(June 29, 2017) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is pleased to announce the election of Maury Baskin (Washington, D.C.), Michael J. Lotito (San Francisco/ Washington, D.C.), Kerry E. Notestine (Houston), Charles A. Powell IV (Birmingham) and Mark W. Schneider (Minneapolis) as fellows of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in the Class of 2017. The 22nd annual induction is scheduled for November 11, 2017, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
“We are proud to have five Littler lawyers named as fellows to this esteemed organization,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler. “Maury, Michael, Kerry, Charles and Mark exemplify the highest levels of integrity, professionalism and dedication to the profession, and we congratulate each of them on this well-deserved distinction.”
Those selected to the college must uphold the highest professional qualifications and ethical standards, as well as exhibit strong scholarship, teaching, lecturing and/or writing, along with leadership of no less than 20 years. Election as a fellow is the highest recognition by one’s colleagues of sustained outstanding performance in the profession, demonstrating integrity, dedication and excellence. With the current installation, the college is represented by over 1,400 members in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and eight Canadian provinces.
Maury Baskin is a shareholder, chief litigator for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute and chair of Littler's Construction Industry Group. He centers his practice on national labor policy, challenging excessive government regulation for small and large businesses and advising employers in compliance issues. Baskin works with matters regarding union pressure tactics, employment discrimination and wage and hour law. He has represented clients in a variety of industries – from construction to higher education and nonprofits. Having served as lead counsel at all levels of federal and state courts and before the U.S. Supreme Court, Baskin recently led successful challenges of federal labor regulations on behalf of industry coalitions, including the 2016 “white collar” overtime rule and the “blacklisting” rule. He has succeeded in numerous cases involving the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Labor (DOL).
Baskin has been named “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America© in 2015 for Labor Law – Management in Washington, D.C. and was awarded the AV® Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He earned a B.A. magna cum laude, from Harvard University and a J.D., with honors, from University of Florida School of Law.
Michael J. Lotito is a shareholder and co-chair of Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI). He advises clients and policy makers on future labor and employment possibilities, providing counsel in all aspects of traditional labor relations, including matters with the National Labor Relations Act. He has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, the NLRB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Lotito is labor counsel to the International Franchise Association and to the National Association of Manufactures. He is also a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Chamber’s labor and employment law committee.
He has been recognized by Human Resource Executive magazine as one of the top 20 most powerful labor lawyers in the country, awarded an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, named HR Alumnus of the 20th Century by the Villanova University Human Resource Development Program and is quoted regularly by national media. He obtained a B.S. at Villanova University and a J.D. at Villanova University School of Law.
Kerry E. Notestine is a shareholder and co-chair of Littler’s Business Restructuring Practice Group. He is also a member of the firm’s EPLI Committee core. Notestine focuses on litigation and trials, business restructuring, discrimination and harassment, ERISA and benefit plan litigation and class actions. He has tried over 20 lawsuits to verdict in federal and state courts and has represented companies in more than 20 appeals, along with 20 administrative trials, nonlabor arbitrations and labor arbitrations. He has obtained numerous published decisions, including dismissals, summary judgments and motions for decertification of collective actions.
Notestine wrote the leading book on trials of employment law cases, Employment Law Trials: A Practical Guide, and has authored several other books and chapters. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and was named nine times among The Best Lawyers in America. He received a B.A. from DePauw University, an M.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Charles A. Powell IV is a shareholder and focuses his practice on discrimination and harassment, litigation and trials, wage and hour, unfair competition and trade secrets and construction. He has extensive experience representing employers on matters involving Title VII, age discrimination, Family Medical Leave Act, Section 1981, state law tort claims and more. Powell also offers counseling on compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws to numerous types of employers, ranging from small businesses to publicly held companies.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, has been named among The Best Lawyers in America, awarded an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell and recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business since 2008. He earned a B.A. from Vanderbilt University, an M.P.A. from University of Alabama and a J.D from University of Alabama School of Law.
A shareholder and member of Littler’s Board of Directors and co-chair of the Traditional Labor Practice Group, Mark Schneider has represented the interests of management in all areas of labor law, and labor relations. He focuses his practice on strategic planning, acquisitions and divestitures, business restructuring and matters of all types before the NLRB and DOL. Schneider is a frequent lecturer for state and national trade associations and private industry, including food and beverage, warehousing and logistics, retail, healthcare and manufacturing.
Schneider has been recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business since 2013, named “recommend lawyer” by The Legal 500 United States 2016 guide, awarded an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell as well as being selected as one of The Best Lawyers in America. He achieved a B.A. and an M.A., each magna cum laude, from Boston College and a J.D. from Marquette University.
About the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1995 on the 60th anniversary of the National Labor Relations Board and the 30th anniversary of Title VII and Executive Order 11246. The college began as a nonprofit professional association honoring the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of labor and employment law. It has evolved to become an intellectual and practical resource for the support of the profession and its many audiences. The primary purpose of the college is recognition of individuals, sharing knowledge and delivering value to the many different groups who can benefit from its value model.
About Littler
Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,300 attorneys in over 75 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for 75 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.
