Photo of Robert A. Boonin

Robert A. Boonin Member

Areas of Practice

Industries

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania

Education

University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1985, cum laude

Michigan State University School of Labor and Industrial Relations, MLIR, 1980

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, B.S., 1976

Robert A. Boonin, a member in Dykema's Detroit and Ann Arbor offices, concentrates his practice on labor and employment litigation. In addition, Mr. Boonin is experienced in public contract and education law. As a result, he has represented public and private sector clients across the country in over thirty jurisdictions. His public sector clients include universities, community colleges, K-12 school districts, charter schools as well as cities and townships.

Mr. Boonin has successfully represented clients in wrongful termination, employment discrimination, wage and hour, tenure proceedings and other employment-related lawsuits and claims. He has also represented employers in labor grievance arbitrations, labor negotiations, unfair labor practices and representational proceedings and labor strikes. 

Clients quoted in Best Law Firms 2018 note that Mr. Boonin "serves as an extension of my business, with a thorough understanding of my legal needs and business objectives." He has been named a 2019 "Lawyer of the Year" in Detroit for Litigation - Labor and Employment by The Best Lawyers in America©, recognized as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers in Michigan" and is a frequent lecturer to the American and Michigan Bar Associations, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the Society of Human Resource Management, the American Society of Employers, trade associations and other groups on labor and employment law on topics such as handling a unionized workforce, wage and hour compliance, sexual harassment, and the ADA.

Experience

Represented a private equity investor in complicated effort to purchase a major OEM's glass manufacturing operations in North America

Represented numerous clients, including hospitals and other health care institutions, retail businesses and manufacturers in collective and class actions nationwide under both federal and state law in claims for unpaid overtime pay

Obtained summary judgment in an ADEA and retaliation matter

Obtained a summary disposition on behalf of a major school district

Served as lead counsel in multiple FLSA collective actions

Won an appeal setting a new precedent under the Michigan Revised School Code

Involved in labor and employment matters in two plant divestitures

Negotiated over 100 collective bargaining agreements

Successfully represented numerous employers in arbitration cases involving terminations and other disciplines, layoffs, promotions, work rule and other contract interpretation matters

Successfully represented employers in wage and hour collective actions

Lead counsel in labor and employment discrimination and FMLA cases, as well as DOL, NLRB, MESC, MDCR, EEOC and teacher tenure matters

Counsel clients in compliance on labor and employment laws, education laws, and the Michigan Open Meetings and Freedom of Information Acts

Served as lead counsel for governmental units and vendors in matters involving the privatization of services and operational divisions in the public sector

Handled numerous bid protest disputes in government contract cases

  • Paid Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Increase – Recent Developments in the Michigan Legislature, Detroit Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) Breakfast Series
    October 25, 2018
  • FLSA: New DOL Initiatives and Update, Schoolcraft College
    August 9, 2018
  • Wage and Hour Compliance: A DOL Update and Ways to Avoid Overtime Liability, SHRM 2018 Annual Conference
    June 18, 2018
  • Silver Bullet or Fool’s Gold? Arbitration Agreements Post-Supreme Court’s “Green Light” in Epic Systems
    June 13, 2018
  • 2018 Wage and Hour Update: Hot Topics and Trends, American Society of Employers 8th Annual Compensation & Benefits Conference
    May 23, 2018
  • Fair Labor Standards Act Update, 43rd Annual ICLE Labor & Employment Law Institute
    April 19, 2018
  • The Year in Review for Human Resources Professionals, 43rd Annual ICLE Labor & Employment Law Institute
    April 19, 2018
  • A Pound of Prevention
    June 7, 2017
  • FLSA Hot Topics, Panel Moderator, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law
    June 1, 2017
  • FLSA Update, Institute of Continuing Legal Education 42nd Annual Labor & Employment Law Institute, Northville, Michigan
    April 20, 2017
  • FLSA Hot Topics, ABA’s Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee Midwinter Meeting
    February 23, 2017 and June 1, 2017 webinar
  • The New DOL Overtime Exemption Regulations Are in Flux - Now What?, American Conference Institute’s 29th National Forum on Wage & Hour Claims and Class Actions, Miami, Florida
    January 26, 2017
  • The New DOL Overtime and White Collar Exemption Regulations: They’re Here, Now What?, American Conference Institute’s 29th National Forum on Wage & Hour Claims and Class Actions, Miami, Florida
    January 26, 2017
  • Radical Changes to the Legal Landscape are Causing HR Officials Angst, seminar, Greater Ann Arbor SHRM, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    November 15, 2016
  • Are Independent Contractors on ‘Life Support’, American Employment Law Council 2016 Annual Conference, Naples, Florida
    October 21, 2016
  • Are You Ready for the New Overtime Regulations?
    October 13, 2016
  • New Rules: Overtime Exemptions and the New Salary Level, Washtenaw County Bar Assn., Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce, and Ann Arbor SPARK
    October 10, 2016
  • New Rules, New Problems – What to Anticipate Under the FLSA’s New Regulations…and More, ASE’s 5th Annual Employment Law Workshop
    September 21, 2016
  • Navigating the DOL’s Overtime Exemption Regulations—Detroit
    June 16, 2016
  • Navigating the DOL’s Overtime Exemption Regulations—Troy
    June 13, 2016
  • Navigating the DOL’s Overtime Exemption Regulations—Chicago
    June 9, 2016
  • Update on Developments under Fair Labor Standards Act, University of Michigan Annual Labor & Employment Law Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    April 14-15, 2016
  • Avoiding Overtime Pay Liability: The Latest Enforcement and Regulatory News for the DOL and Common Compliance Landmines Every Employer Should Avoid, Michigan HR Day Conference, Lansing, Michigan
    April 13, 2016
  • Are you planning for the new overtime exemption rules? You should be.
    March 31, 2016

