PRACTICE AREAS
Labor & Employment
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
AT WORK
Anne E. Larson is Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment practice group. Anne concentrates her practice on management-side labor and employment matters and tries discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract and non-competition/trade secrets disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country. She handles unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and discrimination charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and multiple state commissions.
Like the firm, Anne sports blue-chip credentials and thrives on competition. She has practiced more than 20 years and, to date, has not lost a case.
Corporations and business owners depend on Anne for FLSA audits of their exempt v. non-exempt employee classifications, and preparation of nationwide or state-based employee handbooks. She advises employers on their hiring practices, terminations, reductions in force, disability accommodations and FMLA issues. Executives rely on Anne's negotiating skills for their compensation and severance agreements.
IN THE PROFESSION
Anne is a member and former Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee – Investigation Division. She has taught the ADA section of the Mental Health and the Law seminar at Northwestern University Law School and writes on recent developments in labor and employment law. Anne is a member of the firm's Risk Assessment Team, which speaks to clients and trade associations on identifying and managing everyday business and regulatory risk.
Recent seminars and lectures include: "Illinois Employment Law from A to Z" and "Advanced Workplace Investigations in Illinois: Doing Them Well and Right" for Lorman Education Services, "Anti-Harassment Policies: An Ounce of Prevention," "Email and E-Discovery: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Hiring Practices: The Dos and Don'ts: Eliminating Risk," "Investigating Claims of Sexual and Other Harassment," "Terminations: Doing It Right," "Drafting Disciplinary Memos and Complainant Satisfaction Memos to Avoid (or Win) Lawsuits," "The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) v. the New Jersey Family Leave Act (FLA)" and "The Americans with Disabilities Act: Overview and Difficult Questions." Anne also regularly provides anti-harassment and other training to clients.
Anne was named one of the "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch" in 2001 by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, an honor bestowed on only 40 Illinois attorneys each year. Her peers named her an Illinois Super Lawyer in 2005 and 2007, an honor given to the top 5% of attorneys in the state. She was also included in the premiere issue of Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008 for Employment Litigation: Defense. Anne has been recognized by the Leading Lawyers Network as a top Illinois lawyer in the area of management-side employment law (2007-2010).
IN THE COMMUNITY
Passionate about the arts, Anne is a former board member (2001-2009) and past board President (2004-2009) of Shattered Globe Theatre, a critically acclaimed Chicago equity theatre company. She is also a past board President of Hedwig Dances (2000-2004), a modern dance company in residence at the Chicago Cultural Center. She was the 2003-2004 Co-Chair of the Chicago Community Trust’s Young Leaders Fund (YLF), an organization that seeks out and makes grants to local not-for-profits dedicated to the arts, children and economic redevelopment of local neighborhoods.
Anne organizes holiday fundraisers for a neighborhood shelter for battered women, collecting contributions and presents for the shelter's women and children.
BACKGROUND
University of Michigan Law School
J.D., 1988
University of Illinois
B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Bronze Tablet, 1985
Anne served as Law Clerk to the Honorable George W. Lindberg, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and participated in several high-profile criminal prosecutions while clerking.
Anne is admitted to practice in Illinois and Arizona. She also is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit, Ninth Circuit, Central District of California, District of Arizona, District of Colorado, Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), and Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin.
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