Becoming embroiled in a lawsuit is one of the last things any company wants. Litigation is expensive, time consuming, and, perhaps worst of all, disruptive to the business. Nonetheless, most companies at some point in time will find themselves in a commercial dispute. At Peters PLLC, we strive to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients as efficiently and painlessly as possible. We represent both plaintiffs and defendants, large and small, in a wide range of commercial matters, including contractual disputes, partnership disputes, disputes amongst owners of closely held companies, and much more. We also represent clients in matters involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, usurpation of corporate opportunity, and trade secret misappropriation.
Defamation laws protect individuals from having their reputations ruined by negligent or malicious false statements. Unfortunately, these same laws are also too often used by powerful people to intimidate their critics into silence. That is why at Peters PLLC we are very selective about the cases we take. We represent plaintiffs who have legitimate defamation claims, but also defend our clients against defamation actions that run afoul of the First Amendment or that are otherwise meritless. We also provide pre-publication counseling so that our clients understand in advance the risks of releasing a statement that could be considered defamatory.
We have extensive experience litigating and advising on almost every type of employment matter. Among other things, we represent victims of unlawful employment discrimination (including discrimination based on race, age, gender, and disability) and retaliation. We also represent corporate whistleblowers who have been disciplined or lost their jobs after reporting unlawful company conduct (i.e., “blew the whistle”). Finally, Peters PLLC represents employees in wage and hour actions. These include off-the-clock claims, overtime claims, and employee misclassification claims.
In addition to our employee-side work, Peters PLLC advises corporate clients on a wide array of issues that affect the workplace. Whether it be drafting and revising employee handbooks, drafting employment agreements, conducting internal investigations, or simply providing day-to-day HR advice, we have the experience and expertise to help employers comply with the law and avoid expensive, time consuming lawsuits.
Disability discrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its state law counterparts, prohibit employers from discriminating against disabled employees and job applicants. These same laws also require that employers provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees so that they may perform their jobs. Reasonable accommodations might include modifications to the job, the work environment, or short-term leaves of absence. At Peters PLLC, we zealously advocate for employees who have experienced disability discrimination or been denied a reasonable accommodation. We also advise employers on best practices for complying with state and federal disability statutes.
In addition to the disability discrimination laws, employers must also comply with various leave and time away statutes. Most of these laws permit employees to take time away from work to deal with a serious medical issue (either their own or their family member’s) or to welcome a new child. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), for example, allows eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave per year. While seemingly straightforward, the FMLA in reality—like many leave statutes and ordinances—is complex and nuanced, and employers routinely fail to fully comply with it. At Peters PLLC, we represent employees who have been unlawfully denied job protected leave or who have been retaliated against for taking leave. On the management side, we help employers understand the numerous leave laws and ordinances and advise on how best to ensure their companies are in compliance.
Victims of sexual harassment and misconduct often feel compelled to hide their experiences because they fear losing their jobs or facing ridicule. At Peters PLLC, one of our primary goals is to give voice to those who have suffered workplace sexual harassment or misconduct and to hold the perpetrators and their enablers accountable. We also represent victims of sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, and privacy invasion. If you have experienced sexual harassment or similar misconduct—either inside or outside the workplace—please contact Peters PLLC to discuss your options and the potential for legal recourse.
We have extensive experience representing and advising clients on non-competition and non-solicitation agreements (often referred to as restrictive covenants). We both defend individuals accused of violating these agreements, and represent employers seeking to enforce them against former employees. Outside of litigation, we advise employers on how best to draft non-competition and non-solicitation provisions so that the agreements have a better chance of being enforced in court should the need arise.
Contact our firm for more information or to schedule a consultation.