Events & Speaking Engagements

Leaves of absence issues have become one of the most complex issues confronted by employers. The scenarios almost always involve sensitive medical concerns and information, which results in emotional and sometimes irrational employees.

Defect theories that begin in individual automotive product liability and consumer warranty litigation routinely find their way into class action litigation, but with a twist. The strict liability theories asserted in product litigation, and the warranty theories asserted in consumer litigation, become fraud claims in the class actions. Now, the process is starting to reverse; the consumer fraud claims are now being asserted in individual product and consumer cases.

In this workshop, Dykema Member Daniel R. Stern will address how to conduct workplace investigations, how to confront and remedy harassment and current topics of interest. The one thing that is clear about employment law claims and issues is that nothing is clear. One method to help clarify rights and obligations when workplace problems are encountered is to conduct a fact-based investigation, which will assist employers in making sound employment decisions.

Join Dykema for our annual Dykema Litigation Institute (DLI) United States Supreme Court review and preview webinar. We will discuss decisions from the last term that will affect corporations, including rulings on class actions, jurisdiction and arbitration. We will then preview the upcoming term, including cases that are on the docket and the potential makeup of the Court.

Dykema invites you to this exclusive update on the latest legal and regulatory developments affecting the food and beverage industry including the M&A landscape for food and beverage companies.

Please join Dykema for a discussion involving the latest procedures and case law regarding social media and electronic data as it pertains to obtaining and admitting evidence. From Facebook to Snapchat, Gmail to YouTube, we will discuss a wide range of discovery-related topics, including collecting evidence from apps, working with metadata in litigation, subpoenaing social media companies, archive features, and more.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The recent wave of media coverage regarding acts of sexual harassment by individuals in high-profile positions shows that employment problems that have been around for years not only continue, but are increasing and becoming more convoluted.

Please join Dykema for a discussion regarding the challenges and legal obligations faced by educational institutions under Title IX and related laws. Title IX compliance is required under a spotlight in which the #MeToo Movement has deeply raised awareness and expectations, while educational institutions face increased threats of litigation and confusing governmental guidance. Our discussion will examine best practices and compliance obstacles in this complicated landscape.

Dykema's 5th Annual Definitive Conference for Dental Service Organizations presents an opportunity to learn about current best practices in the areas of legal, regulatory, compliance, tax, consumer finance, billing, operations, M&A, financial reporting and other industry-specific issues. It is an immersive event for practice owners, executives, investors and in-house counsel. If you are new to DSOs or would like to expand or improve your current organization, this event offers solutions for various levels of your organization.

Please join Dykema for a discussion on digital mortgage loans, including the current state of industry use of eNote and eMortgages and an analysis of where originators, warehouse lenders, investors and servicers are for eNotes and eMortgages. In addition, we will analyze the legal risks and problems the industry may face related to eNotes and eMortgages. We also will discuss the need for servicers to re-tool various policies and procedures related to note and mortgage enforcement when eNotes and eMortgages are involved.

Healthcare delivery represents roughly 18% of the U.S. economy, but recently the headlines related to the industry suggest stormy weather ahead.

The Supreme Court’s opinion on May 21, 2018 holding that requiring employment claims to be submitted to individualized (rather than class-based) arbitration is sparking a renewed interest among employers in mandatory arbitration for all employees. While mandatory arbitration does have advantages, there are disadvantages as well that should be carefully weighed by employers before deciding to jump on the arbitration bandwagon.

The legal industry continues to forecast an increased need for organizations to conduct internal investigations. Internal investigations are needed to address allegations in many areas including government fraud and False Claims Act issues; breaches of codes of ethics or internal policies; harassment and other employment concerns; and violations of state and federal laws in regulated industries.

Please join Dykema for a discussion regarding protection of company trade secrets, including best practices in hiring employees from competitors and advising departing employees on avoiding claims of theft of trade secrets. The discussion will also include the latest emerging strategies and trends in federal and state trade secrets litigation, including lessons learned from the recent Uber-Waymo lawsuit.

It is not just about the hashtags like #MeToo, #TimesUp, #AllRaise and #MentorHer. The landscape for employers is changing as quickly as internet speeds allow. Not only is it a mistake for employers to fail to take claims of harassment seriously – even if the complaint seems to be “stale” – but employers need to be aware of other changes on the horizon. These changes are taking place through the courts, state and federal legislatures and popular culture.