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Bruce M. Steen Partner & General Counsel

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Charlotte T +1 704 353 6244 F fax +1 704 353 6200
London T +44 20 7632 1716 F fax +44 20 7632 1638
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Bruce serves as the firm’s General Counsel and also as one of the London Governing Partners. Previously, he was Chair of the firm’s labor and employment practice, and represented employers and management in labor and employment matters in three primary areas.

First, he has extensive experience litigating collective and class action claims throughout the United States arising under federal and state wage and hour and wage payment statutes, including the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. This work included serving as national wage and hour class and collective action counsel for a large financial institution. Second, on behalf of employers and management, Bruce litigated claims and counseled clients pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Order 11246 governing the employment practices of federal contractors, the National Labor Relations Act, and the Labor Management Relations Act. Third, on behalf of ERISA pension and welfare plans and plan sponsors, Bruce also has extensive experience litigating pension, disability and severance claims in federal courts in many parts of the country.

While earning his law degree from the University of Virginia, Bruce was articles development editor of the Virginia Law Review, and was honored as a member of the Order of the Coif and the Raven Society. After graduating from law school, he clerked for the Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

Bruce served as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia School of Law from 2000 through 2020, where he taught an employment law seminar. He has been a frequent lecturer on employment law issues.

Experience

Wage & Hour Class Action / Collective Action Experience

  • Class actions asserting misclassification and off-the-clock overtime and minimum wage violations, meal and rest periods violations, and related claims.
  • Class actions challenging the terms and administration of bonus compensation plans.
  • Hybrid nationwide FLSA collective actions and state law class actions asserting misclassification and off-the-clock overtime and minimum wage violations and related claims.

Employment Litigation and Related Matters, including OFCCP Litigation

  • Defense of employee claims asserting wrongful termination, breach of contract, and unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation under myriad federal and state laws.
  • Litigation of misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, and breach of non-compete and non-solicitation agreement claims, including applications for provisional injunctive relief.
  • Drafting and advice on employment-related policies, employee handbooks, and employment contracts.
  • Advice and counsel regarding employee discipline issues and reductions in force.
  • Training of supervisors and employees on prevention of unlawful employment practices, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
  • Defend federal contractors against administrative complaints filed by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs pursuant to Executive Order 11246, including pattern and practice claims of alleged discriminatory hiring, and constitutional issues regarding the OFCCP’s ability to access contractor facilities for compliance review.

ERISA Litigation

  • Defense of ERISA welfare and pension benefit plans in single and multi-plaintiff benefit disputes.
  • Defending claims for pension benefits, long term disability, short term disability, health benefit and severance claims.
  • Litigating throughout the United States, including in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington and Texas.

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