Agenda Speakers 7:30 am Check-in & networking breakfast 8:30 am Opening remarks Mark Soycher, HR Counsel, CBIA Tanya Bovée, Office Managing Principal, Hartford Office 8:40 am Hiring Headaches: Changes to Candidate Screening & Negotiations Allison Dearington, Associate, Hartford Office, 9:30 am Break 9:45 am Your Guide to the New NLRB Richard Vitarelli,, 10:35 am Hot Topics in Employment Law Eric Gjede, Counsel, CBIA James Shea, Principal and Office Litigation Manager, Hartford Office, 11:30 am Lunch 12:30 pm What You Need to Know About the Americans with Disabilities Act Alison Jacobs Wice,, Sally Welch St. Onge, Associate, Hartford Office, 1:20 pm Evolution or Revolution? New Attitudes & Norms in the Workplace Justin Theriault, Associate, Hartford Office, Collin O Connor Udell, Of Counsel, Hartford Office, Margaret Strange,, 2:15 pm Closing Remarks Mark Soycher & Tanya Bovée Conference materials are available at cbia.com > Events > Past Event Highlights Event production support provided by Event Resources. Tanya Bovée Office Managing Principal, Hartford Office 860.522.0404 boveet@jacksonlewis.com Tanya Bovée is the office managing principal of Jackson Lewis Hartford office. Bovée helps employers resolve employment disputes and handle personnel matters, including disability leave management. She regularly trains employers. She also has an active litigation practice, defending employers from federal and state claims. Bovée also defends employers in OFCCP compliance reviews and oversees the preparation of affirmative action plans for employers around the country. Bovée is a member of the firm s Affirmative Action Compliance and OFCCP Defense, Disability, Leave and Health Management, and General Employment Litigation practice groups and is a member of the firm s Pay Equity Resource Group. Bovée is the co-chair of the firm s Asian American Resource Group. She is a past president and current board member of the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She is a board member of the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity, a member of the Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court, a Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, James W. Cooper Fellows Program, and was appointed to the Connecticut Client Security Fund Committee and Federal Grievance Committee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Bovée received the a Best Lawyers under 40 award in 2009 from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Ladder Award in 2016 from the Connecticut Bar Association. She is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and was identified as one of the top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyers and top 25 Women Connecticut Super Lawyers.
Allison Dearington Associate, Hartford Office 860.331.2585 allison.dearington@jacksonlewis.com Allison Dearington s practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counsel. While attending law school, Dearington was the membership manager of the Connecticut Law Review as well as a member of the University of Connecticut s National Moot Court Competition team. During her undergraduate studies, Dearington spent a semester in Washington, D.C., interning for the United States Senate s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Dearington was an associate at a boutique labor and employment litigation firm where she defended municipal employers in a broad range of workplace matters before state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies, such as the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Commission. Dearington received a bachelor s degree from Fordham University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. Eric Gjede Counsel CBIA 860.244.1931 eric.gjede@cbia.com Eric Gjede is counsel with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. He represents the views of Connecticut businesses on labor, employment, commerce, housing and transportation issues. He also directs CBIA s Labor and Employment Law Council. CBIA is the state s largest business organization. The organization works to promote a healthy business climate which encourages economic growth and job creation in the state. Prior to joining CBIA, Gjede was an associate legislative attorney with the Legislative Commissioner s Office, the nonpartisan legal office of the Connecticut General Assembly. In this position, he provided legal counsel to the members of the General Assembly s Commerce and Labor and Public Employees committees. He also drafted legislation and amendments considered by those committees. Gjede earned his juris doctorate School of Law and also holds a bachelor s degree from the University of Connecticut. James Shea Principal & Office Litigation Manager, Hartford Office 860.522.0404 sheaj@jacksonlewis.com James Shea is a principal and the litigation manager in the Hartford office of Shea concentrates his practice on employment litigation and preventive counseling. He represents employers in a variety of forums, including state and federal courts, the state and federal departments of labor, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and the Commission. Shea has been an attorney with Jackson Lewis since 1998 and has successfully represented employers through all stages of litigation from trials through appeals. He has litigated claims alleging discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, whistleblower violations, and a variety of other statutory and common law claims. He is experienced in handling class and collective actions alleging violations of state and federal wage/ hour laws, including claims involving retail managers, insurance claims adjusters, and restaurant workers. He has also litigated multi-plaintiff discrimination claims in federal court and before the EEOC. Shea advises employers on a wide range of employment-related issues including reductions-in-force, non-compete agreements and personnel policies. Shea is a frequent speaker and conducts management training on a variety of topics such as harassment prevention, leave and disability law, workplace privacy, and personnel management skills. He has authored articles on workplace law issues that have appeared in the Hartford Business Journal, Connecticut Law Tribune,
