Megan is a principal at Gray Plant Mooty and concentrates her practice in employment law counseling and litigation. She has served as chair of the firm’s Attorney Personnel Committee from May 2006 through March 2009. Megan regularly advises employers and provides training for businesses regarding a wide variety of employment law issues, including such things as employee discipline and termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, privacy and other tort claims, leave issues, compensation issues, employee handbooks, personnel policies, employment contracts, restrictive covenant agreements, separation agreements, employment issues in mergers and acquisitions, disaster prevention and response planning, and workplace violence prevention.
In addition to providing preventive counseling and training, Megan has workplace experience in conducting investigations and audits for businesses. She regularly represents employers in administrative actions and litigation when employment claims arise. Megan frequently presents on and publishes articles on various employment law topics, including general disaster prevention and response, and workplace violence and safety issues. She also has experience in the higher education, business litigation, and franchise litigation areas.
Experience
- Has obtained multiple summary judgment rulings dismissing employment law claims
- Has obtained multiple appellate rulings affirming the dismissal of employment-related claims
- Has represented numerous clients in noncompete, nonsolicitation, trade secret, and confidential information disputes
- Has conducted and/or provided advice in connection with numerous investigations for businesses, including investigations of harassment, discrimination and retaliation allegations, disaster planning, workplace violence issues, and internal and external audits
- Has represented numerous employers on employment law issues arising in connection with the purchase or sale of a business
Representative Cases
- Carlson v. Kelly Servs., Inc., 233 Fed.Appx. 633 (8th Cir. 2007).
- Carlson v. Am. Express. Fin. Advisors, Inc., 233 Fed.Appx. 633 (8th Cir. 2007).
- McClure v. Career Sys. Dev. Corp., 447 F.3d 1133 (8th Cir. 2006).
- Tisdell v. Valadco, Nos. C0-01-2054, C6-01-2060, C2-01-2055, C6-01-2057, 2002 WL 31368336 (Minn. Ct. App. Oct. 16, 2002).
- Evertz v. Aspen Med. Group, 169 F.Supp.2d 1027 (D. Minn. 2001).
- Metro Ride, Inc. v. Shields, No. C8-97-2278, 1998 WL 204499 (Minn. Ct. App. Apr. 28, 1998).
Publications
- "Reasons to Prepare Your Workplace for a Possible Flu Pandemic," MinnesotaBusiness online "Expert's Forum," June 2009
- “Preparing Your Workplace for a Possible Swine Flu Pandemic,” The HR Specialist, April 27, 2009
- "Workplace violence: Hope for the best but plan for the worst," Minnesota Employment Law, Dec. 2008
- “Court Watch: Prevention Tips—Retaliation,” coauthored with Abigail Crouse and Megan Anderson, EPLI Monitor, a publication by Gen Re Research, November 2008
- “Campus Safety Plan Checklist,” coauthor, Connections, The Bi-Annual Newsletter of MNCUPA-HR, Summer/Fall 2008
- “One Year Later—Campus Safety Efforts Following the Virginia Tech Tragedy,” Education Law Update, April 2008
- “Minnesota Law Requires Employers to Give New Hires Written Notice of Personnel File Rights,” Employment Edge 73rd Edition, July 2007
- “Is Your Employee Handbook Updated?: Policies To Consider Revising or Adding to Your Handbook,” Employment Edge 73rd Edition, July 2007
- “Employment Law Issues in Asset Transactions,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Jan. 2003
Presentations
- “Who Gives a Tweet About Social Media? Hiring and Employment Practices in a High-Tech World,” GPM Employment Law Seminar, April 21, 2010
- "Employee Handbooks: What's In, What's Out," Minnesota Telecom Association Convention, March 2010
- "Conducting Lawful Background Checks in a High Tech World," Aging Services of America, Oct. 2009
- "The Amended ADA, FMLA, and New Regulations: What You Need to Know," Minnesota Telecom Association's Human Resources Group, Sept. 2009
- “Hope for the Best, but Prepare for the Worst: Workplace Violence Prevention and Response Planning,” Hennepin County Bar Association CLE, May 2009
- “Planning for Stress: Maintaining Sanity and Legality When Downsizing in the Current Economy,” Ridgeview Business Health Seminar, April 2009
- "Hope for the Best, but Prepare for the Worst: Workplace Violence Prevention and Response Planning," Gray Plant Mooty Employment Law Conference, Oct. 2008
- “Violence Prevention & Response Planning in the Wake of Virginia Tech,” MNCUPA HR Seminar, Oct. 2007
- “Crisis and Disaster Management for HR Professionals,” Gray Plant Mooty Employment Seminar, March 2007
- “Managing Employee Leaves of Absence,” Gray Plant Mooty Employment Seminar, Oct. 2005
- “Retaliation Claims: Wagging the Dog,” Gray Plant Mooty Employment Seminar, Oct. 2005
- “Privacy, Electronic Communications & Recordkeeping,” Gray Plant Mooty Employment Seminar, Fall 2003
- “Year in Review: Important Labor and Employment Law Decisions from the 2001-02 U.S. Supreme Court Term,” Hennepin County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Sept. 2002
- “Post 9/11 Issues In The Workplace,” Hennepin County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Dec. 2001
- “Web Site, Internet, And E-Mail Risk Management,” Gray Plant Mooty Seminar, July 2001
- “Workshop on Managing Workplace Violence,” Gray Plant Mooty Seminar, June 2001
- “Employment Law Issues in Asset Transactions,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Jan. 2003-2007
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1994
Order of the Coif - Duke University, B.A. in public policy studies, cum laude, 1991
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 2004
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 1994
- Minnesota, 1994
Professional Activities
- Federal Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota Women Lawyers Association
- Minnesota Management Attorney’s Association
- William Mitchell School of Law, Business Practicum course, guest faculty
- University of Minnesota Law School, past legal writing instructor
Honors and Distinctions
- “Rising Star,” Minnesota Law & Politics, various years since 2001
Community Involvement
- Highlands Elementary School, Edina, MN, volunteer
- Duke University alumni interviewer
- GPM’s United Way Campaign, past chair