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 practice group of a mid-sized litigation firm. Before relocating to Minneapolis in 2016 I spent five years with a boutique litigation firm, the last two as a partner.
I joined a plaintiff-side employment firm when I arrived in Minneapolis and ended my tenure there as a partner and co-chair of that firm’s employment practice group. I then spent about four-and-a-half years as a partner at a high-end litigation boutique in Minneapolis before joining Schaefer Halleen, LLC in November 2022.
What unique perspective do you bring to your work?
Employment law has always been a core component of my practice, and I have been advising clients and litigating claims concerning post-employment restrictive covenants since beginning my practice in 2005. After practicing for a few years, I began branching out into complex commercial litigation as well. While I currently focus on plaintiff-side employment law, I have extensive experience in employment counseling and litigation on the defense/management side. I also have extensive experience handling complex commercial litigation matters on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, including closely-held shareholder and member disputes, fraud claims, unfair competition claims, and professional liability claims.
My client service philosophy, and philosophy of practicing law in general, is “radical competence and integrity.” I feel that my extensive defense-side employment work and complex commercial litigation work (on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants) gives me a unique perspective on representing victims of workplace misconduct.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career to date?
Oftentimes when I meet a client it’s because they’ve just had the worst day of their life. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to provide real, meaningful help to people whose lives have been upended and who may feel like they have no one to turn to for assistance.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I have two kids under the age of 6, so I don’t have any free time. But if I did, I’d probably be cooking, riding my bike, reading a book, playing guitar, or trying to draw someone into a discussion about John Carpenter’s filmography.