The Corporate Counselor, and HR Communicator. Shea received a bachelor s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and his juris doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Mark Soycher HR Counsel, CBIA 860.244.1138 mark.soycher@cbia.com @HRHotline Mark Soycher is human resource counsel at CBIA, the state s leading business organization. Soycher has over 20 years experience guiding Connecticut employers and employees through the maze of laws and regulations affecting their workplace, providing legal assistance with all workplace problems, from hiring to firing. Soycher returned to the state s largest business organization in July 2002 as labor and employment counsel for CBIA s Human Resources Services Department, which has experienced growth to almost 14,000 personnel-related inquires annually from member companies. Soycher was in private law practice from 1990-2002. From 1983 to 1990, he served as counsel at CBIA, providing members with advice on labor and employment issues. Before that, Soycher was general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of Connecticut, a construction industry trade association. He is a frequent guest speaker at trade and professional association seminars discussing how national and state employment laws affect individuals and employers in Connecticut s workplaces, and on how best to plan and apply workplace strategies that anticipate and avoid legal disputes. Soycher holds a bachelor s degree in psychology from Rutgers University, a master s in special education from William Paterson College, and a law degree from New York Law School. He is a member of the Connecticut and American bar associations, and he serves on the executive committee of the Connecticut Bar Association s labor and employment law section. Sally Welch St. Onge Associate, Hartford Office Jackson Lewis P.C. 860.522.0404 sally.stonge@jacksonlewis.com Sally Welch St. Onge s practice is focused on employment litigation and preventive counseling. St. Onge defends employers in state and federal court and before administrative agencies such as the Commission and the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. In addition, St. Onge also advises management on various topics, including performance management, disability accommodation requests, and family and medical leave issues. St. Onge has co-authored articles on workplace law issues for publications such as the Connecticut Law Tribune and co-authored a chapter for the MCLE s Connecticut discovery treatise. St. Onge was recognized one of the new leaders in the law in 2013 by the Connecticut Law Tribune. She received a bachelor s degree from Clark University and a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. While attending law school, St. Onge was an editor for the Connecticut Law Review and an executive board member of the Public Interest Law Group. Margaret Strange 860.331.1554 strangem@jacksonlewis.com Peggy Strange is a principal in the Hartford office of Jackson Lewis. She is also the firm s National Client Practice leader. Strange has an active litigation practice, having litigated and successfully tried cases in state and federal court, and prevailed in appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and Connecticut Appellate Court. Strange was chosen by clients as a Client Service All-Star in the BTI Consulting Group s 2011 and 2014 survey. The survey identifies lawyers who demonstrate exceptional
legal skills and client focus, deliver outstanding results and superior value, and who understand and share a commitment to achieving their clients business and legal objectives. In 2012, Strange was named one of the Most Powerful and Influential Woman of Connecticut by the National Diversity Council. Strange was designated as one of the Leaders in Their Field in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Chambers USA Legal Guide. Strange was selected for inclusion in the 2013 and 2017 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and selected in the 2014 edition in the specialty of Litigation-Labor and Employment Law. She has also been named a New England Super Lawyer every year since 2007. She received her undergraduate degree from Curry College magna cum laude in 1985 and graduated from Suffolk University Law School cum laude in 1990. Justin Theriault Associate, Hartford Office Jackson Lewis P.C. 860.331.2588 Justin.Theriault@jacksonlewis.com Justin Theriault is an associate in Jackson Lewis s Hartford office. He is the author of The Connecticut Employment Law Manual, an annual guide published by Jackson Lewis that provides advice to Connecticut employers on a wide variety of state employment law topics. Theriault provides advice and counsel to employers on employment law issues and has experience in matters involving employment discrimination, harassment, and civil rights claims under Section 1983 and state law, wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, breach of contract, non-competition agreements, and Family and Medical Leave Act cases, as well as state and federal appellate court briefings. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Theriault worked as an associate for an employee-side employment law firm based in Hartford. In 2017, Theriault was recognized as one of Connecticut s new leaders in the law by the Connecticut Law Tribune. He received his bachelor s degree in economics and philosophy, magna cum laude, and his juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. Collin O Connor Udell Of Counsel, Hartford Office 860.522.0404 collin.udell@jacksonlewis.com Collin O Connor Udell s practice focuses on United States Supreme Court litigation and on complex or novel issues arising in other federal appeals. She has taken a central role in 42 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, some of which have been widely acknowledged as among the most important cases of the last few terms. As a member of the Supreme Court Committee of the National Association of Women Lawyers. Udell participated in extensive evaluations of the qualifications of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, whom President Trump nominated to the Supreme Court, as well as the Honorable Merrick Garland, President Obama s nominee to the court. She also serves on NAWL s Amicus Committee and on the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center s Labor and Employment Litigation Advisory Committee, advising both groups on what cases warrant filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal Courts of Appeals. Udell graduated summa cum laude and received a juris doctor degree School of Law and received an LL.M. from Yale Law School. While at the University of Connecticut, she was editor-in-chief of the Connecticut Law Review and the recipient of 10 academic awards. After law school, Udell clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Judge Bruce Selya, First Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Judge José Cabranes, Second Circuit, as well as on the U.S. District Court for Judge Robert Chatigny.
Richard Vitarelli 860.522.0404 richard.vitarelli@jacksonlewis.com Rick Vitarelli is a principal of the firm with over two decades of experience representing employers nationally across a broad spectrum of industries in labor relations, collective bargaining, and union organizing matters, as well as the labor and employment law aspects of mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and contract administration. He also advises and defends employers in multi-employer pension withdrawal liability matters. Vitarelli regularly represents and defends employers before state and federal departments of labor and labor relations and fair employment practices agencies, as well as the National Labor Relations Board, the National Mediation Board, state labor relations agencies, and in labor arbitration. His labor relations practice includes representation of employers covered by the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act. Although Vitarelli represents employers and trade associations in heavily unionized industries, his practice also includes preventive advice, including with respect to union organizing and corporate campaigns. Vitarelli served as a managing author of the Employer s Guide to Union Organizing Campaigns (Wolters-Kluwer/Aspen Publishers), considered by many to be a definitive management treatise on countering union organizing efforts and corporate campaigns. Vitarelli was previously a partner at McCarter & English LLP. He served as outside general counsel to the Waterbury Connecticut Financial Planning and Assistance Board, a state takeover board created to restructure finances, labor agreements, and post-employment benefits. He was a commissioner of the Connecticut State Ethics Commission from 1997 to 2004 and served as vice-chair and chair from 2002 to 2004. Alison Jacobs Wice 860.522.0404 wicea@jacksonlewis.com Alison Jacobs Wice is a principal in the Hartford office of Jackson Lewis P.C., where she represents management exclusively in workplace law and related advice, counsel, training and litigation. Since joining Jackson Lewis in September 2003 and throughout her career, Wice has represented employers in state and federal trial, appellate, and administrative proceedings throughout the United States involving the full spectrum of substantive issues covered by the firm s employment law practice. She provides advice and counsel to corporate clients on a variety of employment and employee relations claims, including discrimination; sexual, age, disability, and racial harassment; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Fair Labor Standards Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; collective bargaining; reductions in force; and leave management issues. Wice also assists companies with personnel policy drafting and review; day-to-day management of employee discipline and termination; preparation and enforcement of employment contracts; and prevention of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. She has provided training on a variety of employment law topics including diversity in the workplace; sexual harassment prevention training; wage and hour compliance; hiring and firing practices; and leave management. Wice received a bachelor s degree in history from the University of Pennsylvania and a juris doctorate from Emory University School of Law, where she was an editor of the Emory Law Journal.