Hesse Martone

We pride ourselves on practicing law differently than many law firms. We strive to add value to our clients' businesses, to counsel our clients, to assist them in finding creative solutions to their business problems and to be perceived by our clients as an asset to their business. To successfully defend a client in court is an acceptable result-to develop an innovative and sometimes aggressive solution to a problem which permits the client to undertake its chosen action without being forced to resort to litigation is an outstanding result. We develop long-term relationships with our clients. We want our clients to view us as the first place they turn when they have a problem, not as their last resort. Our commitment to being responsive to our clients is unmatched. We are available to our clients, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We maintain a sophisticated communications system that integrates cellular phones, e-mail, laptop computers and our paperless electronic document system to ensure that we are available when our clients need us and that we have the resources at our command to respond to any problem that may arise. Our goal is to help our clients meet their challenges and solve their problems on a timely basis, and we view effective legal representation as being more than the ability to recite the law. We recognize that we do well when our clients do well and we are driven to help them achieve this success. We provide advice to employers concerning every facet of labor relations and employment matters on a daily basis. Our labor and employment law practice includes drafting all types of employment policies, handbooks and contracts, representing employers with respect to labor contract negotiations, arbitrations, union avoidance and union election campaigns, defense of employment discrimination and wrongful discharge cases before federal and state agencies and federal and state courts (including claims brought under Title VII, the Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, OSHA, the False Claims Act, the various federal and state civil rights acts, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act). We have successfully defended cases brought by the DOL, the OFCCP, the U.S. Attorney (False Claims Act cases), the EEOC, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and by private plaintiffs as individuals and in multi-plaintiff actions. We are also proficient on all issues surrounding the enforcement of restrictive employment covenants, from the drafting and negotiation stage through the process of obtaining/opposing injunctive relief. We represent clients in complex civil litigation in courts and before arbitration panels throughout the Midwest. We also counsel clients in connection with commercial and real estate transactions.