Event Details

Kate Wilson

Shareholder & Chair, Board of Directors

Littler Mendelson 

Kate Mrkonich Wilson has successfully litigated employment discrimination, contract, and tort cases before juries and judges in both federal and state courts across the country. She also has substantial experience with matters referred to alternative dispute resolution. Practicing before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and its state counterparts, Kate has specific experience providing litigation defense of claims arising under:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
• The Americans with Disabilities Act
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
• The Family and Medical Leave Act

She also routinely counsels clients on:

• Reorganizations
• Leaves of absence
• Training
• Best practices
• Investigations Compliance
• All other aspects of personnel management

Additionally, Kate contributes to employment law publications and frequently conducts training programs and seminars for all levels of management in various industries. Topics have encompassed:

• Harassment in the workplace
• Properly conducting workplace harassment investigations
• Minimizing legal risks in the workplace
• Managing compliance with ADA, FMLA and other leaves and accommodations
• Managing problem employees

The proper handling of reductions-in-force

Kate's clients span numerous industries. Kate is currently serving as the Chair of Littler's Board of Directors and as a member of the Women's Leadership Initiative Steering Committee. She was one of the founding shareholders of Littler's Chicago and Minneapolis offices, and formerly served as the office managing shareholder in Minneapolis.

David Goldstein

Shareholder & Co-Chair, Government Contractors Industry Group and OFCCP Practice Group

Littler Mendelson 

David J. Goldstein is co-chair of the firm’s OFCCP Practice Group and Government Contractors Industry Group. David’s practice is devoted to assisting employers with the implementation and maintenance of effective affirmative action programs and representing government contractors before the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), as well as similar state and local agencies. In March 2014, David testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections providing insight on how healthcare employers are making strategic decisions based on possible OFCCP actions.

Because affirmative action programs implicate all employment related practices and policies as well as a wide array of laws and regulations, David’s clients benefit from his more than 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and counselor. He has worked with in-house counsel, business leadership, and HR professionals to proactively identify and implement creative solutions for complying with employment related legal and regulatory requirements, avoiding liability, and resolving internal and external disputes. His experience includes representing employers in trials before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including class action litigation. David also frequently works with mediation and other dispute-resolution techniques in order to efficiently resolve disputes. David’s clients include health care providers, manufacturers, construction companies, colleges and universities, and professional sports organizations.

Emily McNee

Associate

Littler Mendelson 

Emily A. McNee is a strategic advisor and litigator who routinely works with employers on a broad range of employment law issues arising under federal, state, and local law. She has specific experience with matters involving:

• Medical leaves and disability accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and similar state leave laws
• Allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
• Claims of defamation and tortious interference
• Employment policies and handbooks

Emily has experience handling all stages of pretrial litigation, including discovery management, briefing and arguing dispositive motions, taking and defending depositions, and mediation and settlement negotiations.

Emily has also conducted training programs and seminars on topics such as preventing harassment in the workplace, and compliance with the ADA and the FMLA. Prior to joining Littler, Emily was a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Louise Dovre Bjorkman at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. 

Claire Deason

Shareholder

Littler Mendelson 

Claire B. Deason’s practice covers all areas of employment and labor litigation and advising, with a specific emphasis on
wage and hour litigation and compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In litigation, Claire develops creative, cutting-edge strategies for early resolution and dismissal of collective actions
and has efficiently resolved collective actions for clients in the hospitality, service, and oil and gas industries. Claire has
extensive experience with all stages of wage and hour litigation, including:

• Early and representative discovery
• Conditional certification
• Decertification
• Individual and collective settlements

In her wage and hour compliance work, Claire advises clients on all aspects of current wage and hour law and works
closely with clients to develop compensation programs, create practical and manageable telework compliance, revise
payroll practices and calculation methods, review position classifications, and coordinate messaging and training to
communicate changes to the workforce.

