Click here for the 2009 USLAW Employment & Labor Law Directory

USLAW Employment Law Practice Group Mission Statement

With increasing litigation and governmental involvement, the rapidly evolving workplace requires a pragmatic approach, innovative solutions, and thoughtful attention to prevent issues from arising and solve them when they do. The USLAW NETWORK Employment & Labor Law Group provides top-quality, effective, and cost-efficient legal services to private and public sector employers facing a broad spectrum of labor and employment issues.

Members of the USLAW Employment & Labor Practice Group focus on supplying real-world tailored solutions to labor and employment issues. They work collaboratively with our clients’ in-house legal and human resources professionals to ward off potential challenges with carefully planned policy formation, implementation and training.  

Why Choose USLAW Employment & Labor Law Firms?

With highly qualified and experienced employment & labor attorneys located throughout the country, group members are uniquely positioned to offer cutting edge legal services in a cost-effective manner. The Group's nationwide presence and expertise permits us to respond expeditiously to clients wherever and whenever our members are needed. Through the group’s extensive collective experience representing both private and public sector clients, member attorneys have gained a deep understanding of our clients’ needs and goals in dealing with employees and labor unions.

While our members must conform to the highest standards of excellence and integrity, it is our personalized attention to our clients that sets USLAW apart. The group’s wealth of experience in a wide variety of industries and with employers ranging from small “mom and pops” to Fortune 100 companies allows them to better counsel clients on the day-to-day problems they encounter.

By working together, USLAW firms’ employment & labor law practice groups offer our clients all of the benefits of national representation without compromising our commitment to providing outstanding and timely service. Through our outreach efforts, including national seminars and local training opportunities, the members aim not only to offer premiere, cost-effective, legal representation, but also to continue to develop and strengthen relationships with our industry partners, allowing our members to better serve the business community.

Group members believe their clients are best served through preventive measures such as careful policy drafting and effective training.  To that end, we are often on-site with employers, identifying ways to strengthen personnel polices and providing innovative solutions to workplace challenges. In addition, we provide training to supervisors and managers on a wide array of topics, including:  sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination, workplace investigations, and violence in the workplace.

Even with the most careful planning, employers cannot entirely avoid litigation.  Group members have extensive experience in all phases of litigation - from administrative agency proceedings to litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country.  Member attorneys are keenly aware of the potential pitfalls in administrative investigations and regularly assist employers in responding to Department of Labor, EEOC, NLRB, OFCCP and OSHA audits and investigations at the federal, state and local levels.  Should litigation arise, USLAW clients are well-positioned by having all of the benefits of a large national practice with attorneys familiar with the local rules, judges and trends for nearly every jurisdiction.

Areas of Practice

Our group members handle the full spectrum of employment and labor issues, including:

  • Administrative law agency/tribunal matters
  • Affirmative Action - Executive Order 11246
  • Age Discrimination in Employment Act
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Civil Rights §1983 Claims
  • Class Action Defense
  • COBRA
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Discrimination Claims - Title VII
  • Drug and Alcohol Testing
  • Employee Benefits
  • Employment Contracts
  • Employment Practices Liability Insurance
  • Equal Pay Act
  • ERISA
  • Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Family and Medical Leave Act
  • Handbooks and Personnel Policies
  • Immigration
  • National Labor Relations Act
  • Non-Competition Agreements
  • Occupational Safety and Health Act
  • Older Workers Benefits Protection Act
  • Retaliation Claims
  • Unemployment
  • WARN Act
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Workplace Violence
  • Wrongful Discharge

Leadership 

Chair
Jill A. Cheskes
SmithAmundsen LLC
Chicago, IL

Vice Chair
S. Donean Surratt
Orgain Bell & Tucker, LLP
Beaumont, TX

Secretary
Richard A. Braden
Goldberg Segalla LLP
Buffalo, NY


Practice Group Advisors

Tammy M. Finley
Vice President & Employment Counsel
Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

Barry M. Pulver
Claims Consultant
Hartford Financial Products