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Mindy Chapman, Esq., is president of Mindy Chapman & Associates LLC and a nationally recognized authority in employment law and conducting workplace compliance training that “Clicks and Sticks.” She has been acknowledged by federal compliance agencies, including the United States Department of Justice and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as Fortune 100 legal departments and national human resources associations as a master trainer for uniquely blending her legal wisdom and practical experience to educate workforces.
Mindy is also the co-author of the American Bar Association’s leading authority on civil rights training, “Case Dismissed! Taking Your Harassment Prevention Training to Trial" used in law schools and legal departments across the United States. She is currently co-authoring, “Case Dismissed 2! Preventing Discrimination in the Workplace from Hiring through Termination.” Mindy writes a monthly column for The National Institute for Business Management on current EEO cases and trends. Additionally, Mindy writes a weekly employment blog called, “Case In Point.”
Mindy has been named a "Top Speaker" by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) after presenting at their international conferences in 2006 and 2007. She previously served as a partner and the National Director of Training at two national law firms, Seyfarth Shaw and Sonnenenschein Nath & Rosenthal where she conducted extensive EEO training in all industries and at all levels of the workforce—from boardroom executives to managers and supervisors and to hourly employees in union and non-union environments. Mindy has been the legal compliance project manager for numerous landmark nationwide EEO training initiatives under complex government consent decrees in high-profile investigations and class actions.
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Lisa Z. Fain, Esq.
Lisa Z. Fain, Esq. is an attorney in the Chicago office of the national law firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP. She represents employers in matters arising under federal and state anti-discrimination and wage and hour laws, as well as in wrongful termination, breach of contract and restrictive covenant matters. Ms. Fain regularly represents clients in federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and numerous state and federal administrative agencies. She develops and presents national training programs to all levels of the workforce from the boardroom to managers and employees on a variety of issues, including background references checks, harassment and discrimination prevention, effective interviewing, hiring and promotion practices, performance management, documentation and discipline, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, termination and diversity.
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Richard H. Chapman, Esq.
Richard H. Chapman is a member of Clark Hill’s Litigation Practice Group based in Chicago. He has more than 24 years of successful experience as a leading trial lawyer concentrating in business litigation in federal, state and bankruptcy courts, as well as in arbitration, throughout the United States. Mr. Chapman has litigated cases in Illinois state, federal and bankruptcy courts, as well as courts in California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Michigan. He has successfully prosecuted, argued and won appeals in the Illinois Appellate Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits, as well as the California Court of Appeals.
Mr. Chapman has represented a wide range of businesses, including financial institutions, professional service providers, manufacturers and distributors. Clients have consistently recognized both his strategic guidance and depth of business and legal experience resulting in favorable outcomes in complex and heavily contested disputes involving employment from hiring through termination.
He has earned honors and recognition by courts and peers, including most recently:
- Selected as an "Illinois Super Lawyer" (Top Five Percent) in Business Litigation, Law and Politics - Illinois Super Lawyers (2006).
- Selected as an "Illinois Leading Lawyer" in Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy and Workout Law (Commercial), Illinois Leading Lawyers Network (2006).
- Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to be a member and the secretary of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases.
- Editor of the National Association of Business Management’s “HR Specialist-Illinois Employment Law” monthly newsletter and co-editor of "The Trial Lawyer’s Guide," a quarterly journal for trial lawyers published by the West Group.
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Jennifer Buckley, Esq.
Jennifer M. Buckley, Esq. is an attorney in Clark Hill's Detroit office. Ms. Buckley defends employers in state and federal court actions against sex, race, age, disability discrimination claims, ERISA and FMLA claims, as well as wrongful discharge and related tort claims. She is also experienced in defending actions brought under Michigan's Sales Representative Commissions Act and pursuing and defending claims pertaining to restrictive covenants. She has represented employers in administrative hearings before the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Michigan Employment Security Commission and the Michigan Department of Labor.
Ms. Buckley creates and revises employment policies including employee manuals, applications, sexual and other unlawful harassment policies, drug testing and FMLA/absenteeism policies. She has lectured in the area of employment law at seminars and for companies on such topics as terminating employees, wrongful discharge, employment policies, sexual harassment, compliance with disability laws, FMLA, and other state and federal legislation in the employment and labor law arena.
Ms. Buckley has lectured for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and the Workers' Compensation Section of the Bar on the Americans with Disabilities Act. She has represented employers in labor and employment arbitrations and before the National Labor Relations Board. Ms. Buckley has represented employers in a number of different industries, including manufacturing employers, those in the service industry, staffing and leasing employers, to name a few. She has also represented a considerable number of non-profit organizations and has had the opportunity to address the unique employment issues pertaining to them.
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Angel G. Gomez, Esq.
Angel G. Gomez is the Vice President of Human Resources for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Midwest Division. In that capacity, Angel develops strategies, processes and practices that enable store operations in the Midwest Division to achieve their specific business objectives by leveraging its human resources. Angel previously served as the Director of Associate Training and Communications for Wal-Mart. Angel began his career with Wal-Mart as the Director of Internal Diversity Relations for the Office of Diversity.
Angel joined Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in 2004, having previously served as a partner in the law firm of Seyfarth Shaw, LLC, focusing his practice on EEO Compliance Training and Diversity Consulting. Angel is an experienced trial attorney and has handled a wide variety of matters including Personal Injury Defense, Products Liability and Commercial Disputes. Before joining Seyfarth Shaw, Angel was the Managing Partner of his own minority-owned law firm, Castro Gomez Durbin & De Jesús, LLC, focusing on the operations of the Commercial and Tort Litigation practice. Angel is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars related to management, leadership, diversity and employment practices.
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Seth Halpern, Esq.
Seth R. Halpern, Esq. was admitted to the bar in 1988 and has practiced primarily in the areas of civil litigation, including employment discrimination, commercial, medical and professional malpractice, and certain personal injury matters as counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants. Now concentrating largely on representation of plaintiffs, he has represented business interests including closely held corporations, limited partnerships, and individuals in claims involving sexual harassment, age, disability, and race discrimination, contracts, leases, liens, and the Uniform Commercial Code. Mr. Halpern presently heads the firm's Employment Law practice, and has achieved successful verdicts in multiple jury and bench trials. By invitation, Mr. Halpern has lectured for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Illinois State Bar Association on employment discrimination issues and the Family and Medical Leave Act.