Employment Law
Employment Law
We know our clients’ challenges go far beyond the bargaining table. That’s why the scope of our experience covers deeper, more complex matters pertaining to workplace and employment law, as well as the creation and presentation of training programs.
Clark Baird Smith LLP attorneys represent private sector employers in federal and state equal employment opportunity agencies to defend against allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and other forms of prohibited discrimination. The Firm also has substantial experience in defending clients against wrongful discharge, breach-of-contract, Family & Medical Leave Act and other employment claims, including Section 1981 and 1983 constitutional actions.
While private sector employers face the ever-changing landscape of labor and employment laws, public sector employers face the additional challenges of addressing state and federal constitutional rights, including due process, first amendment, privacy, equal protection, and fourth amendment issues.
Our breadth of experience extends to providing day-to-day advice on human resources issues, performing reviews of employment policies and auditing other employment-related documents, updating employee handbooks to be consistent with best practices and current law, advising on workplace issues including EEO, FMLA, ADA and other concerns, and investigation of workplace violence issues, harassment claims and other disciplinary matters.
We are also well-versed in EEO law, having handled numerous individual and class action claims before the EEOC, Illinois Department of Human Rights and Human Rights Commission and federal and state courts.
While it’s always our goal to provide proactive and practical advice to help our clients avoid litigation, we have a deep bench of litigators who have successfully represented clients in cases involving discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, disability and other leave issues, Section 1983 actions, trade secrets, non-compete issues, wage and hour issues, TRO and permanent injunction hearings, disciplinary hearings and virtually every other form of litigated proceeding in the employment arena.
Labor Relations
Our lawyers provide high-quality labor relations counsel and representation for both public and private sector employers.
Litigation
Clark Baird Smith LLP attorneys represent employers in administrative proceedings, single plaintiff cases, as well as class actions and pattern and practice litigation filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Our experienced litigation attorneys have successfully managed litigation cases in these and many other state and federal courts and agencies across the country.
Workplace Training & Counseling
The experienced attorneys at Clark Baird Smith LLP deliver distinctive training programs to a variety of private and public sector employer groups, as well as to groups of employees, so they can stay current on the ever-changing landscape of labor and employment law issues. Our training programs enable both employers and employees to effectively manage labor and employment issues in a proactive and legally defensibly manner.
