Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Michael Gray's practice focuses on representing corporate clients with complex labor and employment litigation, including class action and multiplaintiff employment discrimination lawsuits, state law overtime class actions, FLSA collective actions, and trade secrets and restrictive covenant matters. He has represented employers throughout the United States in bench and jury trials in state and federal courts, administrative hearings, arbitrations, and appellate courts in matters arising under federal and state antidiscrimination laws, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, labor-management relations laws, and diverse state law wrongful discharge, statutory, contract, and tort claims.

Michael also advises clients on preventive measures, including reviewing employment policies, counseling on disciplinary actions and investigations, negotiating severance and release agreements for executive terminations, and conducting employment practices reviews.

As a leader in the area of electronic discovery and the use of technology in complex litigation, Michael speaks across the country to clients and members of the bar on the topic, writes on the practical implications of e-discovery obligations, and participates in the Firm's e-Discovery Committee.

Michael leads the Labor & Employment Practice in the Chicago Office. He works with Chicago community organizations and contributes pro bono legal services to Lambs Farm, the Anti-Defamation League, and the ACT Charter School. He is a member and frequent speaker for the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment and Technology Sections), the Illinois State Bar Association, and The Chicago Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section).

Areas of Practice

• Labor & Employment
• Class Action Employment Litigation
• Employee Benefits Counseling & Litigation
• Employment Aspects of Corporate Transactions
• European Labor Law
• Federal and State Wage-Hour Counseling & Litigation
• Noncompetition, Confidentiality, Trade Secret & Employee Raiding
• Reductions in Force & Managing Change
• Single & Multiple Plaintiff Employment Litigation
• e-Discovery
• Privacy & Data Security

Representative Cases

• Miller et al., v. National City Bank et al., Case No. 08-CV-4016 U.S.D.C., (N.D. IL) , (2009)
• Paul Turner, et al. v. Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc., Case No. 1:08-CV-01948 (N.D. Ill.) , (2009)
• Smith v. Verizon North, Inc., Case No. 3:07-CV-03069, U.S.D.C. (C.D. IL) , (2009)
• Tracy Harwell, et al. v. Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc., Case No. 08- CH 12535 (Illinois, Cook County) , (2009)
• Verizon Communications Inc., and Verizon Business Network Services Inc., v Anita Kay Hoffmann, Case No. 06-CV-6172, U.S.D.C. (N.D. IL) , (2009)
• Barile v. Boston Market Restaurants, Case No. 05 CV 1360, U.S.D.C., S.D. Cal.
• Brown v. Wabash National Corporation et al., Case No. 4:02CV0071 (AS)(AR) (N.D. Ind.)
• Creeden and Associates v. Infosoft, Inc., Case No. 1:03-cv-00901 (USDC, ND Illinois, 2004)
• Cruz et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Case No. BC 304850 (Cal. Super. Ct., L.A. County)
• Dibel, et al. v. Jenny Craig, et al.
• Faubl v. Abbott Laboratories, Case No. 1994 C 0502 (Ill. Human Rights Comm'n, 1999) Case No. 96 C 7401 (N.D. Ill. 1999)
• Francine Fogel v. WHM LLC, Case No. 07-80477
• Fries et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Case No. BC 317776 (Cal. Super. Ct., L.A. County)
• In re: Loewen Group International, Inc., Case No. 99-1244 (PJW) U.S. Bankr. D. Del.)
• Int'l Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers v. Uno-Ven Co., CITGO Petroleum Corp., et al., 170 F.3d 779 (7th Cir. 1999), 170 F.3d 779 (7th Cir. 1999)
• Jirak v. Abbott Laboratories, Case No. 1:07CV3626 (N.D. Ill., 6/28/07)
• Joel Weinstein and Mark Weinstein v. Alderwoods, Inc., et al., Case No. 02 CH 6910 (Ill. Cir. Ct. Cook County, Ch. Div.)
• Jose Garcia v. Village of Mount Prospect, Mount Prospect Police Pension, and George Steiner, 360 F.3d 630 (7th Cir. 2004)
• Kimoto v. McDonald's Corporation, No. CV-06-3032 (C.D. Cal. August 18, 2008)
• Lamonica v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Case No. CV04-1919 ABC (C.D. Cal., 2004)
• Martino v. MCI Communications d/b/a Verizon Business, Case No. 07-C-2627, U.S.D.C., (N.D. IL) , (2009)
• McElyea v. Alderwoods Group, Case No. CIV-04-1397-R (W.D. Okla. 2005)
• Mosely v. Gantos, Madison Equal Opportunities Commission, Case No. 22247
• Persin et al. v. CareerBuilder, LLC, Case No. 1:05-CV-02347 (N.D. Ill. 2006)
• Porter v. IBM, 21 F. Supp. 2d 829 (N.D. Ill. 1998)
• Purcell v. FleetPride, Inc., Civil Action No. 5:03-CV-917-F(2) (E.D. N.C., 2003)
• Reiner v. Wal-Mart, Sup. Ct. Orange County, U.S.D.C., C.D. Cal.
• Rich v. McDonald's Corp, et al., Case No. 368481 (Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas 2005); 798 N.E. 2d 1169 (Ohio Ct. App. 2003)
• Richard Sullivan v. FleetPride, Inc., Case No. 06-61905-CIV
• Rippee v. Boston Market Restaurants, Case No. 05 CV 1359, U.S.D.C., S.D. Cal.
• Robertson v. Newell Rubbermaid, Inc., Case No. IP99-0307-C-M/S (S.D. Ind.); Kleinjan, et al. v. Rubbermaid, Inc., Case No. 99-CV-0104 (Wayne County, Ohio.); Eller, et al. v. Rubbermaid, Inc., et al., Case No. 5:99CV1068 (N.D. Ohio.)
• Sepulveda v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., et al., Case No. CV 04-1003-DSF(Ex) (C.D. Cal. 2006)
• Thorpe v. Abbott Laboratories, Case No. 5:07CV5672 (N.D. Cal., 11/7/07)
• Troy L. Vickers v. Abbott Laboratories, et al., 308 Ill. App. 3d 393, 719 N.E.2d 1101 (Ill. App. Ct., 1st Dist., 6th Div. Sept. 30, 1999)
• Truck City Parts v. Truck & Industrial Supply, Case No. 1014-00 (AAA, Vir. Cir. Ct. and Vir. S. Ct.)
• UFCW et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Case No. 3:03 CV 05278SI (N.D. Cal.)
• Vickers v. Abbott Laboratories, Case No. 1:98-cv-05630 (N.D. Ill. 1998)
• Acquisition of California Wholesale Material Supply
• Collective Bargaining and Related Labor Relations Across 14 States

