Overview

Tom’s practice includes all aspects of labor law and employment litigation. He has represented clients in a broad range of industries. At this time, Tom’s practice focuses on strategic advice related to labor planning, collective bargaining, employment litigation and handling difficult employee situations. Tom has frequently spoken before industry and human resources groups on topics such as wrongful discharge, employment litigation, workforce reduction, drug and alcohol testing, disability and family medical leave laws, and sexual harassment.

Experience

Representative engagements include:

  • Negotiating to agreement three collective bargaining contracts on a coordinated bargaining basis, covering most of the employer's work force, including two first-time contracts
  • Managing litigation defense of employment claims for multi-state employer
  • Successfully defending in court and before administrative agencies employment litigation matters (actual and potential), including class wage-hour and discrimination issues, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, harassment discrimination, arrest/conviction record, retaliation, and defamation
  • Defeating a union’s National Labor Relations Board petition at a large nonprofit social services agency, including raising substantial legal issues that would have quadrupled the size of the appropriate bargaining unit, which resulted in the union withdrawing the petition
  • Successfully defending two labor contract grievance-arbitration matters in the agribusiness industry relating to the scope of the bargaining unit, resulting increased business flexibility and an opportunity for operational expansion on a non-union basis
  • Representing a nonprofit employer in a disability discrimination case in which the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was convinced that the case was not a good test of retaliation theories, and resulting in 33 separation agreements standing as drafted and signed
  • Successfully defending a church property dispute, which led to a departing splinter group having to return the property to church entities.in an orderly and timely manner without further litigation or appeals

Honors & Recognitions

  • Leading Labor & Employment Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2003-Present
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Labor and Employment, 1987-2020
  • Wisconsin Super Lawyers list, Labor and Employment, Super Lawyers magazine, 2005-2017

 

Professional Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, School District of Whitefish Bay (1998-2007)
  • Board Member, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, (2000-2006, 2008-2011)
  • Board Member, St. John’s Home Foundation (2000-2009)
  • Former Board Member, St. John’s on the Lake (2004-Present) (Board Chair 2011)
  • Board Member, Lutheran Social Service of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. (2002-2011)
  • Board Member, Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired
  • Church Attorney for the Episcopal Dioceses of Milwaukee and Fond du Lac

Insights

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, School District of Whitefish Bay (1998-2007)
  • Board Member, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, (2000-2006, 2008-2011)
  • Board Member, St. John’s Home Foundation (2000-2009)
  • Former Board Member, St. John’s on the Lake (2004-Present) (Board Chair 2011)
  • Board Member, Lutheran Social Service of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. (2002-2011)
  • Board Member, Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired
  • Church Attorney for the Episcopal Dioceses of Milwaukee and Fond du Lac
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