In today’s global, fast-paced marketplace, employers face challenges on every front. However, labor & employment lawyers from various law firms like McDermott’s employee benefits practice operates worldwide, with the geographic coverage and deep resources necessary to serve clients at every level: internationally, nationally, regionally and locally.
They have deep industry experience, as well, and represent employers in virtually every sector, including manufacturing, financial services, health care, education and construction.
A key differentiator from other firms is that McDermott has traditionally invested heavily in the employee benefits practice area, unlike other firms where this practice exists as a secondary support function. For McDermott, employee benefits are a prominent practice that attracts clients directly to the Firm.
Several of their practice group lawyers have been recognized by various professional organizations as national leaders in this practice area. In fact, McDermott is the only firm to have received top rankings in all major ranking directories, including Chambers USA, Legal 500 USA, U.S. News – Best Lawyers and Law360.
The labor & employment lawyers regularly advocate for clients before the US Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service and the US Department of Labor on employee benefits matters.
They help clients maximize the value of and return on their investments in human capital while avoiding exposure to liability. They deliver strategic and day-to-day counsel on matters such as executive compensation, health/welfare plan compliance (including Affordable Care Act compliance and reporting), plan vendor contracting, qualified retirement plans, and fringe benefits.
Also, they offer privacy and data protection, reductions in force, executive employment and severance, cultural diversity, retirement programs, employment contracts and agreements, trade secret protections, development of employee manuals, wage-hour compliance, and substance abuse programs and drug testing, as well as general employee-relations matters.
Their employee benefits and executive compensation lawyers help clients ensure full compliance with relevant laws, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and state and local laws.
In Europe, labor & employment lawyers have extensive experience advising on European labor law, European works councils, the German Act against Unfair Dismissal and the German Shop Constitution Act. The UK, French and German offices also coordinate pan-European employment and labor assignments. Together, they deliver effective solutions to issues that arise out of global, regional and local corporate mergers, acquisitions and restructurings.
The litigators conduct a full range of labor and employment litigation, arbitration and mediation before US federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative agencies, as well before European and Asian equivalents.
The labor & employment lawyers represent employers in collective bargaining negotiations, grievance arbitration, maintaining a union-free environment, and election and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.
the employment decisions of an individual can create both opportunity and risk, fueling their business growth and impacting their reputation. Adopting policies to build a strong company culture and ensure compliance with complex laws and regulations is critical to your success—and requires attention, agility and decisive action.
Whether an employee needs forward-thinking legal guidance or litigators equipped to handle their most complex workforce-related labor and employment matters, they can turn to labor & employment lawyers for creative and pragmatic solutions, sector-specific knowledge and a proven litigation track record.
As trusted advocate, labor & employment lawyers provide clear, strategic counsel and present solutions with their business objectives in mind. To help clients anticipate emerging workplace issues and develop strategies to mitigate potential litigation risks, they make it a priority to proactively identify trends in their industry.
When challenges do arise, labor & employment lawyers employ a collaborative process that allows them to assemble agile legal teams around the globe well suited to address the most pressing employment issues in any jurisdiction, from C-Suite and Board guidance to bet-the-company matters.
They work with clients in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, the gig economy, health, industrials, life sciences, media and entertainment, private client, professional and financial services, retail, technology and transportation and logistics.
They have particular skill and experience in the following areas:
- Class Action Litigation
- Employee Classification
- Global Employment
- Labor
- Pay Equity, Workplace Harassment & C-Suite Advisory
- Trade Secret, Restrictive Covenants & Whistleblower Disputes
- Transactions & Executive Contracts
