Michael A. Wilder

Michael A. Wilder regularly advises and represents employers in various areas of employment law before state and federal district courts, state and federal appellate courts, the American Arbitration Association, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and other state agencies responsible for investigating workplace discrimination and harassment.

A skilled litigator, Michael successfully defended a major health care provider in an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in which the Court affirmed the district court’s dismissal of all counts for want of prosecution. He successfully argued an appeal before the same Court on behalf of a refractories company, which resulted in the Court’s affirmation of the district court’s grant of summary judgment on all counts.

Michael was recently part of a trial team that defended a waste disposal company during a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. His team received a complete defense verdict on all claims. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the verdict in its entirety on appeal.

Michael also successfully defended a major retailer in a sexual harassment case, leading to summary judgment for the employer, which was affirmed by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals following oral argument.

Michael has conducted numerous discrimination and harassment investigations for large corporations (including C-suite investigations), organizations, and government entities.

Michael is an active member of the firm’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Practice Group and lectures on this subject before government contractor groups on various affirmative action and audit preparation topics. He has successfully defended dozens of OFCCP compliance audits for the firm’s clients throughout the country. He has prepared and defended dozens of desk audit submissions and has significant on-site defense experience preparing and defending managers in interviews and preparing employees for interviews. His experience includes:

• Preparing affirmative action plans
• Representing government contractors before the OFCCP
• Preparing for and defending OFCCP audits and onsite visits
• Responding to OFCCP information requests
• Evaluating compensation, hiring, promotions, and terminations disparity claims

Michael is a member of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group. He has authored several publications on recent issues in employment class and collective actions.

Michael was a judicial extern to the Hon. Diane Larsen of the Circuit Court of Cook County. In law school, he was an editor for the Employee Rights and Employment Policy Journal, an extern for the National Labor Relations Board, and was inducted into the prestigious Bar and Gavel Society. He also earned his Certificate of Labor and Employment Law.