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 (2010-2024)

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

Admissions – State

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

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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

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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

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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

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