(June 28, 2016) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Stephan C. Swinkels as a shareholder in its International Employment and Labor Law Practice. Previously, Swinkels was the executive director of L&E Global, an international alliance of labor and employment law firms, and prior to that worked for many years in The Netherlands office of Baker & McKenzie. His arrival follows several of Littler’s recent global developments, including the firm’s expansion into Germany and Canada late last year.
“Stephan will give us additional capabilities to service our clients throughout Europe and elsewhere as we continue to grow in strategic regions around the globe,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, Littler co-managing directors, in a joint statement. “His extensive knowledge of cross-border offerings and multi-country compliance will be extremely valuable to Littler’s global strategy.”
Littler’s international operations span three continents, and include offices in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include U.S.-based lawyers with exceptional international experience, who are dually-licensed practitioners in Australia, Brazil, China, the United Kingdom and South Africa, among other countries.
Fluent in Dutch, English and German, as well as being a French speaker, Swinkels has a firm understanding of international compliance matters and has developed training programs for international clients. He has worked in labor and employment law for nearly 20 years and has advised on restructurings, compensation and benefits matters, global mobility, social media policies and health and safety issues.
“Stephan is well-rounded and has managed global activities,” said Peter A. Susser, chair of Littler’s International Employment Law Practice Group. “His reputation and strong connections within the global employer community will be instrumental as Littler furthers its competence around the world.”
“Joining Littler, which combines a strong reputation in labor and employment law with a global approach and market position, is truly exciting,” Swinkels said. “In such a competitive and complex environment, the strength of the firm’s brand is more important than ever. I was attracted to Littler because of the firm’s status as a global labor and employment law powerhouse and its constant drive toward developing new and innovative service solutions to deliver high value to clients.”
Swinkels is a member of the European Employment Lawyers Association, the Dutch (Amsterdam) and International Bar Association and the IBA Law Firm Management Advisory Board. He is a regular speaker at international labor and employment conferences and has authored articles in such publications as Managing Partner, The Lawyer and IBA Journal. Swinkels received his Certificate in Business Law from UC Hastings College of Law (San Francisco), his Master of Civil Law from Rijksuniversiteit Leiden in the Netherlands and an MBA (cum laude) from ESMT in Berlin, Germany.
About Littler
Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,000 attorneys in over 70 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 70 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.
