Led by Kevin Koronka out of Austin, the employment team at Husch Blackwell LLP focuses on preventative measures and counseling to help reduce risk for employers. Key names to note include Scott LeBlanc, out of Milwaukee, Tom O’Day, out of Madison, and Trecia Moore, out of Kansas City.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s employment team demonstrates a niche focus on compliance solutions for employers outside the litigation context. The team is able to handle a complex range of matters due to a number of dedicated teams covering international employment, and equal pay and pay transparency. The employment practice assists employers with major organizational change, designing compliance systems, and workplace crisis response and investigations related to discrimination and harassment. Practice head David Baffa leads the team from Chicago, assisting clients with business restructuring and workplace restructurings. He is joined by Gary Friedman, who assists clients in reputational risk matters, and William Perkins, who represents clients before federal and state administrative agencies and mediators. Both are based in New York. Boston-based Lisa Damon specializes in diversity, equality, and inclusion matters. Larry Lorber focuses on compensation and pay equality in Washington, DC, and Camille Olson, based in Chicago, defends clients in matters related to discrimination, harassment, wage and hour disputes, and independent contractor issues. Ellen McLaughlin, also based in Chicago, specializes in transgender and gender identity counseling and litigation matters.

The employment team at BakerHostetler works closely with its other practice groups to advise clients across a range of industries, from start-ups to multinational corporations. The practice is particularly active across employee policies, workplace audits, and training and compliance programmes. Practice head Amy Traub leads the team from New York, handling high-profile litigation matters for healthcare and luxury companies. New York-based Fanny Ferdman manages handbook initiatives alongside cases involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, while Ashley Guffey and Jason D’Cruz, based in Atlanta, focus on executive compensation and restrictive covenants. Orlando-based Joyce Ackerbaum Cox has expertise in wage and hour disputes, claims of retaliation, and other sensitive matters. Todd Lebowitz, who advises clients from Cleveland, demonstrates a niche focus on temporary labor, gig economy labor, and outsourced labor services. Brian Harris, based in Atlanta, and Sabrina Shadi, based in Los Angeles, both handle employment aspects of M&A deals. Another key team member is Kevin Shaughnessy.

Baker McKenzie covers the entire scope of employment law, providing counselling, transactional, and litigation support to domestic and international clients. The team places a strong focus on strategic workforce planning, managing a multinational workforce, addressing HR issues, and risk mapping. Leading the team from San Palo Alto is Susan Eandi, who assists clients with employment matters arising during cross-border mergers and acquisitions, separations, restructurings, and other spinoffs. Benjamin Ho, who is based in San Francisco, advises public and private companies, and private equity funds on employment issues related to workforce expansion and global corporate reorganization. Los Angeles-based Robin Samuel litigates class and collective claims, and single plaintiff actions, while New York’s Kimberly Franko Lower specializes in strategic workforce planning and management of multinational workforces. Amanda Cohen, who works out of San Francisco, supports clients with compliance matters across various jurisdictions. Another key name is Adeola Olowude, who is based in Washington DC.

The employment team at DLA Piper LLP (US) handles US and international employment matters. The team is geared to support clients on sensitive matters covering diversity, inclusion, and equity laws, and transaction-related employment work. Brian Kaplan, based in New York, represents employers and senior executives in litigation matters related to employment discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. Palo Alto-based Ute Krudewagen advises companies on employment issues triggered by cross-border transactions, such as global background checks and employment and independent contractor agreements, while Austin’s Georgia Jolink brings knowledge of government contractor compliance and advises on various audits. Alison Lewandoski, based in New York, focuses on employment litigation and counseling. Todd Mobley left in October 2025. Marc Katz has left the firm.

Greenberg Traurig‘s employment team is particularly impressive in compliance work, assisting employers with regulatory requirements and employment law. Businesses regularly turn to Greenberg Traurig for assistance with workplace training, investigations related to discrimination or retaliation, and implementation of AI. The team is jointly led by Denver-based Naomi Beer and Atlanta-based John Richards. Beer focuses on litigation issues, including multi-district cases and class action suits, particularly concerning the retail, restaurant, and manufacturing industries. Richards is instructed by retail sector clients on the design and implementation of compliance programmes, responding to enforcement actions, and managing litigation processes. Kelly Dobbs Bunting, based in Philadelphia, is a key advisor on class and collective wage and hour litigation and misclassification claims, while Galit Kierkut, who works out of New Jersey, advises start-ups and growth-stage clients on trade secret and non-compete matters. Other key names include Jon Zimring and Ellen Bandel. James Boudrey moved to Reed Smith LLP in May 2025.

