Saturday, September 7, 2019 @10am
Guest Host:
Tawny Alvarez
Partner
Verrill
Tawny is a partner in Verrill’s labor and employment practice group. She believes that a company’s culture defines its business and prides herself on assisting clients comply with the law, while simultaneously creating an amazing place to work.
Tawny centers her practice on the understanding that the employment landscape is ever-changing and that many organizations do not have the time or resources to keep abreast of all of these changes—from medical (and recreational) marijuana’s effect on drug testing, to the effect of social networking in the workplace and mobile devices’ effect on wage and hour issues. In this evolving landscape, she recognizes that for companies to remain profitable and successful they must be proactive, as opposed to reactive, to these employment issues.
Guest:
Robert Brooks, Partner
Verrill
Rob provides advice and representation to management on all aspects of the employment relationship. He works with clients engaged in construction, health care, manufacturing, transportation, utilities and other industries throughout the country. Rob has successfully handled matters related to union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, unfair labor practice charges, strikes and arbitration.
Rob routinely handles claims for wrongful discharge, discrimination, unpaid wages, breach of non-compete and non-solicitation agreements and other disputes before judges, juries and administrative agencies, and has successfully represented clients at all levels of the state and federal court systems. Rob also regularly provides advice and assistance to clients on proper termination procedures, Family Medical Leave Act issues, labor relations, disability issues, stock option and employee benefit disputes, and other matters.
Rob has a particular focus on negotiating Project Labor Agreements for large-scale construction projects. Rob has also advised public and private entities concerning the lawful use of project labor agreements in the context of a state’s competitive bidding laws.
Relevant Experience
- Provided management counseling and litigation representation to employers throughout the country.
- Drafted and negotiated project labor agreements for construction projects throughout the country. Sample projects include pipelines, bridges, tunnels, highways, manufacturing facilities, marine terminals, water treatment facilities, nuclear waste treatment facilities, and environmental remediation sites.
- Successfully represented employers before state administrative boards, EEOC and courts on issues involving sex discrimination, race, disability and age-related cases.
- Successfully represented employers before the National Labor Relations Board on issues related to unfair labor practices, collective bargaining issues and organizing campaigns.
- Frequent lecturer on issues of labor and employment law.
Services / Industries
Education
- University of Maine School of Law (J.D.)
- Harvard University (A.B.)
Public Service
- Chair, Harvard College Schools and Scholarships Committee for Southern Maine (1996-present)
Bar Admissions
Memberships
- Maine State Bar Association
Honors
- Recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business under Labor & Employment
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2017 Portland, Maine Litigation – Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© under Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment,
Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, and Employment Law – Management - Selected by peers for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers© under Employment & Labor, Employment Litigation: Defense and Workers’ Compensation
To learn more about third-party ratings and rankings, and the selection processes used for inclusion, click here.
Court and Other Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
