Matthew J.Gagnon
Partner
Labor & Employment
mgagnon@seyfarth.com
Matt has the rare combination of knowledge, experience, and judgment to develop and implement proactive solutions to address novel workplace issues in an ever-changing legal and regulatory environment.
More About Matt
Matt’s practice focuses on helping employers navigate the evolving landscape of federal and state wage and hour and anti-discrimination laws, and defending employers against all manner of employment litigation and government-initiated investigations and litigation. He has extensive experience counseling and defending clients with a national presence in a wide range of industries, including franchisors, hospitality and restaurant companies, staffing companies, retailers, financial institutions, and educational institutions. His expertise covers the full scope of claims and theories involving allegations of sex, race, and national origin discrimination, age discrimination and Older Worker Benefit Protection Act violations, pay discrimination claims, sex harassment issues, failure to accommodate and disability discrimination claims, breach-of-contract and employment-at-will lawsuits, and wrongful discharge disputes. He also has experience managing administrative agency investigations, including systemic initiative, pattern-and-practice and disparate impact claims involving unequal pay, hiring and pre-employment testing, background checking, promotion, and reasonable accommodation processes.
Matt draws on his extensive experience defending some of the largest, highest-stakes workplace class actions to counsel employers on how to address new and developing workplace issues and to steer complex litigation toward a successful resolution. For instance, he has successfully defended franchisors against claims that they should be held liable, along with their franchisees, as a joint-employer of franchisee employees. This theory, had it been successful, would have upended the entire franchise business model. Matt has also successfully defended clients against discrimination claims brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and private litigants alleging race, gender, and age discrimination on behalf of large, nationwide classes.
Matt relies on his vast experience and knowledge of employment litigation to anticipate and prepare for the inevitable challenges and difficulties that come with managing the modern workplace. He has assisted clients in designing and implementing leave of absence and disability accommodation management systems, large pay equity and exempt-status and pay practice audits, and assessments of employee engagement, hiring processes, and independent contractor and other alternative worker arrangements. Matt's comparative advantage is his ability to see every workplace challenge within the context of each client’s unique set of circumstances and to think creatively about solutions that fit within and advance their larger strategic goals and objectives.
Matt draws on his extensive experience defending some of the largest, highest-stakes workplace class actions to counsel employers on how to address new and developing workplace issues and to steer complex litigation toward a successful resolution. For instance, he has successfully defended franchisors against claims that they should be held liable, along with their franchisees, as a joint-employer of franchisee employees. This theory, had it been successful, would have upended the entire franchise business model. Matt has also successfully defended clients against discrimination claims brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and private litigants alleging race, gender, and age discrimination on behalf of large, nationwide classes.
Matt relies on his vast experience and knowledge of employment litigation to anticipate and prepare for the inevitable challenges and difficulties that come with managing the modern workplace. He has assisted clients in designing and implementing leave of absence and disability accommodation management systems, large pay equity and exempt-status and pay practice audits, and assessments of employee engagement, hiring processes, and independent contractor and other alternative worker arrangements. Matt's comparative advantage is his ability to see every workplace challenge within the context of each client’s unique set of circumstances and to think creatively about solutions that fit within and advance their larger strategic goals and objectives.