Los Angeles-based Maria Rodriguez lead McDermott Will & Schulte‘s employment practice. The team provides employment advice on complex M&A and roll-up deals for sponsor and strategic acquirers across healthcare and life sciences. New York’s Martin Schmelkin has deep experience in employment law, allowing him to advise on litigation strategy, coordinate policies and programs across jurisdictions, and lead workplace training programs. Marc Brossman provides counsel to several educational institutions and private equity firms. Stephania Sanon departed the team in January 2026.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP‘s employment team offers a wealth of experience across litigation matters, including restrictive covenant action, claims of misconduct against C-suite level executives, discrimination, trade secrets, and class and mass action cases. The practice is also well-versed in transactional and restructuring-related employment matters. Practice head John Barry, based in New York, advises clients on crisis situations involving executive termination, hiring executives from competitors, and theft of trade secrets. He is joined by Rebecca Sivitz, who works out of New York and Boston, and covers all aspects of transactional, litigation, and investigation matters. New York-based Celine Chan was promoted to partner in 2025 and brings expertise in gender, pregnancy, and parental discrimination lawsuits. Meanwhile, Boston-based Peter Mee helps employers mitigate risks through compliance program development. The team expanded its offering with the addition of Xander Tabloff, who has experience litigating in federal and state courts.

Davis+Gilbert LLP‘s employment practice encompasses the full spectrum of employment counselling and litigation matters, advising clients across various industries, including financial services, media, construction, healthcare, publishing, and hospitality. Jointly leading the team are Daniel Feinstein, who advises a range of companies in the employment industry, and Gregg Gilman, who is called upon as a lead advisor in employment crises and disputes. Shira Franco assists clients with their employment policies as they scale their businesses. Jessica Golden Cortes is well-versed in regulatory compliance and workplace disputes, and Jason Pruzansky acts as both an advisor and litigator, resolving labor disputes and negotiating collective bargaining agreements. Another key name is Sharon Cohen. All lawyers mentioned above are based in New York.

Goodwin's employment team provides transactional, litigation, investigation, and counselling support to clients across technology, life sciences, healthcare, and financial services. The practice works closely with private equity and venture capital firms to assist with employment issues arising from corporate transactions. Practice head Koray Bulut leads the team out of San Francisco, managing matters concerning trade secrets, employee mobility, sexual harassment suits, and founder disputes. Boston's Robert Hale focuses on litigation matters concerning non-competes, discrimination, and wrongful discharge, while Jennifer Fay advises on executive-level matters and workplace investigations in the life sciences and technology space. Christina Lewis, also based in Boston, negotiates and drafts employment agreements, policies, affirmative action plans, and separation agreements. The team has expanded with the hiring of Meg Thering and Edward Holzwanger. Alexander Flynn-Tabloff left the firm in 2025.

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.’s employment practice spans a range of industries, including life sciences, financial services, technology, media, retail, education, and transportation. The team supports clients across compliance, litigation, and transactional matters. New York practice head Michael Arnold advises public and private clients on various complex employment issues. Jennifer Rubin, who is based in San Diego, focuses on C-suite management issues and ESG concerns. Boston’s Andrew Matzkin specializes in workplace environmental health and safety, while Natalie Groot, also based in Boston, is adept in labor disputes concerning discrimination, harassment, and enforcement of non-solicitation agreements.

