Founded in 1945, Seyfarth Shaw was among the earliest exclusive practitioners of what has become labor and employment law. From that start, and straight through today, Seyfarth’s Labor & Employment Practice has been an innovator in this field of law.

Unique among firms with labor and employment practices, Seyfarth organizes its more than 365 labor and employment lawyers in 12 team-based practice groups. The structure allows our teams to provide extraordinary, cost-effective client service to the broadest possible spectrum of employers.

In addition to outstanding client services, our organizational structure allows Seyfarth to respond to the needs of publically and privately held businesses ranging from the largest Fortune 100 companies to the smallest start-ups, as well as not-for-profit organizations of all sizes. In addition, unlike many labor and employment practices at other firms, Seyfarth’s Labor & Employment Department has depth in virtually all aspects of workplace law.

In litigation, our firm defends employers in single-plaintiff lawsuits and in massive, multi-district discrimination, ERISA/employee benefits, and wage and hour class and collective actions under the FLSA and state laws.

We also provide subject-matter counseling to solve workplace challenges covering the entire range of labor and employment issues, such as: hiring, testing, and FCRA compliance; workforce reductions; ADA, FMLA and state leave management; wage and hour exempt status, independent contractor and pay practices audits; eDiscovery systems and processes; and anti-harassment and other employment law training.

Similarly, we have strong teams focusing on traditional labor matters and union avoidance; business immigration; OSHA compliance and reviews; affirmative action, pay equity and diversity; legislative and regulatory assistance; and international labor and employment matters.

Our 10 offices strategically located across the country—including more than 100 labor and employment lawyers in California alone—offer clients nationwide assurances that when and wherever they need legal counsel, Seyfarth will be on hand to deliver it.

SeyfarthLean: The Way We Work

Our passion for innovation and our determination to deliver exceptional value to clients has resulted in our SeyfarthLean approach to labor and employment matters. For more information about SeyfarthLean, click here.

Shaping the Future of Regulation

Our attorneys are not just helping our clients shape their future, they are also taking the lead in shaping the development of laws and regulations that impact the business community. With the recent addition of our Government Strategies and Public Policy Group, we continue to represent organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Society for Human Resource Management, industry groups and individual employers in proposed legislative and regulatory changes. Seyfarth has offered input on behalf of clients into aspects of the National Labor Relations Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Free Choice Act, the EEOC’s Guidance on Workplace Flexibilities, and the Genetic Information and Non-Discrimination Act.

Thought Leadership

Seyfarth’s labor and employment attorneys produce a variety of publications across a broad range of topics. For example, the firm’s Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report is widely recognized as the leading national treatise that analyzes employment-related class action decisions. Organized on a circuit-by-circuit and state-by-state basis, the report covers class action and collective action rulings involving claims brought against employers in all 50 state court systems, including decisions pertaining to employment discrimination, wage and hour, and ERISA/employee benefits laws.

The firm publishes benchmark white papers, such as California Cal-Peculiarities: How California Employment Law Is Different and Recent Trends in California Wage and Hour and Labor Code Class Actions. Because of differences in Massachusetts law, we have also written an in-depth white paper on Massachusetts Wage and Hour Peculiarities. Seyfarth’s Wage & Hour Litigation Practice Group has published a comprehensive treatise on Recent Trends in Defending Federal Wage & Hour Complex Litigation. The firm also publishes quarterly the California Labor & Employment Law Update and the Massachusetts Employment & Labor Law Report. For a full list of the firm's most significant labor & employment publications and information on how to obtain copies, click here.

Praise for Our Litigation & Employment Practice

“They understand how to partner with their clients and deliver results.”
—A firm client as reported in Chambers USA

Our peers and the business community have recognized Seyfarth and its attorneys as leaders in the labor and employment field. The firm’s reputation for innovation and excellence is demonstrated by the recognition we receive from leading legal publications. In the 2011 edition of Legal 500 US, Seyfarth ranks among the top of the best-in-class bands in several labor and employment practice areas, including labor management relations, employment litigation, ERISA litigation, workplace and employment counseling, and immigration. Of these practices, the publication quoted clients of the firm as praising Seyfarth for “always provid[ing] top-notch service of the highest quality, often with very quick turnaround deadlines,” and “offer[ing] consistently sound and pragmatic advice.” Legal 500 also individually recognized 36 Seyfarth labor and employment attorneys within its 2011 guide.

In the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the firm’s Labor & Employment Department received high praise, both at the national and regional levels. Chambers reports that clients stated: “Its lawyers work hand in hand with their clients, offering a seamless service across the country,” and “They understand how to partner with their clients and deliver results.” Clients also commented: “The team combines superior lawyering skills with efficiency and cost-consciousness,” and “Its lawyers are quick to understand their clients’ constraints and business interests, which is invaluable when bridging the gap between commercial and legal concerns.” Chambers individually ranked 28 of Seyfarth’s labor and employment attorneys as leading lawyers in their fields across the country.