- JD, Columbia University Law School
Columbia Human Rights Law Review articles editor
Public Interest Law Initiative intern in Transitional Societies
Tenants' Rights Project - BS, University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Illinois
- New York
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- US District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
- US District Court, Western District of Arkansas
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- US District Court, Western District of Tennessee
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Blogs
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Apr 18, 2024
SCOTUS Issues Highly Anticipated Muldrow Decision, Rejecting Heightened Harm Requirement in Adverse Action Analysis
-
Blog Post
Apr 16, 2024
Key Developments In Equal Pay Litigation: The Second Circuit Finally Sees Some Daylight Between Federal And State Equal Pay Statutes
-
Media Mentions
03/20/2024
Matt Gagnon Discusses Gaps Where Equal Pay Progress is Lacking in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
03/15/2024
Matt Gagnon Writes on EEOC Publicizing Labor Disparities with Pay Data in Bloomberg Law
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney in labor & employment disputes by The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016-2018)
- American Bar Association
- Author, "EEOC Confirms Labor Disparities with Pay Data, and Monitors Gaps," Bloomberg Law (March 15, 2024)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: Stretching The Boundaries Of Equal Pay Litigation," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 23, 2022)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: One Comparator, Two Comparators, Three Comparators, More? Courts Revisit The One-Comparator Rule," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 12, 2022)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: Recent Attempts To Clarify Burden-Shifting Framework Applied To Equal Pay Act Litigation," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 21, 2022)
- Co-Author, "EEOC Enforcement Activity Spike Points To A Busy 2022," Law360 Employment Authority (October 27, 2021)
- Co-Author, "COVID-19 Employment Litigation Trends Update: Part II," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 21, 2020)
- Co-Author, "COVID-19 Employment Litigation Trends Update: Part I," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 10, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: Third Circuit Upholds Philadelphia Ordinance Banning Inquiries Into Job Applicants’ Pay History," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 14, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: The Second Circuit Clarifies A Key Difference Between Title VII And Equal Pay Act Wage Discrimination Claims," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 19, 2019)
- Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: How The EEOC Has Pursued Its Equal Pay Focus In Fiscal Year 2019," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 25, 2019)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: Employers In The Academic Healthcare Industry Are Often Uniquely Suited To Challenge Prima Facie Evidence Of Wage Discrimination," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 31, 2019)
- Co-Author, "California Judge Allows Pay Equity Class Action To Move Forward On Behalf Of Female Google Employees Who Were Employed In Thirty Separate Job Positions," Management Alert, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 30, 2018)
- Co-Author, "Supreme Court Victory for Employers in Mach Mining v. EEOC," Employee Relations Law Journal (September 1, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Supreme Court Victory For Employers Today In Mach Mining v. EEOC," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 29, 2015)
- Co-Author, "EEOC-Initiated Litigation: Case Law Developments in 2014 and Trends to Watch for in 2015," Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 2, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Federal Regulation of Pay Cards Proposed by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 18, 2014)
- Co-Author, "Compelling FINRA Arbitration for Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2014)
- "Employee Files Sox Whistleblower Claim in Federal Court. Can the Employer Still Force the Claim into Arbitration?," Workplace Whistleblower, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 4, 2014)
- Co-Author, "The SEC’s Whistleblower Report Shows Program Picking Up Steam," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 25, 2013)
- Co-Author, "OSHA Announces Procedures For Handling Whistleblower Complaints Under The Affordable Care Act," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 1, 2013)
- Co-Presenter, "Wellness Check Up: Identifying Problems Before They Become Problems," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 13, 2023)
- Co-Presenter, "Developments In EEOC Enforcement in 2023 – From Charge Investigations to Systemic Litigation," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 23, 2023)
- Co-Presenter, "Key Issues For Employers Stemming From EEOC-Initiated-Litigation - What 2022 Is Apt To Bring," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 21, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Key Issues For Employers Stemming From EEOC-Initiated Litigation – What 2021 Is Apt To Bring," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2021)
- Co-Presenter, "Equal Pay Day 2021: US and Global Outlook and Trends," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 24, 2021)
- Co-Presenter, "2020 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, "Equal Pay Day 2019: Key Outlooks and Trends," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 2, 2019)
- Co-Presenter, "The EEOC Year In Review - Strategies For Employers," 2019 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 19, 2019)
- “Blurring the Lines: A Discussion On Ethical Infractions Within The C-Suite,” Thompson Reuters Corporate Risk, Ethics And Compliance Forum (2018)
- "Equal Pay Day: Trends and Developments in Pay Equity Litigation in 2018," Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw (April 10, 2018)
- “2018 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar,” Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 20, 2018)
- “Seyfarth’s 2017 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar,” Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 1, 2017)
Matt has the rare combination of knowledge, experience, and judgment to develop and implement proactive solutions to address novel workplace issues in an ever-changing legal and regulatory environment.
