DENVER, (June 12, 2008) – Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the country's largest and fastest growing workplace law firms, has hired Chuck Weese and Liza McKelvey in its Denver office. Mr. Weese is litigation manager and Ms. McKelvey is a partner. Jackson Lewis opened its Denver office in 2007 and Mr. Weese and and Ms. McKelvey are the 10th and 11th attorneys to join the rapidly growing office.
Mr. Weese specializes in the areas of Litigation and Litigation Avoidance. He has defended global, national and regional employers on a broad range of employment and labor issues, including gender, age, race, disability and national origin discrimination, sexual harassment, constructive discharge, breach of employment contract, retaliation, violation of public policy and related issues. In addition to handling traditional employment disputes, he has developed expertise in the areas of covenants not to complete and reductions in force.
Mr. Weese has represented employers before virtually every federal and state agency and has handled trials and appeals in federal and state courts. He also provides clients with general advice and counseling on a broad range of employment and labor issues; prepares and presents training seminars to clients; and has prepared materials for and presented lectures at multiple employment law seminars and workshops. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Weese was in private practice with the Denver office of Faegre & Benson where he led its Colorado employment law group. Before that, he was a senior attorney for the leading communications company, Qwest, where he was a member of the employment and labor group. At Qwest, Mr. Weese handled employment litigation throughout the country. He was also responsible for significant labor arbitrations and for advising and counseling senior executives on a broad range of employment and labor law issues.
Mr. Weese has a B.A. from Rice University and received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Boston University. While there, he was executive editor of the Law Review. Upon graduation, Mr. Weese clerked for the Honorable Samuel B. Kent, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas in 1991 and 1992. Since 2005, he has been recognized by Chambers USA as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Labor & Employment. He is admitted to practice law in Colorado, New Mexico and Illinois (inactive).
Ms. McKelvey represents employers in all types of employment litigation, including claims alleging discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination, as well as wage and hour disputes, matters involving trade secret protection, restrictive covenants and unfair competition, and various contract issues. Ms. McKelvey has extensive litigation experience in both state and federal courts, as well as arbitration and dispute resolution experience. She also advises and counsels employers on a wide variety of employment issues.
Ms. McKelvey previously served as General Counsel and Vice President of Compliance and Reimbursement for Cochlear Americas, the U.S. division of Sydney, Australia-based Cochlear Limited, a leading manufacturer of implantable hearing solutions. In that capacity, she oversaw all corporate legal matters for North and South America, directed the company's compliance program and supervised all department staff. Prior to her position there, she practiced with international law firms in both Denver and Chicago, most recently as a partner with the employment law group of Faegre & Benson LLP in Denver.
Ms. McKelvey graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College. She received her J.D. cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she was a member of the Hastings Law Journal.
"Liza and Chuck are tremendously talented workplace law attorneys who bring valuable client-side experience and Fortune 500 representation to the Jackson Lewis team," says Mickey Silberman, managing partner of the Jackson Lewis office in Denver. "They reinforce our strong commitment to providing high quality, sophisticated employment law counseling to Colorado's fast growing business community."
__________________________ About Jackson Lewis LLPFounded in 1958, Jackson Lewis LLP is dedicated to representing management exclusively in workplace law. With offices in 37 cities and 500 attorneys, Jackson Lewis has developed a specialized expertise in every aspect of employment, labor, benefits and immigration law. Additional information about Jackson Lewis LLP can be found at www.jacksonlewis.com.
For more information, please contact:Lara Minch-Klass Jackson Lewis T: (212) 545-4031 E: klassl@jacksonlewis.com Kara Dullea the bounce agency T: (864) 351-2736 E: kara.dullea@thebounceagency.com