Butzel Long has a nationally recognized large and diversified traditional labor, employment litigation, employment benefits and immigration law practice. Over forty attorneys devote all or most of their practice to this area, for public and private institutions, both large and small. Butzel Long has the capability to represent our clients in every aspect of labor and employment, including litigation, administrative agency charges, collective bargaining, arbitrations, benefits, non-competes, counseling and advising, and training.

Butzel Long's expertise was reflected in the appointment by President George W. Bush of Butzel Long Shareholder Robert J. Battista to chair the National Labor Relations Board, a position he will hold through the end of 2007. Additionally, current Butzel Long attorneys include two past chairs of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar, a past chair of the International Law Section. Three of our attorneys are Fellows of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, an honor available only to those who have, in the eyes of their colleagues, distinguished themselves as outstanding professionals for more then 20 years of practice. Several are listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA and one was voted among Southeast Michigan's top 10 business lawyers by Corp! magazine.

The litigators in our Labor and Employment group have a proven record of success in litigation ranging from employment discrimination and wrongful discharge claims, to ERISA and FLSA class actions. We have successfully defended our clients in matters involving every type of federal and state labor and employment claim including claims arising under Title VII, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, every type of discrimination and wrongful discharge claim (involving claims of age, sex, race, gender, height, weight, pregnancy, national origin, sexual harassment, religion and handicap discrimination), non-compete litigation, Fair Labor Standards Act and WARN Act claims, unfair labor practice charges, as well as a variety of issues under state and federal constitutions, at the trial and appellate level. Our attorneys have appeared in the Federal Courts of Appeal and before the United States Supreme Court. We also regularly practice before numerous administrative agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state and federal Departments of Labor, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations, National Labor Relations Board, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and the National Mediation Board.

In the traditional labor practice, Butzel Long attorneys have extensive experience representing public and private sector employers and multi-employer associations in collective bargaining, representational campaigns and elections, unfair labor practice charges, strikes including injunction proceedings in both state and federal courts designed to end unlawful strikes or picketing wage and hour matters, and arbitrations.

Butzel Long's labor and employment attorneys teach at several law schools and are frequent lecturers to state and national employer and professional organizations, and to continuing legal education groups updating other attorneys on labor and employment issues.

There are a number of aspects to our labor and employment practice, and commitments we make to our clients, which we believe set Butzel Long apart from other firms. Those commitments include:

• staffing specific matters with experienced, efficient attorneys with a proven track record of results and cost-effectiveness;


• assuring accessibility to clients;
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• counseling, training and preventative measures designed to anticipate and manage risk; and,


• a commitment to investing in technology so as to ensure the highest quality, most cost-effective representation.

A significant portion of our practice is devoted to counseling and training employers in human relations and personnel matters, so as to avoid litigation and other adversarial proceedings, thereby managing labor costs. Our attorneys have successfully guided employers through difficult and risky labor and employment situations involving issues such as terminations, compliance with non-discrimination statutes, reductions in force, plant/facilities closings and mergers, benefits administration, WARN Act notification, and strikes. Further, we have counseled employers in the development and implementation of handbooks, as well as a variety of personnel policies and procedures such as disciplinary policies, policies concerning reasonable accommodation of handicapped employees, drug and alcohol testing programs, Family and Medical Leave policies, affirmative action plans, and ERISA and benefit plans.

We have a well-developed program of more than 30 on-site training seminars. These seminars are designed to ensure understanding of and compliance with non-discrimination statutes, appropriate administration of employment policies, and proper training of supervisors and managers so as to recognize, and address, potential problem situations. Each training seminar is tailored to the specific employer, includes customized written materials, and covers the waterfront of labor and employment issues facing today's employers.

As part of our commitment to managing risk, clients may receive our Labor and Employment Law Bulletin 3-4 times per year, and periodic E-Bulletin Alerts for breaking developments which provide information about new decisions and trends in labor and employment law. Additionally, for over 20 years, we have presented an annual Labor and Employment Law Forum, which is a comprehensive, all day seminar on topics which cover a wide range of current issues employers face.

Representative labor and employment clients include: Black & Decker (U.S.), Inc.; CBS Radio Inc.; Charter Township of Ypsilanti; Farmer Jack/A&P Supermarkets; Henry Ford Community College; Irvin Automotive Products Company; MGM Grand Detroit Casino; Manheim Auctions; McDonald's Corporation; Memorial Healthcare; Michigan Technological University; Mount Clemens General Hospital; Oakland County; Owens Corning; Rieter Automotive North America, Inc.; Rite-Aid Corporation; Schoolcraft College; Takata Inc.; The University of Michigan; University of Detroit Mercy; Valeo, Inc.; U.S. Steel Corporation; and William Beaumont Hospital.