HR/Employment Training
At Gould & Ratner LLP, we understand that employers are constantly challenged with employment law compliance. No sooner do you comply with the latest law or regulation, but another emerges.
That is why the goal of our Human Resources and Employment Law Group is to focus on preventative measures that assist employers in reducing exposure to costly employment-related lawsuits. We view employment law compliance a bottom line endeavor – an ounce of prevention (in the form of consistent training and educational programs) can yield significant and measurable savings in costly employment actions and claims.
The attorneys in the group personally conceive, design, and present all of the firm’s employment law training seminars. We believe that, as lawyers, we bring a unique perspective to employment-related training. We have experience in court defending employers against discrimination lawsuits filed by current and former employees – we have seen the successes and the failures employers’ face in court. The use of practicing attorneys as trainers brings both a real-world understanding and years of practical experience to each and every seminar.
Director of Training
David N. Michael is a Gould & Ratner partner and serves as the director of the firm's training practice. David is also the chairperson of the firm's Human Resources and Employment Law Group. David is a long-standing member of the American Society of Training & Development (ASTD) and has been a featured presenter and trainer at conventions for a variety of local and national associations. He has also conducted countless training seminars for individual employers and their employees on all facets of human resources and employment law. In 2003, David was honored as one of "40 Attorneys Under 40 to Watch" by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Human Resources and Employment Law Practice Group
Gould & Ratner’s Human Resources and Employment Law Group advises company management on a broad array of issues involving state and federal labor and employment laws. The group has represented employers in many employment-related lawsuits in both state and federal court, and before various governmental agencies. The group’s lawyers have handled cases involving all aspects of employment law including race, national origin, age and disability discrimination, sexual harassment, restrictive covenants, workers’ compensation retaliation, and breach of fiduciary duty.
As counselors, the group’s attorneys assist employers in avoiding litigation by giving advice on a variety of employment-related topics and often operate as the de facto human resources department for many small and medium-sized employers that cannot afford a full-time professional in this area. Lawyers in the group have given advice on topics such as accommodating disabled employees, navigating the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act, effecting plant closings without liability, avoiding legal pitfalls when hiring employees, investigating sexual harassment complaints, and avoiding liability for pregnancy and other types of unlawful discrimination. The group’s lawyers have assisted employers in developing strategies to ensure exemptions from overtime, handling employee morale issues, developing better systems to document disciplinary actions, and drafting and/or revising employee handbooks. The group’s attorneys also have extensive experience in drafting employment agreements, including protection of trade secrets through non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure covenants.
Our HR/Employment Training Brochure
To download a PDF version of our HR/Employment Training Brochure, please click here.
For Information or to Schedule Training
For more information about Gould & Ratner, our Human Resources and Employment Law services, or to schedule specific training, please contact the Gould & Ratner Training Hotline at 312.899.1632 or send an e-mail to training@gouldratner.com.