RDB’s goal is to help employers avoid litigation, which can be expensive and time-consuming. However, litigation is sometimes unavoidable and RDB has a proven record of litigating cases to a successful conclusion.

When it comes to preventing litigation, RDB works proactively with clients to develop creative and effective employment policies, practices and procedures. For example, we help employers draft employee handbooks and compliance programs. We also, by way of example, conduct wage and hour audits, train managers and employees on a variety of legal issues, including harassment prevention, and devise programs that help protect trade secrets and other confidential information. In addition, we regularly advise our clients on day-to-day issues, such as hiring and termination decisions, leave requests, and disciplinary matters. In this regard, we draft and/or negotiate employment agreements and severance agreements, as well as review written communications to employees, such as disciplinary memoranda. In taking these preventive steps, RDB attorneys have extensive experience working with both large and small employers in various industries that operate in multiple jurisdictions.

With respect to litigation, RDB attorneys have litigated a wide variety of employment disputes in federal and state courts around the country. We also have represented clients before government agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor and comparable entities at the state and local level. Our cases have included allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, wage and hour violations, unpaid wages, misappropriation of trade secrets and other confidential information, violations of noncompete agreements, entitlement to ERISA plan benefits, breach of contract, defamation, interference with contractual relations and other employment-related torts, among other claims. We measure success not only in terms of our victories, but in helping our clients achieve desirable resolutions prior to the conclusion of litigation. In this regard, RDB attorneys conduct early and thorough analyses of cases so that our clients are able to make informed decisions about the risks and costs associated with litigation. We also explore potential early and cost-effective resolutions through mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

In addition to providing advice to our clients and representing them in litigation, our clients sometimes seek RDB’s expertise in conducting internal investigations into alleged misconduct. For example, clients have asked RDB attorneys to investigate allegations of drug use, harassment, discrimination, and fraud (both in connection with allegations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and otherwise).

Our attorneys also teach employment law and civil litigation courses in local colleges and law schools and regularly speak and write on employment law issues.