More About Matt
Matt’s practice focuses on helping employers navigate the evolving landscape of federal and state wage and hour and anti-discrimination laws, and defending employers against all manner of employment litigation and government-initiated investigations and litigation. He has extensive experience counseling and defending clients with a national presence in a wide range of industries, including franchisors, hospitality and restaurant companies, staffing companies, retailers, financial institutions, and educational institutions. His expertise covers the full scope of claims and theories involving allegations of sex, race, and national origin discrimination, age discrimination and Older Worker Benefit Protection Act violations, pay discrimination claims, sex harassment issues, failure to accommodate and disability discrimination claims, breach-of-contract and employment-at-will lawsuits, and wrongful discharge disputes. He also has experience managing administrative agency investigations, including systemic initiative, pattern-and-practice and disparate impact claims involving unequal pay, hiring and pre-employment testing, background checking, promotion, and reasonable accommodation processes.
Matt draws on his extensive experience defending some of the largest, highest-stakes workplace class actions to counsel employers on how to address new and developing workplace issues and to steer complex litigation toward a successful resolution. For instance, he has successfully defended franchisors against claims that they should be held liable, along with their franchisees, as a joint-employer of franchisee employees. This theory, had it been successful, would have upended the entire franchise business model. Matt has also successfully defended clients against discrimination claims brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and private litigants alleging race, gender, and age discrimination on behalf of large, nationwide classes.
Matt relies on his vast experience and knowledge of employment litigation to anticipate and prepare for the inevitable challenges and difficulties that come with managing the modern workplace. He has assisted clients in designing and implementing leave of absence and disability accommodation management systems, large pay equity and exempt-status and pay practice audits, and assessments of employee engagement, hiring processes, and independent contractor and other alternative worker arrangements. Matt's comparative advantage is his ability to see every workplace challenge within the context of each client’s unique set of circumstances and to think creatively about solutions that fit within and advance their larger strategic goals and objectives.
Matt draws on his extensive experience defending some of the largest, highest-stakes workplace class actions to counsel employers on how to address new and developing workplace issues and to steer complex litigation toward a successful resolution. For instance, he has successfully defended franchisors against claims that they should be held liable, along with their franchisees, as a joint-employer of franchisee employees. This theory, had it been successful, would have upended the entire franchise business model. Matt has also successfully defended clients against discrimination claims brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and private litigants alleging race, gender, and age discrimination on behalf of large, nationwide classes.
Matt relies on his vast experience and knowledge of employment litigation to anticipate and prepare for the inevitable challenges and difficulties that come with managing the modern workplace. He has assisted clients in designing and implementing leave of absence and disability accommodation management systems, large pay equity and exempt-status and pay practice audits, and assessments of employee engagement, hiring processes, and independent contractor and other alternative worker arrangements. Matt's comparative advantage is his ability to see every workplace challenge within the context of each client’s unique set of circumstances and to think creatively about solutions that fit within and advance their larger strategic goals and objectives.
