The members of the Employment Law Alliance all come from distinctive, independent law firms, but, they all have a labor and employment law practice with an unqualified commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation. Some ELA members are partners in large general practice firms with a significant labor and employment law practice group, while others are from medium-size or small boutique firms that handle labor and employment matters exclusively. But each firm has sophisticated and experienced attorneys with established professional relationships with other ELA members to fully serve their clients.
It has become virtually impossible to call any legal matter purely local. While the world may be shrinking, the challenges for employers never stop growing. When employees no longer work around the corner but in virtual offices all over the world, how do you manage the office? When information can flash around the globe at the touch of a button, how do you ensure that it flows seamlessly? When the plaintiffs’ bar and the labor unions are increasingly interconnected and – at the click of a mouse – are communicating about your business, how do you make certain that you know as much as they do? The Employment Law Alliance offers employers the tools to succeed in this rapidly-changing world: a unique combination of global awareness and local insight.
When a prominent business in Germany must terminate an employee in its Buenos Aires office, and needs quick and cost-effective advice, it can turn to the ELA for a multi-lingual lawyer in that city who knows both the local laws and the customary employment practices; someone who can review the termination and put together a severance agreement. When an economic downturn forces a large corporation with major operations in the United States and Canada to make mass layoffs within 24 hours, and in 31 countries around the globe, no single firm, even working around the clock, would be able to craft a careful and legal transition. But the Employment Law Alliance can – and it has.
Our company, Konami Gaming, Inc., is growing rapidly in a very diverse and highly regulated industry. We are aggressively entering new markets outside the domestic U.S., including Canada and South America. I have had the recent opportunity to utilize the services provided by the ELA. The legal advice was both responsive and professional. Most of all, the entire process was seamless since our Nevada attorney coordinated the services and legal advice requested. I look forward to working with the ELA in the future, as it serves as a great resource to the legal community.
Jennifer Martinez
Senior Director, Human Resources
Konami Gaming, Inc.
Las Vegas, NV
In my career I have been a practicing attorney, counsel to the Governor of Maine, and CEO of a major public utility. I have worked with many lawyers in many settings. When the American University in Bulgaria needed help with employment litigation in federal court in Syracuse, New York, we turned to Pierce Atwood, the ELA member we knew and trusted in Maine, for a referral. We were extremely pleased with the responsiveness and high quality of service we received from Bond Schoeneck & King, the ELA's firm in upstate New York. I would not hesitate to recommend the ELA to any employer.
David Flanagan
Chair of the Board of Trustees
American University in Bulgaria
Manchester, ME
Altra Industrial Motion Inc. has multiple locations in the U.S., as well as Central America, Europe, and Asia. The Employment Law Alliance has proved to be a great asset in assisting us in dealing with employment issues and matters in such diverse venues as Mexico, Australia, and Spain. We have obtained excellent results using the ELA network for matters ranging from a multi-state review of employment policies to assisting with individual employment issues in a variety of foreign jurisdictions.
In one instance, we were faced with an employment dispute with a former associate in Mexico that had the potential for substantial economic exposure. The matter had been pending for over a year, and we were not confident in the employment advice we had been receiving. I obtained a referral to the ELA counsel in Mexico, who was able to obtain a favorable resolution of the dispute in only a few days. Based on our experiences with the ELA, we would not hesitate to use its many resources for future employment law needs.
Stephen J. Hirschfeld
Partner
Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld & Kraemer, LLP
San Francisco, California
We have direct sales and service offices all over the U.S., but have not necessarily had the need in the past for assistance with legal work in every state where we have a business presence. From time to time, we suddenly find ourselves facing a legal issue in a state where we have no outside counsel relationship. It has been a real benefit to know that the ELA has assembled such an impressive team of experts throughout the U.S. and overseas.
A few years ago, we faced a very tough discrimination lawsuit in Mississippi. We had never had to retain a lawyer there before. I was absolutely delighted with the Mississippi ELA firm. We received an excellent result. They will no doubt handle all of our employment law matters in Mississippi in the future. I have also obtained the assistance of several other ELA firms around the U.S. and have received the same outstanding service. The ELA is a tremendous resource for our company.Paul Nix
Vice President & Deputy General Counsel
Ricoh Americas Corporation
Atlanta, GA
Michael A. DiGregoria
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
WilmingtonTrust Corporation
Wilmington, DE
