Born January 30, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, Michael grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, and graduated with honors from the University of Illinois in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business/Finance. He received his Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law in 1986.

 

Michael has worked exclusively as a labor and employment lawyer. His labor experience includes litigation before administrative law judges, arbitrators, National Labor Relations Board hearing officers, and regional and federal level National Labor Relations Board offices on topics including unfair labor practices, bargaining unit determinations, and election objections. Michael’s labor experience includes responding to picketing, preparing for strikes, and conducting or assisting with numerous successful election campaigns in units ranging in size from twenty to 850 voters. Michael also devotes a significant portion of his practice to negotiating and providing advice in the administration of labor contracts.

 

Michael’s employment experience includes counseling and assisting employers with their policies as well as the representation of employers in a variety of age, sex, race, disability, sexual harassment, ERISA, and wrongful termination litigation at both state and federal trial and appellate court levels. He is a member of the Trial Bar and has been admitted to practice in various state and federal courts in addition to the Illinois state and federal courts. His employment experience also includes representation of employers in a variety of individual and systemic Fair Employment Practice issues before both state FEP agencies and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Michael also has significant experience litigating against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

 

Michael’s publications include two treatises on the attorney-client privilege: Through the Labor Lawyer’s Looking Glass: Who Is My Client? and its sequel, Beyond the Labor and Employment Lawyer’s Looking Glass: Who Is My Client?