EDUCATION

Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, J.D., 1990

University of Wisconsin, B.A., 1987

 

ADMITTED

Illinois

Wisconsin

U.S. Supreme Court

Illinois Supreme Court

Wisconsin Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

 
 
Lawyers / Professionals
 
Joel H. Spitz
Partner
77 West Wacker Drive
Suite 4100
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1818
T: 312.750.5704
F: 312.920.6121
jspitz@mcguirewoods.com

Chairman of the firm's Labor and Employment Department, Mr. Spitz is an experienced litigator in the employment discrimination area, having handled hundreds of discrimination cases, including multiparty and class action cases involving Title VII, ADA, ADEA, ERISA, FMLA, FLSA, the Illinois Human Rights Act, (and various other federal, state and local discrimination and labor statutes and ordinances).

He also regularly counsels employers on how to avoid discrimination charges and lawsuits. Among other things, he assists corporations and businesses on a variety of labor and employment matters, including employee rights issues, disciplinary decisions, employee handbooks, employment contracts, drug testing, family medical leave, sexual harassment investigations and covenants not to compete. He has also represented employers in onsite investigations conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Office of Federal Control Compliance Program.

In addition to his employment discrimination law practice, Mr. Spitz represents plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving non-compete agreements, confidentiality agreements, and the alleged theft of trade secrets. On the plaintiff side, he has obtained injunctions that prohibited people from competing against firm clients. On the defense side, he has successfully represented employers who have hired employees with non-compete or confidentiality agreements. In addition to his litigation experience, he regularly counsels employers on how to draft non-compete and secrecy agreements, and on whether it is appropriate to hire employees who have such agreements.

In addition to labor and employment cases, he has handled commercial litigation cases in federal and state courts or agencies involving contract, fraud, warranty, RICO, unfair competition and tort issues.

Practices & Industries Firm Management
  • Chair, Labor & Employment Department
Honors
  • Executive Editor, Marquette Law Review
Previous Experience
  • Partner, Ross & Hardies, Chicago, Illinois
Professional Affiliations
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Wisconsin Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
    • Labor and Employment Law Committee
    • Trial Techniques Committee
    • Tort Litigation Committee