FordHarrison LLP, one of the country’s largest management-side labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce that Michel Bayonne, Partner, was named to the 2018 Connecticut Super Lawyers List and Danielle Van Katwyk, Associate, was named to the 2018 Connecticut Rising Stars List.
Attorneys are selected for this honor through a statewide nomination process, peer review by practice area and independent research on candidates. This rigorous process is designed to identify lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of attorneys in the state of Connecticut are named “Super Lawyers.”
The Rising Stars list recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state – those who are 40 years old or younger, or those who have been practicing for 10 years or less. While up to five percent of the lawyers in the state are named to Super Lawyers, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list.
Mike focuses his practice on the representation of both private and public employers in labor relations and employment law disputes. He advises these clients on a wide range of employment matters, including complaints of employment discrimination, sexual harassment and other related allegations at the state and federal level. He has experience handling work for municipalities and companies in the energy and healthcare industries and appears on behalf of clients in arbitration hearings before the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration and the American Arbitration Association. Mike has recently obtained victories in matters involving promotions and transfers, workload issues, subcontracting claims, alleged entitlements to overtime, disciplinary actions, terminations, and insurance matters. He also routinely conducts internal investigations into allegations of employment law violations such as gender and race discrimination and sexual harassment. Mike does not limit his practice to counseling clients in employment law, as he is also experienced in advising employers in issues related to labor relations including implementation of collective bargaining agreements, handling internal disciplinary and pre-arbitration grievance hearings, and defending against prohibited practice charges before the Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations.
Danielle concentrates her practice on the representation and counsel of management in issues involving labor and employment law and advises clients on implementing proactive strategies to reduce legal risk. Danielle represents companies in employment disputes under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. She defends employers against claims of discrimination and harassment, retaliatory discharge, and restrictive covenant matters. Danielle practices in federal and state courts, and represents employers before administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. She also provides guidance to clients on various business litigation matters, including the enforcement of noncompetition agreements and claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, and global compliance issues regarding data privacy matters
About Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers Magazine features the list and profiles of selected attorneys and is distributed to attorneys in the state or region and the ABA-accredited law school libraries. Super Lawyers is also published as a special section in leading city and regional magazines across the country. In the United States, Super Lawyers Magazine is published in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., reaching more than 13 million readers.