Six schools, six countries, and three continents – my childhood has been a kaleidoscopic journey of foreign environments, cultures, and experiences. Sometimes, this path was difficult, even dangerous. In Saudi Arabia, I experienced war – not as a theoretical concept or image on TV, but as a kid hiding in our shelter, when Riyadh was being attacked by ballistic missiles and armed drones from Yemen’s Houthi militants. “Why would anybody want to … [Read more...]
Mack Reed Joins Schaefer Halleen as Partner
We’re pleased to announce Mack Reed as Schaefer Halleen’s newest Partner. Mack comes to us with nearly 20 years of experience in employment law and complex commercial litigation. We sat down with Mack to learn more about his career as an employment law attorney and what continues to drive him. Can you provide a brief summary of your career leading up to Schaefer Halleen? I began practicing law in Chicago in 2005 in the financial markets … [Read more...]
Defenses to Employment Claims Don’t Always Focus on the Merits
Employment Attorneys representing plaintiffs in employment claims understandably focus on the merits of the underlying claim(s), looking for evidence that helps prove that discrimination or retaliation has occurred. While this is tremendously important, there are defenses which companies often assert which don’t relate to the merits of the case but can seriously limit the recoverable damages when the underlying claim is proven. This blog presents … [Read more...]
Fall 2022 Scholarship Winner: Nathnael Alazar
Nathnael's winning Essay: One of the most integral parts of my youth was spending time with the person who motivated me to enter public service: my father. Despite growing up in war-torn Ethiopia, my father committed to becoming a medical doctor and serving those in need. However, his eyesight soon deteriorated. He was diagnosed with an untreatable macular degeneration, effectively ending his medical career. As my father worked fast food and … [Read more...]
The Future of Mandatory Arbitration is in Doubt
On March 27, 2022, the US House of Representatives passed the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, which now goes to the Senate for consideration. If signed into law, the FAIR Act would prohibit enforcement of arbitration agreements covering employment, consumer, antitrust or civil rights disputes. This would expressly cover employment discrimination claims, which are defined in the Act as civil rights disputes. The Fair Act Expands … [Read more...]
