Overview
McDermott Will & Emery has hired partner Joseph K. Mulherin to advise clients on the increased litigation risks stemming from wage and hour and employment discrimination class actions. Joseph joins as a partner in the Employment Practice Group and will be based in McDermott’s Chicago office.
Joseph joins from Vedder Price where he served as co-chair of its Employment Class Action Group. He focuses on a wide range of complex employment matters, including defending employers against class action lawsuits and counseling them on best employment policies and practices. He has extensive experience representing clients in federal and state governmental agency investigations, including US Department of Labor and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigations.
“Adding breadth and depth in Chicago has been a priority for us as we continue to strategically grow McDermott’s Employment Practice,” said Michael Sheehan, global head of the Firm’s Employment Practice Group. “Joe’s employment-specific experience will complement our highly sought-out class action practice and allow us to work hand-in-hand with clients facing increasingly complex employment issues and growing litigation risks.”
Joseph also routinely advises companies on discipline and termination decisions, leave laws, worker classification, wage payment laws and timekeeping and web accessibility for disabled individuals, among other issues. His practice spans a range of sectors including health, banking, finance, retail, manufacturing, hospitality and technology.
“The Employment Practice Group at McDermott has already demonstrated their depth and strength in the market, and I am excited to be a part of fueling that momentum,” Joseph explained. “Companies across every industry are confronting increasingly complex employment law matters, and McDermott has the unique combination of strategic focus, knowledge and litigation prowess – and personal passion on the part of its attorneys – to best advise them.”
Joseph received his BS from Marquette University and his JD from Pepperdine University School of Law.
In 2018 McDermott launched a stand-alone Employment Practice with the addition of over a dozen partners. The group now has a nationwide presence and positions the Firm as an industry leader with a focus on high-stakes employment litigation and overall protection of brand reputation through compliance. Most recently, the group added Daniel Doron in New York to focus on labor and employment aspects of M&A transactions.
About McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. With 20 locations on three continents, our team works seamlessly across practices, industries and geographies to deliver highly effective—and often unexpected—solutions that propel success. More than 1,100 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
