Jones Day welcomes Martin Schmelkin as Labor & Employment partner in New York

The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Martin Schmelkin has joined as a partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice, and will be based in its New York Office. Mr. Schmelkin arrives with more than 15 years of experience from Goldman Sachs, where he was a Managing Director, Associate General Counsel with Goldman Sachs’ Employment Law Group.

Mr. Schmelkin represents employers in all aspects of the employment relationship. He has in-depth experience with financial services firms, including investment banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, and asset managers, and brings a business minded perspective to the practice given his in-house background. Mr. Schmelkin understands the legal and business challenges facing employers, regularly advising on litigation and arbitration strategy, counseling on issues related to recruitment, hiring, compensation, promotion, and disciplinary and termination activity, coordinating the implementation of policies and programs across multiple global jurisdictions, and leading workplace training programs.

“Marty brings years of experience assisting Goldman with complex employment issues across the globe,” said Michael Gray, co-leader of Jones Day’s Labor & Employment Practice. “He was responsible for employment law coverage for a number of Goldman’s business units in the United States and throughout the non-US Americas, EMEA Project Coordination, and had three substantial mobility assignments in Asia. He will be a key part of our worldwide practice and our ability to seamlessly coordinate leading service through our practitioners around the world. I have known Marty for years and he excels in balancing critical business initiatives and minimizing legal risk.”

Mr. Schmelkin brings employment related FINRA arbitration and regulatory filing experience to the practice, of particular benefit to financial services firms. He also has broad experience with the obligations of federal contractors under Executive Order 11246 and the related regulations promulgated by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), including the preparation of affirmative action plans and responses to regulatory audits. Mr. Schmelkin has worked extensively in the area of corporate diversity and advises employers on their implementation of diversity policies and programs in the United States and on a global basis.

“Marty’s experience advising for so many years one of the world’s leading and most sophisticated financial services companies is a great fit with the deep Labor & Employment talent we have in New York, particularly given the number of financial institutions we advise,” said Matt Lampe, New York based co-leader of Jones Day’s Labor & Employment Practice. “Whether serving as lead trial counsel in complex, high exposure matters, providing practical business savvy legal advice, or negotiating with opposing counsel or regulators, Marty’s experience will be of great benefit to clients throughout our practice.”

Mr. Schmelkin earned his J.D. from New York University, and his B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations (“ILR”) from Cornell University. He was a Legal Clerk in the White House Office of the Counsel to the President, and a Research Assistant with the White House Office of Policy Development (Administration of President George H. W. Bush).

Jones Day is a global law firm with 42 offices in major centers of business and finance throughout the world. Its unique governance system fosters an unparalleled level of integration and contributes to its perennial ranking as among the best in the world in client service. Jones Day provides significant legal representation for almost half of the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, and FT Global 500.

Source:  www.jonesday.com