- JD, Columbia University Law School
Columbia Human Rights Law Review articles editor
Public Interest Law Initiative intern in Transitional Societies
Tenants' Rights Project - BS, University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Illinois
- New York
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- US District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
- US District Court, Western District of Arkansas
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- US District Court, Western District of Tennessee
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Blogs
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Apr 18, 2024
SCOTUS Issues Highly Anticipated Muldrow Decision, Rejecting Heightened Harm Requirement in Adverse Action Analysis
-
Blog Post
Apr 16, 2024
Key Developments In Equal Pay Litigation: The Second Circuit Finally Sees Some Daylight Between Federal And State Equal Pay Statutes
-
Media Mentions
03/20/2024
Matt Gagnon Discusses Gaps Where Equal Pay Progress is Lacking in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
03/15/2024
Matt Gagnon Writes on EEOC Publicizing Labor Disparities with Pay Data in Bloomberg Law
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney in labor & employment disputes by The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016-2018)
- American Bar Association
- Author, "EEOC Confirms Labor Disparities with Pay Data, and Monitors Gaps," Bloomberg Law (March 15, 2024)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: Stretching The Boundaries Of Equal Pay Litigation," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 23, 2022)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: One Comparator, Two Comparators, Three Comparators, More? Courts Revisit The One-Comparator Rule," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 12, 2022)
- Author, "Equal Pay Litigation Trends Update: Recent Attempts To Clarify Burden-Shifting Framework Applied To Equal Pay Act Litigation," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 21, 2022)
- Co-Author, "EEOC Enforcement Activity Spike Points To A Busy 2022," Law360 Employment Authority (October 27, 2021)
- Co-Author, "COVID-19 Employment Litigation Trends Update: Part II," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 21, 2020)
- Co-Author, "COVID-19 Employment Litigation Trends Update: Part I," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 10, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: Third Circuit Upholds Philadelphia Ordinance Banning Inquiries Into Job Applicants’ Pay History," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 14, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: The Second Circuit Clarifies A Key Difference Between Title VII And Equal Pay Act Wage Discrimination Claims," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 19, 2019)
- Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: How The EEOC Has Pursued Its Equal Pay Focus In Fiscal Year 2019," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 25, 2019)
- Co-Author, "Pay Equity Litigation Update: Employers In The Academic Healthcare Industry Are Often Uniquely Suited To Challenge Prima Facie Evidence Of Wage Discrimination," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 31, 2019)
- Co-Author, "California Judge Allows Pay Equity Class Action To Move Forward On Behalf Of Female Google Employees Who Were Employed In Thirty Separate Job Positions," Management Alert, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 30, 2018)
- Co-Author, "Supreme Court Victory for Employers in Mach Mining v. EEOC," Employee Relations Law Journal (September 1, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Supreme Court Victory For Employers Today In Mach Mining v. EEOC," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 29, 2015)
- Co-Author, "EEOC-Initiated Litigation: Case Law Developments in 2014 and Trends to Watch for in 2015," Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 2, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Federal Regulation of Pay Cards Proposed by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 18, 2014)
- Co-Author, "Compelling FINRA Arbitration for Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2014)
- "Employee Files Sox Whistleblower Claim in Federal Court. Can the Employer Still Force the Claim into Arbitration?," Workplace Whistleblower, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 4, 2014)
- Co-Author, "The SEC’s Whistleblower Report Shows Program Picking Up Steam," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 25, 2013)
- Co-Author, "OSHA Announces Procedures For Handling Whistleblower Complaints Under The Affordable Care Act," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 1, 2013)
- Co-Presenter, "Wellness Check Up: Identifying Problems Before They Become Problems," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 13, 2023)
- Co-Presenter, "Developments In EEOC Enforcement in 2023 – From Charge Investigations to Systemic Litigation," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 23, 2023)
- Co-Presenter, "Key Issues For Employers Stemming From EEOC-Initiated-Litigation - What 2022 Is Apt To Bring," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 21, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Key Issues For Employers Stemming From EEOC-Initiated Litigation – What 2021 Is Apt To Bring," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2021)
- Co-Presenter, "Equal Pay Day 2021: US and Global Outlook and Trends," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 24, 2021)
- Co-Presenter, "2020 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 5, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, "Equal Pay Day 2019: Key Outlooks and Trends," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 2, 2019)
- Co-Presenter, "The EEOC Year In Review - Strategies For Employers," 2019 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 19, 2019)
- “Blurring the Lines: A Discussion On Ethical Infractions Within The C-Suite,” Thompson Reuters Corporate Risk, Ethics And Compliance Forum (2018)
- "Equal Pay Day: Trends and Developments in Pay Equity Litigation in 2018," Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw (April 10, 2018)
- “2018 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar,” Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 20, 2018)
- “Seyfarth’s 2017 EEOC-Initiated Litigation Report and Webinar,” Webinar, presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 1, 2017)