Voted one of the Top 25 blogs by LexisNexis®, the Stoel Rives LLP World of Employment blog is a resource readers can trust to find the latest developments in labor and employment law. Our team is comprised of lawyers who practice exclusively in this area and bring to bear more than 100 years of combined legal experience. Reporting on precedent-setting cases and national employment law trends, our blog will provide employers, human resource and labor relations professionals, and in-house counsel with practical, accurate and informative posts. Topics covered include discrimination, social media and technology, employee relations and workplace management, and union avoidance, among other hot topics.

We hope you enjoy this resource and the insight that it offers! Thanks for your interest.

— The Stoel Rives World of Employment Law Blog team

Brenda Baumgart is practice group leader for Stoel Rives’ Labor & Employment group and devotes her practice to assisting companies of all sizes navigate the complexities of employment and labor laws.

Adam Belzberg represents and advises employers, from small businesses to international corporations, in all aspects of labor and employment law. He has particular experience representing employers in the agriculture, construction, and energy industries.

John Dudrey is a partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment group. His practice focuses on wage and hour compliance, representation of employers with unionized workforces, and complex advice and counsel matters, in addition to general labor and employment practice.

Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience, Todd Hanchett represents employers in high-stakes litigation and traditional labor law matters. As a seasoned litigator, he regularly represents clients before state and federal courts around the country, as well as in labor arbitrations and before the National Labor Relations Board.

Bryan Hawkins Bryan Hawkins is a litigator practicing in the firm’s Labor & Employment group with extensive jury and bench-trial experience in representing employers in employment-related litigation in court and before administrative agencies

Melissa Healy is a partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment group and focuses on providing advice in employment law matters, representing management in employment litigation, and providing traditional labor support to employers, including in bargaining, arbitration, and before the National Labor Relations Board.

Karin Jones provides practical advice to employers regarding a wide variety of workplace and personnel issues and helps employers minimize the risk and impact of workplace problems. 

Ryan Kunkel is a trial lawyer who litigates employment-related disputes in federal and state court and private arbitration, and counsels employers to help mitigate risk and prevent disputes from reaching litigation in the first place. Ryan specializes in pursuing and defending cases involving unfair competition, such as employee non-competition, non-solicitation, and trade secret obligations, especially in the financial and manufacturing industries. His practice also includes litigating before the National Labor Relations Board, arbitrating labor grievances, and helping management navigate and resolve complex labor disputes, including organizing drives and work stoppages.

Mark Morgan is an associate in Stoel Rives’ Labor & Employment group. Mark represents local and national employers in a variety of employment-related matters. In addition to advising employers, his practice includes resolving disputes in state and federal courts involving allegations of discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, Family Medical Leave Act and Equal Pay Opportunity Act issues.

Tim O’Connell is a partner of Stoel Rives in the labor & employment and telecommunications law sectors. His practice includes collective bargaining, unfair labor practice and representation proceedings before the NLRB and public sector agencies, labor arbitrations, equal employment and discrimination cases

Karen O’Connor is a partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment group whose practice includes counseling and litigation on complex employment issues including leave laws, workplace harassment and discrimination, discipline and documentation, and drug and alcohol issues.

Laura Rosenbaum is a partner in the Labor & Employment group. She represents clients in employment-related litigation in court and before administrative agencies. Her experience includes defending employers against a wide range of employment claims relating to employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation; medical leave laws; disability accommodation; wage & hour disputes; and workplace torts, as well as litigating non-competition agreements.

Robert Sarkisian is an associate in Stoel Rives’ Labor & Employment group. Since graduating from law school, Robert has spent his legal career counseling businesses on compliance with labor and employment law, as well as defending employers in both state and federal court.

Jim Shore helps employers and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries address their business needs and toughest labor and employment law challenges. His practice includes employment litigation and trial work; labor-management relations;

Matt Tellam represents employers in a variety of employment-related matters, including agency actions, disputes and litigation, workplace investigations, labor negotiations and arbitrations, and advice and counsel.

Andrea Thompson focuses her practice on representing employers in all areas of employment law, with an emphasis on defending lawsuits and administrative charges, and resolving employment-related disputes.

Chris Wall is a trial lawyer, managing all phases of litigation, including trials and appeals in state and federal courts as well as arbitrations and administrative proceedings.