clients. He also maintains expertise in education law, representing school districts, community colleges and colleges and universities, both with respect to employment issues as well a...
Nathaniel R. Wolf practices in the areas of securities arbitration, commercial litigation, employment law and immigration. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Association of Immigration Attorneys, the State Bar of Michigan and the Grand Rapids Bar Association. Nate received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration/Pre-Law from Michigan State University in 1994. He received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School, cum laude in 1997, where he was el...
Amy is experienced in representing employers in the retail, hospitality, warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, food production, transportation and healthcare industries. She advises and trains clients on employee relations, union avoidance, collective bargaining strategies, sexual harassment and compliance with state and federal employment laws. Amy also offers an in-depth understanding of Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA),...
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