BOSTON, MA (September 6, 2011) – Littler Mendelson, P.C., the nation’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, reports a 25 percent increase in the number of whistleblower and retaliation claims the firm has handled between 2009 and 2011, as a result of changing regulations stemming from the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Acts. The firm, which has been representing clients on these types of matters under its employment litigation practice, recently formed the stand-alone Whistleblowing & Retaliation Practice, to handle the increase in work. Shareholders Gregory Keating from the firm’s Boston office and Edward Ellis of Littler’s Philadelphia office have been named co-chairs of the practice.
“Littler has been handling whistleblower and retaliation claims for many years. However, with all of the new regulations resulting from Dodd-Frank and SOX, we have seen a surge in the number of clients needing legal counseling in this area. The time was right to create a focused effort for handling the increased volume of matters,” said Keating, a leading authority on the subject and author of a national treatise entitled, Retaliation and Whistleblowing: A Guide for Human Resources Professionals and Counsel. “Not only do we have more than 100 attorneys in the group, likely making it the largest in the country, but the collective experience and expertise we offer is unmatched.”
Effective September 1, 2011, this formalized group, which includes attorneys from across Littler’s 52 offices, represents companies in the defense of retaliation and whistleblowing claims. This includes coordinating with clients during the investigation of such claims, advising clients during the sensitive period when the whistleblower remains employed, negotiating potential settlement with whistleblowers, and litigating to defend against claims asserted by whistleblowers. The firm also works with clients on preventative and remedial approaches to minimize the risk of such claims.
The firm’s attorneys are regularly quoted and published in the media on the evolving changes in this area of law. Recently, Littler issued a white paper entitled, Dodd-Frank & the SEC Final Rule: From Protected Employer to Bounty Hunter.
A shareholder with the firm, Keating has been handling whistleblower and retaliation claims for more than 20 years and has represented companies in virtually every industry in the defense of such claims. Co-chair Ellis has more than 22 years of experience handling whistleblower actions and has tried more than 40 cases to verdict before juries, as well as hundreds of bench trials, arbitrations and administrative proceedings.
According to Marko Mrkonich, president and managing shareholder of Littler, “Due to the changing regulations, there is no doubt our clients will have a continued need for quality and experienced lawyers with distinct expertise in the whistleblower and retaliation area. The caliber of attorneys within Littler that possess this knowledge and experience is truly impressive, and Greg’s and Ed’s leadership will be instrumental in skillfully handling the growth of this practice.”
About Littler Mendelson
With more than 825 attorneys and 52 offices, Littler Mendelson is the largest U.S.-based law firm exclusively devoted to representing management in employment and labor law matters. As the only U.S. member of the Ius Laboris global alliance, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of multi-national clients, from navigating international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.
