I advise and represent a variety of clients on matters regarding employment discrimination, employment laws and regulations. I have extensive experience in representing and counseling clients on a wide range of employment related issues, including the hiring process, employment agreements, discrimination issues, leave of absence issues, wage and hour issues, non-competition covenants, trade secret issues, use of social media in the workplace, breach of contract claims and the termination process, including unemployment claims and compliance with state and federal employment laws. I also frequently train Human Resources professionals, managers and employees around the country on a host of employment-related topics.
My Approach
Businesses are all about the people who make them run, and I work with clients to make sure they run smoothly. I counsel corporate clients of all sizes to give them peace of mind as they navigate employment issues. There are any number of concerns that keep them up at night – not enough or too many employees, sexual harassment claims, wage and hour issues, protected leave, compensation issues, trade secrets, retaining key employees, and terminating problem employees – that it can be overwhelming, especially for companies that don’t have a dedicated HR department. I listen to clients’ concerns and counsel them on ways to proceed when an issue arises, and also on the preventative side, before something develops into a real problem.
When working with clients, I treat their business as if it were my own, and advise them on how I would react or what actions I would take, rather than just spouting the law.
One of my favorite aspects of my work is performing employment audits and conducting on-site training, which allows me to take a closer look inside the business, see how it operates, meet the workforce, and assess what is working and what could use improvement in order to prevent future issues.
When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling to exotic destinations (like the east coast of Iowa), fishing (there’s a fine line between fishing and standing in a boat for hours like a fool), boating with my family, and golfing with family and friends, albeit poorly. I once shot a 59, which apparently is not good for 9 holes.
Practice Areas
Bold Perspectives
Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Change Becomes Effective January 1, 2025
12.05.24
FTC Non-Compete Ban Blocked; Will Not Take Effect on September 4, 2024
08.26.24
Honors & Awards
AV Preeminent
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, Peer review ratings
Rising Stars
Minnesota Law & Politics, 2009-2010
Best Lawyers in America®
Employee Law – Management, 2019-2025
Litigation – Labor & Employment, 2021-2025
Associations & Memberships
American Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
Iowa State Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association
Governing Council, Labor and Employment Section, 2008–2012
Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist
Society for Human Resource Management
Fraser
Board of Directors, 2006-2012
St. John's Catholic School, Hopkins, MN
School Advisory Council, 2006-2014
Notre Dame Academy, Minnetonka, MN
Board of Directors, 2017-2020