Employment Law

In an era of increasingly complex employment and other workplace relationships, clients depend on Cohen Mohr LLP for assistance in preventing employment claims from occurring, and for effective legal advocacy and representation where disputes do arise. The firm’s Employment Law Practice offers clients seasoned legal counsel to help:

• structure employment and consulting relationships
• implement workplace practices to avoid employment claims
• lawfully terminate employees
• implement reductions in force
• protect trade secrets and business proprietary information
• prevent unfair competition by former employees or business principals
• litigate employment disputes and discrimination claims

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS & CONSULTING CONTRACTS

The best way to prevent employment disputes is to ensure that employment and consulting relationships are well conceived, clear and defensible. Cohen Mohr LLP works regularly with clients to structure successful workplace relationships by negotiating, drafting and enforcing contracts for services, whether rendered through a typical employer-employee relationship or an independent consulting arrangement. Our objective is to bring clarity to the terms of the relationship and certainty concerning the rights and obligations of each party.

HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES

Cohen Mohr’s Employment Law Practice helps clients identify and implement effective human resource policies, consistent with the size and nature of a client’s workforce. The firm counsels clients regarding their obligations under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) and other laws affecting the employment relationship.

We also regularly draft and review "best practices" employee handbooks and assist employers in the development of programs to implement their legal obligations to employees and protect their confidential information and competitive position against employee misconduct.

SAFEGUARDING BUSINESS INFORMATION

Structuring employment or consulting relationships is particularly complicated where trade secrets or important proprietary business information will be shared. Whether establishing executive incentives, drafting employment agreements, structuring collaborative partnerships, or terminating employees, Cohen Mohr helps clients vigorously protect their business assets by:

• preserving the confidentiality of business information
• protecting against unfair competition
• preventing conflicts of interest and the misappropriation of trade secrets
• safeguarding competitive and financial data
• deterring improper competition by customers, clients and employees.

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION

Litigation relating to the employment relationship is a significant part of Cohen Mohr's employment practice. The firm has represented both employers and employees in a range of employment-related cases, including:

• wrongful discharge claims
• disputes over compensation and benefits
• actions for injunctions and damages relating to theft of trade secrets or confidential information
• violations of the employee's duty of loyalty and covenants not to compete (non-compete clauses)

EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LITIGATION

Understanding and complying with the federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) -- are major concerns for all employers, but can be especially difficult for growing companies. Cohen Mohr LLP helps clients understand their obligations, with a special emphasis on implementing well-defined human resources policies and practices that assure a workplace free of unlawful discrimination. Preventing discriminatory practices -- and claims of discrimination -- is our primary objective.

When employment discrimination claims do arise, Cohen Mohr’s experienced litigation team can represent clients in a full range of judicial and administrative forums, including investigations conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), state human rights or equal opportunity commissions, and federal and state court litigation. The firm has helped clients defend or prosecute litigation involving:

• claims of discrimination based on race, age and sex;
• sexual harassment issues;
• disability-related discrimination and reasonable accommodation issues.