Overview
Jim is the Chair of the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group and a member of the Litigation Department. He has extensive non-compete and trade secret experience, which includes counseling, auditing and drafting agreements. Jim’s national practice involves both prosecuting and defending employers in non-competition and trade secret litigation, with significant injunction hearing experience. He regularly advises healthcare clients regarding restrictive covenant, trade secret and employment issues related to physicians, sales representatives, customer account representatives, key administrators, and technical and clinical personnel. He is a member of the Non-Compete/Trade Secrets Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. Jim is also a skilled employment litigator, with trial and class action experience in employment discrimination matters, defending employers in labor arbitrations, as well as labor and employment counseling.
Jim is an author of several blogs that provide executives, managers, human resources professionals, and labor relations personnel with easy-to-understand, accurate and informative articles on the latest legal developments and how to apply them in the workplace.
Jim earned a J.D. from Wayne State University in 1995. He received a B.A., with honors, from the University of Notre Dame in 1992.
Representative Cases & Matters
Labor and Employment – Employment Litigation
Representative trial and litigation matters:
- Successfully defended a wage and hour class action for a large healthcare organization in the metro-Detroit area involving home health companions. The matter was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Obtained summary judgment for a large healthcare organization in the metro-Detroit area involving claims of national origin and age discrimination and retaliation. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Successfully resolved FMLA, age, race, and retaliation matter for a Fortune 500 steel and elevator manufacturer and automotive supplier. The matter was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
- Successfully resolved ADEA complaint for Tier 1 automotive supplier. The matter was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Successfully resolved FMLA, ERISA, and ADA complaint for Tier 1 automotive supplier. The matter was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Represented national dialysis company in ERISA and wage hour complaint. Through discovery convinced plaintiff to drop entire case for $0 and matter was then dismissed with prejudice. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Received summary judgment representing individual supervisor for regional emergency response company in sex harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by three former employees. The case was filed in the Wayne County Circuit Court, State of Michigan.
- Received summary judgment for Fortune 500 energy infrastructure company in an age discrimination lawsuit. The matter was litigated in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
Labor and Employment – Restrictive Covenant Cases
Trials and TROs:
- Represented national payroll company against former sales executive in obtaining full permanent injunction, enjoining former employee from working for competitor in multiple counties, from soliciting former customers and employees, and from otherwise using and/or disclosing confidential business information. This matter was litigated in Jefferson Circuit County Court, State of Kentucky.
- Received 18-month permanent injunction against former sales executive for national medical supplier. Relief included non-solicitation of customers and employees, as well as non-disclosure of all business information. This case was filed and litigated in the Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
- Obtained full TRO against former vice president for international staffing company. Injunction terms included a statewide restriction on competition and full non-solicitation and non-disclosure relief. This matter was litigated in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Received full injunctive relief against former sales executive for international staffing company. Relief included non-solicitation of customers and employees and full non-disclosure. The matter was litigated in the Oakland County Circuit Court, State of Michigan.
- Obtained full injunction against former regional vice president of large subsidiary of Fortune 500 energy infrastructure company. Relief included national restriction on working for a competitor, full non-solicit of customers and employees, and complete non-disclosure. This case was litigated in the Dickinson County Circuit Court, State of Michigan.
- Obtained full non-solicitation and non-disclosure against former sales executive for international staffing company. The matter was litigated in Harris County, State of Texas.