West Practice Categories

Collective Bargaining, Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, International Law, Labor Arbitration, Labor Disputes, Labor Law, Labor Legislation, Labor Relations Boards & Proceedings, Unfair Labor Practices, Unions, Wage & Hour Laws, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

Bar Admissions

• Illinois

Education

• Northwestern University

Published Works

• ALERT: President Obama Signs First Bill: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, 2009
• Reductions in Force: Practical Tips For Avoiding Pitfalls©, 2009
• Significant Labor and Employment Initiatives of the Obama Administration and 111th Congress, 2009
• Recent Developments and Trends in Class Action Wage and Hour Litigation, The National Employment Law Institute, 2008
• Benefits and Pitfalls of the Contingent Workforce, Practicing Law Institute, 2008
• The UK weighs up the arguments for class actions in equality claims, People Management, 2008
• Prepared Testimony of Michael J. Gray on Behalf of the HR Policy Association to the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee of The House Of Representatives, 2008
• The Chinese Employment Contract Law of 2007, 2007
• Administering, Monitoring, and Securing e-Communications in the Workplace, 2007
• E-Discovery: Recent Case Developments and the Impact of the Revised Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on Litigation, 2007
• Employment Hot Topics: Class Actions, IP Protection, E-Discovery Impacts, The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2007
• Religion and the U.S. Workplace, Human Rights Vol. 33, No. 3, 2006
• Who Is an Internet Applicant? Final Rule on Recordkeeping for Government Contractors Provides Some Guidance, 2006
• Looming Liabilities: With No Real Relief in Sight for the Multitude of Wage-hour Class Actions, How Should Employers Respond?, coauthor, Human Resource Executive, 2005
• Be Prepared: Top Ten Lessons for rule 26 Meet and Confer Conference and Electronic Discovery, author, The E-Discovery Standard, 2004
• Act Now: Prepare Clients Early for Electronic Discovery, Lexis Nexis Applied Discovery Newsletter, 2004
• The New Identity Crisis, Corporate Counsel, 2003
• Department of Labor Proposes Long-Awaited FLSA Reform, 2003

Address

77 West Wacker
Chicago, IL 60601-1692

Phones

1.312.269.4096 (Business Phone)

Faxes

1.312.782.8585 (Business Fax)

Emails

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Websites

http://www.jonesday.com