In addition to her wage and hour practice, Claire represents clients in traditional discrimination suits and agency charges under both federal and state laws. She advises clients on all aspects of day-to-day personnel matters, including leave and disability issues, employee discipline, and termination. Claire’s experience includes counseling clients in issues arising under federal immigration laws. In her pro bono practice,
she has successfully obtained asylum, Permanent Resident status, and humanitarian parole for clients in individual immigration matters before U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services and U.S. Department of State.

In law school, Claire was awarded the Steven M. Block Prize for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties for her article in the Minnesota Law Review, of which she was managing editor.
 

Quang Trang

Associate

Littler Mendelson 

Quang N. Trang focuses his practice on advising management on labor and employment law matters.

While with his previous firm, Quang represented and counseled various public schools in Minnesota on matters
regarding employee benefits, employee discipline, grievances, employment terminations, charges of discrimination, and disability accommodation. He also has performed workplace investigations for employee misconduct. During law school,
he was managing editor of the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science and Technology.
 

Corey Christensen

Associate

Littler Mendelson 

Corey J. Christensen defends employers against claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation at all stages of proceedings before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, arbitrators, andmediators. Corey has experience defending multiplaintiff lawsuits involving employee misclassification, workplacere structurings, and reductions in force. Corey also advises on and defends matters concerning physical access to places of public accommodation. Equally as important, Corey helps avoid litigation by advising management on sound employment practices.

Prior to joining Littler, Corey gained experience with many different types of employment claims by serving as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Richard H. Kyle, U.S. District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Earlier,during law school, Corey worked as a certified student attorney for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, where he obtained significant courtroom experience. 

Stephanie Sarantopoulos

Shareholder

Littler Mendelson 

Stephanie D. Sarantopoulos represents and counsels employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing and noncompetition matters.

Stephanie has jury trial experience and appears in state and federal courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She handles claims arising under:

• Title VII
• The Americans with Disabilities Act
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
• The Family and Medical Leave Act

Working predominately with retail clients, Stephanie also regularly advises employers on day-to-day concerns.

Stephanie has given several presentations on overtime laws and employee discipline and documentation and has lectured on various employment and other litigation matters.

Stephanie is a member of Littler Mendelson's Retail Practice Group and also serves on the firm's Associates Committee. She is the firm’s representative for the Twin Cities Diversity Practice group and serves as its lead mentor.

Previously, Stephanie worked at a small boutique law firm where she focused on employment matters. In law school, she was director of the Esdaile Moot Court program, vice president of the Health Law Association, and a counselor for the Boston District Court's Battered Women's Advocacy Project.

Ben Sandahl

Associate

Littler Mendelson 

Ben Sandahl represents clients in a variety of labor and employment matters. In addition to actively litigating cases,
he frequently advises clients regarding pre-litigation matters in attempts to avoid litigation, with the goal of correct
positioning should litigation arise.

Prior to joining Littler, Ben worked at another national law firm. He won the then-largest judgment in the history of
Illinois and the largest breach of fiduciary duty judgment in the United States for a real estate company by writing a
partial summary judgment motion that the court largely granted.

Nikki Peters Barrett

Founder/CEO

Nikki is the Founder and CEO of Studio 9-to-5. With a 15-year career in the wellness and fitness industry and a passion for creating environments for healthy living, connection and flourishing business, she was responsible for generating $4.5 Million annually through multiple wellness revenue streams while helping to build the world's largest yoga brand. Her areas of study include a B.S. in Kinesiology, Certified Personal Trainer, E-RYT Yoga Instructor, Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Life Coach and Leadership Development training through CTI, Mindfulness Educator with training in trauma, resilience and meditation, and is a Certified Workplace Wellness Expert through NWA. Nikki's signature Studio 9-to-5 Mindfulness Training program has been presented at a number of high-performance companies and organizations including the U.S. Airforce, General Mills, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, The Minneapolis Police Department, and Children's Hospital to name a few. Nikki is thrilled to be here today to speak on the topic of Mindful Tools For Today.