Blog Posts

Memberships & Involvement

Wage and Hour Defense Institute of the Litigation Counsel of America, Co-Founder and Member, 2007-Present; Chair, 2010-2013

State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Law Section, Member 1985-Present; Council Member 2005-Present, Chair, 2013-2014

American Bar Association, Member Labor and Employment Law Section, Committee Member, Committee on Federal Labor Standards Legislation, 1985-Present; Co-Chair, FLSA Subcommittee, 2016-Present; Chapter Editor of The Fair Labor Standards Act, 2006-Present; Co-Editor in Chief of The Fair Labor Standards Act Midwinter Report, 2016-Present 

National Association of College and University Attorneys, Member 2005-Present

Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Advisory Board on Labor and Employment Law, Member, 2002-Present

American Employment Law Council, Member, 1999 to Present

Michigan Council of School Attorneys, Member and Co-Founder, 1987-Present; Chair, 1991

Labor and Employment Relations Association (formerly IRRA, Detroit Chapter), Member

Washtenaw County Bar Association, Member; Co-Chair Trial Practice Section 2005-2010; Chair Labor and Employment Law Section 2001-2003

Community/Civic Activities

  • Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, Member, Public Policy Committee; Member, 2005-Present; Board of Directors, Member 2008-Present; Executive Board, 2014-Present
  • Main Street Area Association, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Member, Board of Directors, 2008-Present
  • Ann Arbor YMCA, Member 1998-Present; Member, Personnel Committee,2005-Present; Chair, Personnel Committee 1998-2005; Member, Marketing Committee, 2000-2005; Member, Executive Committee, 2001-2005
  • American Red Cross, Washtenaw County Chapter, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Member, Development Committee, 2005-2007
  • Washetenaw Literacy, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Member Board of Directors, 1995-1998

Named as "Lawyer of the Year" in Labor and Employment Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2019. Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law - Management and Labor and Employment Litigation, 2010-Present, Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC

Named a Top Lawyer by dbusiness Magazine for Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and  Employment, 2015 & 2018

Named a Michigan Leading Lawyer in the areas of Employment: Management and Labor: Management Law by the Leading Lawyers Network, 2014-2017. Law Bulletin Publishing Company

Recognized by Best Lawyers in America®, Copyright 2013 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC as "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Labor and Employment Law, 2012; and for Employment Law - Management, 2014

Named a leading Labor and Employment Lawyer by Chambers USA, 2010-2018

College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Fellow,  2008-Present

Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow, 2006-Present; President, 2007-2008

Recognized on Michigan Super Lawyers® "Top 100 List," 2017-2018

Recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers® for Labor and Employment Law: Employment Litigation and Schools & Education, 2006-Present

Recipient of an AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale-Hubbell