Jeffrey F. Webb is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and is based in the Firm's Boston office. Jeffrey focuses his practice on complex employment litigation, class actions, internal investigations, and commercial litigation.
Jeffrey defends employers in multi-party cases, wage and hour class actions, employment discrimination class actions, and ERISA class actions. He also represents employers in arbitrations and lawsuits brought by highly compensated senior executives. He counsels employers on a wide variety of topics including workforce reorganizations, executive employment agreements, wage and hour issues, disability and leave issues, unfair competition, investigations and terminations. He negotiates collective bargaining agreements, handles unfair labor practice charges, and represents employers in labor arbitrations.
Jeffrey represents clients in a variety of industries including financial services, private equity, health care, high technology, new media, higher education, entertainment, retail, and manufacturing.
Jeffrey worked as a law clerk from 1989-90 for the Honorable Robert R. Beezer, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. From 1998-2001, he worked in-house for Fox Group where he served as Vice President of Legal Affairs and headed up a team of in-house lawyers who litigated the employment cases filed against the company's film, television and sports subsidiaries. He also managed outside counsel and advised Fox executives on employment issues.
Jeffrey frequently writes and speaks on employment law topics and has appeared on CNN as a commentator on labor and employment law issues. He is the lead author of the employment torts chapter in the Rutter Group's California Practice Guide on Employment Litigation. He served as Vice President of the board of directors of the Western Center on Law and Poverty, and he was a co-recipient of the 2007 Herman Humanitarian Award in recognition of his community service and pro bono legal work.
Jeffrey is admitted to practice before the California and Massachusetts bars.
Representative Experience
Class Actions & Multi-Party Litigation
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Served as nationwide lead counsel for a major financial services firm, providing a coordinated defense of copy-cat wage and hour class actions filed in a variety of jurisdictions, all challenging the classification of thousands of employees as exempt from overtime
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Defended 78 consolidated lawsuits in a federal court case initially filed as a class action by six plaintiffs against 13 transportation employers alleging industry-wide race and gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation
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Defended a major telecommunications firm in a wage and hour class action alleging “off the clock” work and meal and rest period violations, and prosecuted a number of cross actions against subcontractors for indemnification
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Defended 15 entertainment companies in a representative action filed by four plaintiffs alleging unpaid wages and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy
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Defended a major motion picture studio and two other entertainment defendants in a case filed by 15 plaintiffs alleging sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disabilities, and discrimination based on race, sex, national origin and age
Trials & Arbitrations
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A defense judgment after a four-week bench trial on claims for disparate treatment based on race and gender and harassment based on race and gender in a multi-party case
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A defense verdict after a four-week jury trial on claims for fraud and breach of contract against a manufacturing company
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A defense verdict after a three-week jury trial on a race discrimination claim against a major newspaper
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A defense verdict after a four-week jury trial on a claim for tortious interference with contractual relations filed by a former employee against an aerospace company
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A favorable mid-trial settlement during a multi-week jury trial on claims for age discrimination and retaliation against a provider of financial, marketing and business communications services
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A favorable judgment for a manufacturer in a wage and hour bench trial
Appeals
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The appellate court affirmed a summary judgment he had obtained in favor of a major media company involving claims such as discrimination based on political affiliation
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The appellate court affirmed a dismissal he had obtained of state law claims against a major motion picture studio on the ground that the claims were preempted by the Labor Management Relations Act
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The appellate court affirmed a judgment he had obtained in favor of a major financial institution
Employers’ Rights Litigation
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Prevailed in a four-week jury trial on claims by an aerospace employer against a former employee for unfair competition, breach of contract, breach of confidence, and tortious interference with contractual relations
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Recovered for an employer substantial kickbacks received by a former employee from vendors of a major entertainment industry employer
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Protected an employer's attorney-client privileged information through an action against a former lawyer/employee
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Pursued a cross-complaint and a separate action to recover injunctive relief and damages for defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional interference with contractual relations, and conversion from a corporation’s former director
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Pursued a cross-complaint to recover for fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty against an employer's former president
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1988
- London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.M., 1989
- Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, B.S.E. (magna cum laude), 1985
