Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues the expansion of its Labor & Employment Practice, adding David J. Stein as a shareholder in the firm’s Chicago office. Stein joins the firm from Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd., where he was vice chair of its litigation practice.
Stein’s employment litigation and trial practice is nationwide in scope, as he holds licensures in the states of New York, Michigan, and Illinois, as well as in many federal district and appellate courts. Stein is regularly called upon to safeguard clients’ valuable corporate assets through the enforcement of restrictive covenants and the protection of trade secrets under both the Defend Trade Secrets Act and complimentary state trade secrets statutes. His restrictive covenant practice also includes significant experience both seeking and opposing emergency injunctive relief.
In addition, Stein routinely defends corporations in class and collective actions involving the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act and complementary state statutes. He also defends disputes asserting employment discrimination and retaliation under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the American with Disabilities Act, and other federal and state employment laws.
“We welcome Dave to our nationally and globally recognized Labor & Employment Practice, where his experience addressing a broad range of matters in many different venues will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to our clients,” said James N. Boudreau, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Labor & Employment Practice. “Dave’s tenacious and zealous advocacy of his clients, particularly in the restrictive covenant space, makes him a perfect fit with our Greenberg Traurig team, which is committed foremost to legal excellence and client service.”
Stein has represented clients in numerous high stakes labor and employment matters, including acting as lead litigation counsel to a major hand tool manufacturer transitioning from a distributorship to a direct-sale model in North America. In the matter, Stein defended two contemporaneously filed restrictive covenant and trade secret matters against key sales personnel, while at the same time prosecuting an International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration related to disputes over payments for inventory shipped to the distributor, the transfer of various trademark rights, social media accounts, and other relationship wind-up issues. The distributor initially demanded several million dollars, but Stein’s strategic advocacy ultimately resolved the three matters globally for a seven-figure payment to the client, which aided a successful direct sale launch in the North American marketplace.
“Joining Greenberg Traurig provides me with an unparalleled opportunity to serve my existing clients at the highest level and grow my practice, as the firm’s global platform and resources closely mirror the needs of businesses locally, nationally, and worldwide,” Stein said. “With numerous states having passed new employment legislation and the federal government’s evolving approach to governing how companies employ their workforce, I look forward to helping businesses navigate this complex space.”
Stein received a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law and an A.B. from Washington University in Saint Louis.
