Not only do they provide sound advice and direction when we are addressing complicated situations, they do it in such a manner as though they are owners in the business. 

Chambers USA 2017

Honigman’s Labor and Employment department is recognized for its broad capabilities, responsiveness, and ability to meet client objectives. Serving both domestic and foreign clients, we provide comprehensive counseling, strategic planning, and litigation services in a wide variety of industries. In the 2017 edition, Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognizes our department as a "solid" practice consisting of a team that "is praised for its devotion to clients." Chambers USA further comments on our "strong reputation in high-stakes, collective and class action employment litigation, and employment issues arising in a transactional context, with particular expertise advising on M&A-related matters." 

Our client base includes publicly traded companies, portfolio companies of private equity groups, closely held businesses, and start-ups. We focus first on gaining a clear understanding of the full context of each client’s situation and then on developing strategies to protect their interests and meet their business goals. We are proud to say that many of our clients are rated as among the best places to work in the country.

Our emphasis is on helping clients avoid and reduce exposure to labor and employment claims. On a daily basis, we function as full service human resources counselors, assisting clients with federal, state, and local compliance issues. We also provide workplace training on employment law topics and help clients establish operations throughout the United States. In addition, we regularly counsel companies on traditional labor issues, including union avoidance, the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, and federal labor law requirements.

Beyond day-to-day counseling, we also assist clients with significant transactional matters. For instance, we negotiate executive and officer employment agreements, help transition high-level executive relationships, and advise on labor and employment aspects of divestitures, mergers, and acquisitions. To minimize our clients risk, we also develop and help implement protective agreements and policies for their workforce. 

If litigation arises, we aggressively defend our clients throughout the country and have achieved significant victories doing so. Representative litigation services include prosecuting and defending noncompete and trade secrets disputes to protect our clients’ critical information and relationships; defending employers in small- and large-scale class actions and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act; and defending single and multi-plaintiff discrimination, harassment, and retaliation lawsuits. We have successfully represented clients regarding a broad spectrum of federal, state, and local employment claims.

Our Practice Includes: