Employment and Employee Benefits

Ranked by Chambers USA and Legal 500 as a leading labor and employment defense team, Kelley Drye has a record of success in employment litigation and other disputes. For more than 60 years, our team advocated for employers in state and federal courts, before federal, state, and local agencies, as well as in arbitration and mediation. 

However, when it comes to employment compliance advice, we help clients sidestep damaging issues by avoiding litigation altogether. We offer strategic counseling and comprehensive representation on a full spectrum of workplace issues, from employment law compliance to organized labor. Our experience and up-to-the-minute understanding of employment and labor relations law allows us to offer pragmatic, cost-effective, and solutions-oriented advice that helps you manage risks and avoid pitfalls and disputes before they start.

Read More About Our Employment Litigation Work

Read More About Our Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants Work

Read More About Our Labor and Employment Counseling and Compliance Services

We understand how ERISA retirement and welfare benefits and other programs create value for your business. Our team works with you to keep your programs compliant and navigate fiduciary duties to plan participants. You also benefit from our intricate knowledge of the Internal Revenue Code’s and ERISA’s demands, and you can count on our attorneys in the event of government intervention in the way you document and administer your plans and execute your plan sponsor and fiduciary duties.

We counsel clients sponsoring church plans on all aspects of plan design, legal compliance, funding, participant communications, plan governance, and fiduciary considerations. With substantial experience in federal audits and HIPAA, we can cover all your bases when it comes to benefits for your company.

Read More About our Benefits Services

We have experience in all aspects of executive compensation, including deferred compensation, supplemental executive retirement plans, incentive arrangements and equity-based compensation, for public, private, start-up, and non-profit entities.

With the complexity of these plans comes the need for attorneys who understand business and legal issues that can arise, such as compliance with Section 409A, change-in-control arrangements, and transaction-based compensation. From international corporations to early start-ups, we help companies grow and build employee loyalty through compensation programs.

Read More About our Executive Compensation Services

We help manage organized labor issues effectively. We minimize the risks and costs of organized labor, maximize employee relations, and keep legal strategies tied to your business goals. Kelley Drye’s labor relations team works closely with leaders across industry sectors to develop strategies for promoting positive employee relations and effective relationships with unions.