Partner at Jackson Lewis LLP
Greater Omaha Area
Partner at Jackson Lewis LLP
Greater Omaha Area
Since graduating from law school in 1981, I have spent my entire career in the area of labor and employment law. After graduating from law school, I was hired by the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, initially as a field investigator of discrimination complaints, and later, as a liaison with the Nebraska Attorney General's Office reviewing cases for litigation-worthiness. I left the NEOC in December 1984, when I joined Tate & Alden Law Firm as an associate attorney. At Tate & Alden, I practiced both management and plaintiff-side labor and employment law. In 1987, Tate & Alden was acquired by Berens & Associates, later known as Berens & Tate, PC, LLO. I was a partner with Berens & Tate since 1992. In April 2009, Berens & Tate was acquired by Jackson Lewis, LLP. I am also a partner with Jackson Lewis. We are a management-side labor and employment law firm and I practice in all areas of labor and employment law.
Defense of discrimination claims
Union contract negotiations
Grievance arbitration
Union organizing and elections
Drug-free workplace programs
Wage and Hour audits
Day-to-day counseling on employment issues such as ADA, FMLA, etc.
(Law Practice industry)
April 2009 — Present (4 months)
Advise and counsel employers on labor and employment law matters; defend employers against employment discrimination claims; assist employers with wage and hour audits; assist employers with affirmative action obligations; assist employers with union contract negotiations and grievance arbitration.
(Law Practice industry)
January 1985 — Present (24 years 7 months)
(Government Administration industry)
September 1981 — December 1984 (3 years 4 months)
I investigated charges of employment discrimination and acted as a liaison with the Nebraska Attorney General's Office to review cases for litigation-worthiness.
JD , Law , 1978 — 1981
Travel, hiking, biking, reading, writing, music, outdoors activities.
American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, EEO Committee.
Nebraska State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section.
Omaha Bar Association.
"AV" rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Listed in the Chambers USA Client's Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America, Great Plains Super Lawyers and Omaha's Top Lawyers.
Published author and frequent lecturer.