Honors and Recognitions
Best Lawyers in America® since 2012
Best Lawyers in America®, Lawyer of the Year, Litigation – Labor and Employment 2014 and 2018
Best Lawyers in America®, Women in the Law Spring Business Edition, Labor and Employment Law, 2017
Grand Rapids Magazine’s Top Lawyers: Labor and Employment Law, 2019 – 2022; Litigation – Labor Employment Benefits; since 2019
Leading Lawyers, Employment Law – Management
Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Go To Employment Lawyer, 2021
Michigan Lawyers Weekly, Women in the Law, 2014
Michigan Super Lawyers® since 2015
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association: Labor & Employment Law Section; Litigation Section
American Employment Law Council
Bar Association of the District of Columbia
Federal Bar Association, Western Michigan Chapter
Grand Rapids Bar Association: Judicial Review Committee, 2016; Nominating Committee, 2012
Grand Rapids Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
Illinois State Bar Association
Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Labor & Employment Law Advisory Board, 2016 – 2019
Society for Human Resource Management
State Bar of Michigan, Labor & Employment Law Section; Litigation Section
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, Merit Selection Panel for Reappointment of Magistrate Judge, 2021
Community Involvement
ACT – Artists Creating Together, Board member, 2006 – 2018; Secretary, 2011 – 2013; Chair, 2013 – 2015; past Chair, 2015 – 2018
East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation, Board member, 2017 – 2023; Secretary, 2019 – 2021; Vice President, 2021 – 2022; President, 2022 – 2023
Go Red for Women Campaign, American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate, Executive Leadership Team, 2014 – 2016
Hillman Advocacy Clinic held by the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan; Faculty Member, 2022
Legal Assistance Center, Board member, 2017 – 2022
West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT), Board member, 2022 – present; Secretary, 2024 – present
Presentations
Varnum’s Labor and Employment Law Seminar, “Hot Topics: Wage and Hour, Pump Act, Pregnat Workers Fairness Act,” May 2023
Varnum’s Fall 2021 Labor & Employment Webinar, “OSHA’s Covid-19 Vaccine and Testing Rules: What Employers Need to Know,” November 2021
Varnum’s Fall 2020 Labor & Employment Webinar, “HR Legal Issues for the New Year,” December 2020
Michigan Chamber of Commerce, “2020 Employment Law Update,” January 2020
Varnum’s Labor and Employment Law Seminar, “Plenary Session: New Developments in Labor and Employment Law” and “Employee Leaves of Absence: Applying the FMLA and the ADA in the Real World,” March and April 2019
Michigan Chamber of Commerce, “2019 Employment Law Update,” January 2019
Varnum’s Labor and Employment Law Seminar, “Plenary Session: Sexual Harassment – New Awareness and Strategies to Address an Old Problem,” March and May 2018
Varnum’s Labor and Employment Law Seminar, “How to Say Goodbye Without Getting Sued: Best Practices for Employment Terminations,” March and May 2017
Lakeshore Advantage/West Coast Chamber of Commerce, “More Overtime Pay for More Workers? Upcoming Changes to the White Collar Exemptions,” September 2016
Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce CEO Roundtable, “DOL Final Rule on Salary Threshold for Exempt White Collar Employees,” August 2016
Varnum’s Labor and Employment Law Seminar, “Compensable Time ‒ Ensuring FLSA Compliance in the Modern Workplace,” March 2014
Priority Health’s Shape Michigan Forum, Panel Moderator, “Workplace Wellness,” January 2013
MISHRM Annual Conference, “The Continuing ADA/FMLA Conundrum,” October 2012
Michigan Manufacturer’s Association, “Wage and Hour Lawsuits: The Growing Litigation Threat,” June 2011
MISHRM Annual Conference, “Harassment Avoidance and Prevention,” and Legal Panel, October 2010