Overview
Miriam is the Managing Member of McDonald Hopkins' Detroit office, serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, and is a member of the firm's Labor and Employment Practice. She represents and counsels employers on a wide-range of labor and employment law issues. She focuses her practice on counseling employers on day-to-day human resource matters to ensure compliance with complex issues arising from state and federal employment laws, such as the FMLA, ADA, and civil rights statutes.
She has extensive experience in the area of wage/hour matters, assisting employers in auditing practices and defending and resolving disputes stemming from the Fair Labor Standards Act and state law requirements. Miriam regularly works with employers to develop effective strategies for implementing difficult employment business decisions related to RIFS, WARN issues, and other employee separations. She also represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, contract administration, union avoidance strategies and training, as well as union recognition, decertification and deauthorization campaigns. Miriam regularly conducts seminars and training for managers and staff on workplace compliance issues.
Miriam is an author of the Employer Advocate, a blog that provides 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.
Miriam earned her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1987. She received a B.A., with high distinction, from Michigan State University in 1984.
Representative Cases & Matters
- Lead two successful U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act investigations for a large healthcare organization in the metro-Detroit area. Investigations resulted in no violations against the employer.
- Current representation of a large healthcare organization in the metro-Detroit area in wage and hour class action involving home health companions. The matter is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Represented a multi-national IT consulting company in multiple U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act investigations.
- Successfully represented a national insurance company in a U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act investigation. Investigation resulted in no violations against the employer.
- Represented a large automotive supplier in a Department of Homeland Security investigation of I-9 compliance resulting in no fines or penalties to employer.
- Counseling and planning of numerous reductions in force for employers in a broad range of industries, including accounting, aerospace, automotive, financial, IT, insurance, and healthcare.
- Successful resolution of a potential class national origin, gender, and equal pay claim against a multi-national automotive supplier.
- Successful resolution of an EEOC class claim based on gender discrimination against a financial services firm.
- Successfully represented employers in numerous charges of discrimination before the EEOC and state agencies resulting in dismissal of the charges.
- Successfully represented numerous employers in state agency wage/hour complaints.
Honors & Recognition
Selected for inclusion in Michigan Super Lawyers (2010-2023)
Selected for inclusion in Dbusiness magazine’s Top Lawyers (2015)
Named one of the Best Lawyers in America (2013-2024)
AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Credentials
Education
Northwestern University School of Law
Michigan State University
Admissions – Court
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Admissions – State
- Michigan
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
American Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan
Oakland County Bar Association
Society for Human Resource Management
Detroit Society of Human Resource Management - Board Secretary
Community Involvement
Northwestern University School of Law Alumni Association
News & Insights
External News & Publications
The Clash of Social Media and Employee Privacy, PEO Insider, April 2014
Is your workplace social media savvy? RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest August 2013
EEOC Issues New Guidance on Specific Disabilities, RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest June 2013
New Laws Protect Online Password Privacy, RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest March 2013
Hold the NLRB Posting, RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest May 2012
Court Provides FMLA Guidance in Termination Case, RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest March 2012
Employers Beware: With New Round of Audits, ICE Seeks to Chill Illegal Hiring, RBMA Monthly Legal Update Digest July 2011
Hiring 2.0: What Employers Need to Consider when Hiring this Time Around, Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit Newsletter, March 2011
Investigating Employee Misconduct, Employment Law in Michigan: An Employer’s Guide (ICLE 2d. ed. 2008 -2014 Supplements)
The New FMLA Regulations, Human Resources Association of Greater Detroit, November 2008
Guidance for Small Business Owners, Detroit Chamber of Commerce, October 2008
VIEW LESS
Events
Speaking Engagements
HR Best Practices for Navigating Trending Employment Law Issues, Detroit SHRM, NextGen HR Conference, November 15, 2019
A Hazy Future for IL Employers, The New IL Marijuana Law and other State Employment Law changes, Federal Women Contractors, July 30, 2019
Understanding the New Paid Medical Leave Act, Detroit SHRM Webinar, June 13, 2019
FMLA, ADA, and Now PMLA; Just one fact matters, Detroit SHRM Seminar, May 9, 2019
Updating your Employee Handbook for Changing Times, Detroit SHRM Webinar, November 2018
Employment Issues for Physician Practices, 5th Annual Symposium of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), September 2018
Respect in the Workplace Training, Jewish Professional Resources Organization, May 17, 2018
HR Compliance in Non-Compliant Times, HR Group Michigan Credit Union League, November 8, 2017
Managing Employment Law Challenges for Medical Practices Challenges, Ohio MGMA, September 22, 2017
Is My Data Safe? Why HR Professionals Should Care, American Society of Employers Employment Law Conference, September 2014
Manage and Minimize HR Risk for your Practice, Illinois Medical Group Management Association Annual Meeting, May 2014
Overcoming Common Pathology Practice HR Issues, American Pathology Foundation Webinar, May 2014
The Importance of Documentation: The Good, the Bad, and the Missing, American Pathology Foundation, Practice Management Boot Camp, November 2013
Social Media – Does and Don’ts, Detroit Society for Human Resources Management, June 2013
Family and Medical Leave Act Legal Update, Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit, March 2012
Dust Off and Clean Up Your Employment Policies for 2012, Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit Webinar, February 2012
Fundamentals of Employment Law for Practice Management, American Pathology Foundation, 2012 Practice Management Boot Camp, November 2012
Managing & Training Your Multi-Generational Team in the 21st Century Workplace, American Pathology Foundation, 2011 Practice Management Boot Camp, November 2011
Employment Law Update: 2011 Trends, Hot Topics & Top Risks, presented to various Employer Industry Groups
Employment Law Landmines: How to Avoid Hidden Traps, Illinois Medical Group Management Association Annual Meeting, May 2011
Employer Use and Control of Social Media, Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit Webinar, March 2011
Fair Labor Standards Act and Michigan Wage Hour Law, Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit Webinar, March 2010
Practice Management HR Risks, American Pathology Foundation, 2010 Practice Management Boot Camp, November 2010
ADA Amendments Training Presentation, panel member, Human Resources Association of Greater Detroit, January 2009
Union Avoidance Training, National Private Duty Association, April 2009
The Truth about Your Employment Law Obligations, presented to various industry groups
It May be Healthy, but is it Legal, presented to Michigan Society of Association Executives Law Symposium, Nov. 2005
VIEW LESS