Overview

Donald C. Dowling has extensive experience advising U.S.-based companies on outbound international labor and employment laws. Don provides counsel on a wide variety of global employment law matters, including codes of conduct and HR policies that guide operations in multiple jurisdictions, international compensation and benefits issues, whistleblower hotlines, and cross-border internal investigations and HR compliance audits. He regularly advises clients on employment matters that arise with international restructurings, reductions in force, mergers, acquisitions, and outsourcing. Additionally, Don helps clients properly engage independent contractors overseas, manage expatriate programs, and develop employment agreements and employee handbooks.

Earlier in his career, Don served as in-house international employment counsel for a Fortune 500 company in Paris and as an employment law consultant for a global consulting firm. He has delivered hundreds of presentations on international employment law issues in English and Spanish in countries around the world, and regularly publishes articles and teaches courses on a variety of global employment law topics.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member, Advisory Board

New York University School of Law’s Center for Labor & Employment Law

Former Chair

Cross-Border HR Group

XBHR

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®

2019-2025

Named, America's Leading Lawyers for Business

Chambers USA

2017

Named, Legal 500

US Labor & Employment, Workplace and Employment Counseling

Named, Super Lawyer

New York

Super Lawyers

Recommended, Labour & Employment

Who's Who Legal

2024

Named, Attorneys Who Matter

Ethisphere Institute

2010

Named, Leading International Labor/Employment Lawyer

PLC Which Lawyer?

Order of the Coif

News, Analysis & Press

Things to Do and Avoid When Hiring in Germany

SHRM Online

December 5, 2023

Supporting Workers Overseas

SHRM Online

September 30, 2023

How to Identify Forced Labor in Supply Chains

SHRM Online

December 19, 2022

DE&I Looks Different Around the Globe

SHRM Online

November 18, 2022

Accent discrimination betrays a small mind

The Economist

December 11, 2020

If Your Employee Breaks the Law

Mobility Magazine

August 7, 2020

A Deeper Dive Into the GDPR – Part II

Global Payroll Magazine

June 7, 2019

A Deeper Dive Into the GDPR – Part I

Global Payroll Magazine

May 6, 2019

How to Create a Global Social Media Policy Part 4

HR Exchange Network

December 10, 2018

Expatriate Structures: Selecting the Best

HR Exchange Network

November 30, 2018

A Deep Dive Into the General Data Protection Regulation

Global Payroll Magazine

July 5, 2018

Books & Book Chapters

  • The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), International Corporate Practice, Practicing Law Institute, Chapter Co-Author, March 2022

Speaking Engagements

When HR Goes Global

SHRM Webinar

May 16, 2024

2023 Tri-State Regional Employer Conference

New York, NY

June 20, 2023

A Global Approach to International Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, Confidentiality & and IP Agreements

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 11, 2023

How to Lead an International Internal Investigation: Cross-Border Compliance and Strategies

May 24, 2022

Exposure Under the New EU “Whistleblower Directive” and Beyond: How to Comply with the World’s Emerging Whistleblower Anti-Retaliation and Hotline Mandates

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 5, 2022

How to Comply with the New EU Whistleblowing Directive by the December 17 Deadline

November 30, 2021

International Wandering Workers: Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls for Multinational Employers

April 8, 2021

What to Do About “Global COVID Nomads”

November 13, 2020

What to Do About “Global COVID Nomads”

November 12, 2020

Structuring Cross-Border Telecommuting and Remote Work Arrangements in the Era of COVID-19

August 5, 2020

How to Employ - and Payroll - an Overseas University Telecommuter in the Era of COVID-19

Canadian Association of University Solicitors

June 18, 2020

Returning to Work: Strategies and Tools for Reintegrating Employees Worldwide

May 20, 2020

International Cutbacks and Reductions-in-Force in the Global Pandemic

April 16, 2020

Best Practices for Conducting International Internal Investigations

HR Acuity webinar

September 10, 2019

The Legal, Business and Human Rights Landscapes of the Global Workplace

Minneapolis, MN

September 26, 2018

International Employment Law Roundtable

New York, NY

June 26, 2018

Globalizing Diversity and Antidiscrimination Initiatives: Multinational Strategies for a Multicultural World

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 3, 2018

Three Weeks and Counting: Key Action Items for U.S. Multinational Employers Before Enforcement of the EU’s New General Data Protection Regulation Begins

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 3, 2018

Is Your Company Prepared for GDPR? Advanced Session

New York, NY

March 29, 2018

Is Your Company Prepared for GDPR? Beginner Session

New York, NY

March 28, 2018

You’re Fired! An Apples-to-Apples Comparison of the Employee Dismissal Process Across Key International Jurisdictions

February 27, 2018

How to Draft and Launch a Global Code of Conduct, Global Whistleblower Hotline, Global Employee Handbook or Global HR Policy: Headquarters Rules for International Workforces

Clear Law Institute Webinar

November 30, 2017

Confronting Collective Labor Worldwide: How Multinational Headquarters Can Craft an Effective Global Labor Strategy that Accounts for Foreign “Trade Unions” and “Works Councils”

PLI Webinar

November 7, 2017

Data Privacy in the EU: Status of the EU/US Privacy Shield and Preparing for the Advent of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation

Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Webinar

October 31, 2017

Meeting The Next HR Data Protection Challenge: What Multinational Employers Must Do Before The EU’s Upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Takes Effect

September 28, 2017

Third Annual Conference in Mexico City

Ciudad de México, CDMX

September 27, 2017

Tercera Conferencia Anual en Ciudad de México

Ciudad de México, CDMX

September 27, 2017

Tercera Conferencia Anual en Monterrey

San Pedro Garza García, NL

September 26, 2017

Third Annual Conference in Monterrey

San Pedro Garza García, NL

September 26, 2017

Maintaining HR Data Flows After the European Union’s May 2018 General Data Protection Regulation

Clear Law Institute webinar

September 18, 2017

Employment Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions: Planning for Integration and Mitigating Risk

Strafford Webinar

September 12, 2017

Education

  • J.D., University of Florida College of Law, 1985
  • A.B., University of Chicago, 1982

Languages

  • Spanish

Bar Admission

New York

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio