WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 27, 2022) – Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Michael Schulman as a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and Employment & Labor Group, who will have a dual presence in Washington, D.C. and New York. Schulman brings over a decade of experience counseling employers on issues related to U.S. federal, state, and local employment and labor laws to Morrison Foerster. His presence in D.C. and New York strengthen the firm’s Employment and Labor offering on the East Coast. Schulman is the 10th partner to join the firm’s Litigation Department since the start of 2022.
Schulman joins Morrison Foerster from another leading global firm where he led in D.C. and helped build the employment and labor group generally. He advises clients in the context of both transactions and litigation. Schulman’s practice spans labor and employment matters that arise in the context of transactions (including M&A, bankruptcy and restructuring, and financing), as well as advice and counseling matters, general employment compliance matters, internal investigations, government audits and investigations, pre-litigation strategy, and administrative agency charges. He conducts acquisition-related due diligence and risk assessment and assists clients in resolving post-‑acquisition and restructuring-related labor and employment and workforce integration issues.
Schulman has defended employers against actions brought by government agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Labor, as well as actions initiated by current and former employees. He also has prosecuted suits against former employees and their new employers for breach of restrictive covenants. Schulman regularly represents clients in high-stakes employment matters, including senior executive investigations and separations, mass layoffs and reductions in force, retentions of senior executives and employees, contentious separation negotiations and related wrongful or unlawful termination claims, and union and collective bargaining issues.
“Michael has a proven track record of delivering exceptional advice to clients across geographies and practice groups on their most complex transactional and litigation matters,” said Morrison Foerster’s Global Employment & Labor Group Co-Chair, Eric Akira Tate. “His versatile skillset is a great match for our Employment & Labor Group and our firm at a time of increasing demand for specialized labor and employment advice in complex corporate transactions and litigation matters, in particular from clients in the M&A and Emerging Companies and Venture Capital space.”
Tritia Murata, the other Co-Chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Employment & Labor Group, added, “Michael’s arrival is a milestone in the expansion of our Employment & Labor capabilities on the East Coast, and we will look to leverage his multiple bar admissions to serve our clients. Michael joins a terrific team on the ground in D.C., which includes partner Andrew Turnbull and a team of talented associates.”
With Schulman’s arrival, Morrison Foerster has added 18 partners to its global Litigation Department since the start of 2021, including 10 since the start of 2022. This includes Deborah Connor, William (Wil) Frentzen, Edward Imperatore, Aaron Fountain, Nathaniel (Nate) Mendell, Brian Michael, Brian Nash, Peter Skinner, and Marie-Claire Strawbridge, in addition to Schulman.
“I am thrilled to join a firm of Morrison Foerster’s caliber. The firm’s exceptional culture and commitment to investing in its employment and labor offering made it a standout opportunity for me,” said Schulman. “I look forward to working closely with my new MoFo colleagues to further build up the firm’s counseling and transactional practice, working to help expand our advice to private equity clients and portfolio companies in particular, given my experience in this space.”
In addition to maintaining his employment and labor practice, Schulman also devoted significant time to mentoring and training associates within the employment and labor group at his previous firm and looks forward to continuing these efforts at Morrison Foerster. Schulman earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Delaware and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. He is admitted to practice in New York, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland.