Michael Volpe heads the New York office Labor & Employment practice. His core practice focuses on representing management in all aspects of labor and employment law. The New York Labor & Employment group has grown since he joined Venable and the group currently represents employers and businesses of all sizes in and around New York City and across the country. Mr. Volpe represents a number of foreign based clients with operations in the U.S. and has extensive experience representing clients in commercial litigation matters. He is frequently looked to by certain long-standing clients to provide advice on transactional issues relying on his practical approach to problem solving.
Labor Relations & Labor Law
Mr. Volpe has substantial collective bargaining experience involving theatrical and entertainment, healthcare, restaurant, hotel and hospitality, and textile and manufacturing clients. He regularly handles labor relations issues unique to mergers and acquisitions and in bankruptcy situations, he represents clients in contract administration and he has represented clients in many arbitration and mediation proceedings.
Employment Law & Wage-Hour Litigation
Mr. Volpe is an experienced trial lawyer having litigated on behalf of employers before administrative agencies and in federal and state courts. He has extensive jury trial experience in defending all types of employment related claims under federal, state and local laws. Mr. Volpe's practice currently includes the representation of various clients against claims under federal, state and, as applicable, local wage-hour statutes. His practice also includes the defense of wage-hour class actions matters under federal and state laws.
Commercial, Business & Restrictive Covenant Litigation
Mr. Volpe also has substantial experience representing clients in commercial litigation matters. He is currently defending New York Law School in the much publicized case concerning the publication of post-graduation employment statistics. In his commercial practice, Mr. Volpe has represented clients defending claims of breach of contract, unfair business practices, unpaid sales commissions, violations of restrictive covenants and various tort business tort claims. He has bench and jury trial experience in the commercial area with a number of cases resulting in defense verdicts.
Representative Clients
Over the past 20 years, Mr. Volpe has represented domestic and international corporations, including several Fortune 500 companies, in the health care, real estate, textile, retail, technology, manufacturing, entertainment, and restaurant and hospitality industries.
Significant Matters
ˇ Successful negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with various unions and resolution of various disputes in theatrical and entertainment industry
ˇ Defense verdict in breach of contract case demanding almost $10 million in damages asserted against hospital client
ˇ Defense verdict in a sexual harassment case representing the interests of a commercial real estate company
ˇ Defense verdict on claims of national origin and gender discrimination for an international travel company
ˇ Defeated claims of breach of restrictive covenants after client hired an executive from rival insurance company
ˇ Successful resolution of wage-hour claims before trial
ˇ Successfully obtained TRO and settlement on behalf of trust company in a corporate raiding situation when a team of employees went to rival company
Industries
Hospitality and Lodging
Financial Services
New Media, Media and Entertainment
Education
Memberships
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Association
News
May 15, 2012, The American Lawyer - Litigation features Venable's victory on behalf of New York Law School
April 9, 2012, Michael Volpe quoted in Law360 on appeal in New York Law School suit
March 27, 2012, The Daily Record features Venable's victory on behalf of New York Law School
March 22, 2012, Multiple publications prominently feature Venable's victory on behalf of New York Law School
March 21, 2012, Venable obtains complete dismissal of all tort and fraud-based claims aimed at New York Law School
March 13, 2012, Mike Volpe quoted in the National Law Journal and Law360 on New York Law School suit
March 8, 2012, New York Law Journal features Venable's participation in International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York
February 13, 2012, Mike Volpe quoted in Law360 on series of law schools suits
February 7, 2012, Mike Volpe and Ed O'Toole quoted in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin on suits against law schools
October 17, 2011, Michael Volpe quoted in Law360 and The National Law Journal on New York Law School suit
October 14, 2011, Venable files motion to dismiss on behalf of New York Law School
October 28, 2009, NYC office lawyers recognized at Legal Aid Society's 2009 Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Awards
August 31, 2006, Labor and Employment Litigation Attorney Michael J. Volpe Joins Venable
Publications
December 2011, Food Services Providers and Investigations by State Attorneys General
William H. Devaney, Doreen S. Martin, Michael J. Volpe
Client Alerts
June 2011, New York Department of Labor Clarifies that Employers Have Until Next Regularly Scheduled Pay Day to Pay Out Employees' Credit Card Tips
Michael J. Volpe, Nicholas M. Reiter
Labor & Employment News Alert
March 2011, New York Wage Theft Prevention Act Increases Obligations and Penalties for Employers Effective April 9, 2011
Michael J. Volpe
Labor & Employment News Alert
May 2010, Federal Arbitration Act Alert: "45 Congressional Sponsors Seek to End Employment, Consumer, and Franchise Arbitration"
Matthew T. McLaughlin, Michael J. Volpe, David N. Cinotti
Client Alerts
June 3, 2009, The Bankruptcy Weekly
Michael J. Volpe
National Association of Dealer Counsel
January 2009, Dealers Beware: The Employee Free Choice Act and the RESPECT Act
Michael J. Volpe
Dealer Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 1
December 19, 2008, Navigating the Wage and Hour Law Maze of Unpaid Internships at Nonprofit Organizations
Michael J. Volpe, Megan H. Mann
Related Topic Area(s): Employment Law
May/June 2008, Your Independent Contractor May Be Your Employee
Michael J. Volpe
Executive Counsel, Vol. 5, No. 3
April 25, 2007, New York's Highest Court Holds That Absolute Immunity Applies To Form U-5s
Michael J. Volpe
Labor & Employment News Alert
Events/Speaking Engagements
Mr. Volpe has conducted a number of seminars on sexual harassment in the workplace, a variety of topics concerning union organizing and with respect to various general employment law topics for in-house lawyers, operational professionals and human resource professionals.
Past Events
April 19, 2011, Venable Breakfast Briefing: "How to Manage Your U.S. Workforce"
Brian C. Dunning, Mark S. Vecchio, Michael J. Volpe, Luisa M. Lopez
June 17, 2009, "A Guide to Preventative Human Resources and Labor Relations Audits," hosted by Venable LLP
Megan H. Mann, Michael J. Volpe
May 7, 2009, Greater New York Auto Dealers' Association
Michael J. Volpe
February 10, 2009, Employment Issues In The Economic Downturn: Avoiding Liability in Lean Times
Michael J. Volpe, Megan H. Mann
June 5, 2008, Records & Information - Management & Retention
Michael J. Volpe, W. Warren Hamel