Practice head Robin Jeffcott leads the experienced litigation-focused employment team at Reed Smith LLP. The practice is positioned to assist clients with class action suits, as well as counselling businesses on various employment matters. New York-based Cindy Schmitt Minniti represents management across an array of employment issues, while Richmond-based Betty Graumlich represents media and entertainment companies, optical manufacturers and retailers, and global defense contractors. Michele Haydel Gehrke, based in San Francisco, manages single plaintiff and class actions involving allegations of harassment, retaliation, and discrimination, and Noah Oberlander defends privately and publicly held for-profit companies on day-to-day compliance and best practice matters. The firm expanded its offering into Atlanta and Philadelphia this year, with the hiring of James Boudreau, David Long-Daniels, Adam Roseman, and Christiana Signs from Greenberg Traurig in May 2025.

Cooley LLP’s employment team offers workplace counseling support on executive transitions, board-level issues, and crisis response matters for life sciences and technology companies. The team works closely with their compensation and benefits practice and their cyber, data, and privacy groups. Wendy Brenner leads the team out of Palo Alto, while New York-based Gerard O’Shea drafts and negotiates various employment documents. Boston’s Lyndsey Kruzer joined the team in May 2025, bringing experience in employment disputes for private equity, venture capital, and strategic investors. Joshua Mates, who is based in San Francisco, represents employers in mediations, arbitrations, and other alternative dispute resolution matters.

Dentons utilises its nationwide network to provide counselling, mediation, litigation, and arbitration support to clients. The team’s litigation experience includes representing management against claims of discrimination, and restrictive covenants, and trade secret matters. Atlanta-based Daniel Beale and Des Moines-based Jo Ellen Whitney  assist clients with compliance issues related to federal, state, and local employment law. They are joined by Sandra McCandless, based in San Diego, who brings experience in representing Indian tribes, tribal casinos, and other tribal businesses in employment issues. Los Angeles-based Erin Norris focuses on collective bargaining negotiations and grievance arbitrations, while Indianapolis-based Kate Erdel provides human resource-related advice.

Fisher Phillips provides employment counselling services concerning compliance issues and preventative programmes, with a particular strength in pay equity and data privacy issues. Practice head John Polson, based in Irvine and Los Angeles, focuses on gig economy issues related to independent contractor status and the unique challenges of freelancing platforms. Louisville-based Laurel Cornell handles employment disputes involving retaliation, breach of contract, and wrongful termination claims, while Irvine-based Christopher Boman specializes in multi-party complex and class action litigation. Todd Logsdon, based in Louisville, is the co-chair of the workplace safety practice group, and David Jones, based in Memphis, is the co-chair of the National Immigration Practice. Another key name is Michael Marra, who is based in New York and advises clients on employee relations and legal compliance matters.

With a focus on traditional labor relations, the employment practice at Jones Walker LLP advises companies across maritime, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. The team is notable for strikes, picketing, and other union-related disruptions. New Orleans practice head Sidney Lewis advises management and HR personnel across the retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and services industries. Also based in New Orleans is Jennifer Kogos, who has experience defending collective actions and compliance matters. Jason Culotta serves as national employment counsel for both publicly traded and privately held companies. Birmingham-based Mac Greaves helps clients identify, prevent, and resolve various employment issues, and Joseph Adams, who is based in Jackson, focuses on unfair labor practice litigation and employee and supervisor training.

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP handles a wide array of employment dispute matters, as well as offering counsel to employers on matters concerning union negotiations and unfair labor practices. The team also advises clients on employment matters related to corporate transactions. Practice head William Tarnow focuses on employment-related disputes and advises companies and executives on employment matters impacting business operations. Jason Kim negotiates collective bargaining agreements, and Sonya Rosenberg is geared to support a range of employee-related legal issues. Other key names include Kristin Michaels and Chad Moeller. All lawyers mentioned are based in Chicago.

Vedder’s employment team supports clients on a full range of employment matters. Practice head Elizabeth Hall leads the team from Chicago and is well-versed in drafting and negotiating severance agreements, settlements, and conciliation agreements. Thomas Hancuch, also based in Chicago, focuses on employee benefit plan design and administration. Washington DC-based Amy Bess specializes in employment litigation, while New York’s Jonathan Wexler excels in arbitrated statutory claims and grievances under collective bargaining agreements. Alex Weinstein, based in Chicago, focuses on restrictive covenants and trade secret protection, and San Francisco-based Cheryl Sabnis defends employers facing putative class, collective, and representative action.