Michael Gray represents corporate clients in complex workplace and privacy matters, including class action and multiplaintiff employment discrimination lawsuits, state law overtime class actions, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions, and trade secret and restrictive covenant matters. He represents employers throughout the United States in bench and jury trials, administrative hearings, arbitrations, and appellate courts in matters arising under federal and state antidiscrimination laws, FLSA, Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), labor management relation laws, and state law wrongful discharge claims. Michael also advises clients on preventive measures, including reviewing policies, counseling on disciplinary actions and investigations, negotiating severance agreements, and conducting employment practices reviews.
Michael brings a creative, business-minded approach to problem-solving and litigation. In recognition by Chambers and Legal 500, clients praised him by stating “he’s the guy I want in front of the judge” and “quickly gets down to the nuts and bolts and gets people focused on what’s important — his approach is unique and he gets exceptional results.” He served as co-leader of the Firm’s global Labor & Employment Practice until January 2020. He serves as Co-Client Affairs Partner for the Firm.
Michael was named a 2020 Employment Trailblazer by The National Law Journal and one of the “Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys” by HR Executive magazine and Lawdragon for the last 10 years. He is a frequent speaker for the ABA’s Labor and Employment Section and is a member of the Advisory Board of The Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations and NYU Law’s Center for Labor and Employment Law.
At the Summit
This cannot be thought of as a conference or a summit. The stakes are simply too high and the data/conversation and methods to drive action more valuable/motivating than any gathering I have attended. I took more than 100 pages of notes and have shared them with my CBS News leadership team, anchors, producers, and correspondents. Nothing about this gathering was easy. The agony around this topic is real. But no one curious about it could ask for a more devoted, rational, or unflinching look into this dark but decipherable world.
