Peter’s practice focuses on labor and employment litigation with an emphasis on discrimination lawsuits of all types and whistleblower retaliation claims.
He has represented management before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Department of Labor, and in state and federal courts. He has defended actions brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Equal Pay Act, Illinois Human Rights Act and wage and hour disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Peter has also practiced before the National Labor Relations Board in defense of unfair labor practice charges and issues surrounding union representation elections. He counsels clients on employee relations matters including employment agreements, confidentiality and noncompete agreements and separation agreements. Peter also assists clients in the development of personnel policies including employment applications, employee handbooks and drug testing policies.
Experience
- Obtain summary judgment in numerous race, gender, disability, national original, and age discrimination lawsuits in both state and federal courts.
- Represent clients in numerous class and collective actions in multiple states involving alleged violations of state and federal wage and hour laws, and sexual harassment discrimination claims.
- Secure dismissal of numerous discrimination charges brought before federal, state, and county fair employment practice agencies.
- Conduct and counsel clients on internal investigations into employee allegations of harassment, retaliation, discrimination and other claims of misconduct.
- Represent companies in enforcement of restrictive covenant agreements and theft of trade secret claims.
- Conduct arbitration hearings involving grievances brought under collective bargaining agreements.
- Counsel clients on difficult leave and accommodation issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act.
- Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- Moderator, "Healthcare in the #Metoo Era," 6th Annual Healthcare Litigation and Compliance Conference, May 21, 2019
- Speaker, "Managing and Incentivizing Your Intellectual Capital," 14th Annual Business and Legal Issues in Dialysis and Nephrology Symposium, May 2016
- Speaker, Conducting Effective Investigations, October 2011
- Speaker, "The ADA Amendments Act," The ADA Amendments Act, July 2009
- Speaker, "The ADA Amendments Act," The ADA Amendments Act, May 2009
- Speaker, Current Issues in Employment Law: What Every Health Care Executive Needs to Know, May 2009
- Speaker, Dealing with Difficult Leave and Accommodation Issues, June 2008
- Speaker, Anti-Harassment Training, March 2008
- Speaker, ADA, WC and FMLA: Dealing With Absence Issues in an Acronym World, June 2007
- Speaker, Anti-Harassment Training, May 2007
- Speaker, Dealing with Difficult Leave and Accommodation Issues, November 2006
- Speaker, "Recent Developments Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)," McGuireWoods 20th Annual Labor & Employment Law Conference, April 2005
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Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of TechnologyJD
with Honors
1997 -
The University of IowaBA
with Distinction
1994
Member, Chicago Bar Association
Member, Illinois Bar Association
Member, American Bar Association
- Author, DOL Issues Final FLSA Independent Contractor Rule, Returns to Six-Factor Economic Reality Test, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 16, 2024
- Author, What Businesses Should Know About the NLRB’s Broad Standard for Joint Employment Status, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, November 3, 2023
- Author, National Labor Relations Board Significantly Alters Union Election Process, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 28, 2023
- Author, Every Scan Counts: Illinois Supreme Court Decides Claim Accrual Under BIPA, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 21, 2023
- Author, Illinois Courts Begin Clarifying the Biometric Information Privacy Act, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 30, 2021
- Author, Proceeding With Biometric Caution: Illinois Courts to Decide Critical BIPA Issues, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 16, 2021
- Author, $2M Jury Award to Employee Vacationing While on Medical Leave Highlights Pitfalls for Employers, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, June 25, 2019
- Contributing Editor, Discipline and Discharge in Arbitration, Bloomberg BNA, 2008