James M. Gecker

James M. Gecker is Head of the Employment Law and Litigation Practice. Mr. Gecker represents management in labor and employment matters and concentrates his practice in employment litigation. He has represented companies in cases brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), and various state statutes and common law doctrines relating to employment contracts, wages, benefits and restrictive covenants. Mr. Gecker has tried numerous discrimination and other employment cases before federal and state courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators throughout the country.

Mr. Gecker regularly advises clients on compliance with labor and employment laws, including federal and state wage laws, family and medical leave acts, trade secret acts, privacy laws, union relations and affirmative action obligations. He works with companies to develop policies and procedures designed to minimize the risk of employment litigation in carrying out terminations, layoffs and other personnel decisions.

In addition to his law practice, Mr. Gecker has taught a graduate-level course in Human Resources Law at Loyola University’s Institute of Human Resources and Industrial Relations. He frequently speaks at legal and industry meetings on employment and labor matters. Mr. Gecker is a member of the Federal Trial Bar and the Labor and Employment Law and Litigation Sections of the American Bar Association. He has been admitted to several state and federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Federal Circuits.

Mr. Gecker graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California at Berkeley and received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Mr. Gecker also earned a master’s degree in industrial relations from Loyola University Chicago, Institute of Industrial Relations.