About
Attorneys
PRACTICE AREAS
Labor & Employment
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
AT WORK
Anne E. Larson is Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group. Anne concentrates her practice on management-side labor and employment matters and tries discrimination, wage and non-competition/trade secrets disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country. Like the firm, she sports blue-chip credentials and thrives on competition. Anne has practiced more than 18 years and, to date, has not lost a case.
Corporations and business owners depend on Anne for FLSA audits of their exempt v. non-exempt employee classifications, handbooks and advice on their hiring practices, terminations, disability accommodations and FMLA issues. Executives rely on her negotiating skills for their compensation and severance agreements. Her trial work ranges from discrimination, retaliation and breach of contract claims to delivering SWAT-team-like blows in trade secrets and non-compete litigation.
IN THE PROFESSION
Anne is the current Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee – Investigation Division. She has taught the ADA section of the Mental Health and the Law seminar at Northwestern University Law School and regularly writes on recent developments in the law. Anne is a member of the firm's Risk Assessment Team, which speaks to clients and trade associations on identifying and managing everyday business and regulatory risk. Recent seminars and lectures include: "Illinois Employment Law from A to Z" and "Advanced Workplace Investigations in Illinois: Doing Them Well and Right" for Lorman Education Services, "Anti-Harassment Policies: An Ounce of Prevention," "Email and E-Discovery: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Hiring Practices: The Dos and Don'ts: Eliminating Risk," "Investigating Claims of Sexual and Other Harassment," "Terminations: Doing It Right," "Drafting Disciplinary Memos and Complainant Satisfaction Memos to Avoid (or Win) Lawsuits," "The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) v. the New Jersey Family Leave Act (FLA)" and "The Americans with Disabilities Act: Overview and Difficult Questions." Anne also regularly provides anti-harassment and other training to clients.
Anne was named one of the "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch" in 2001 by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, an honor bestowed on only 40 Illinois attorneys each year. Her peers named her an Illinois Super Lawyer in 2005 and 2007, an honor given to the top 5% of attorneys in the state. Anne has also been recognized by the Leading Lawyers Network as a top Illinois lawyer in the area of management-side employment law (2007-2008).
IN THE COMMUNITY
Passionate about the arts, Anne is board President of Shattered Globe Theatre, a critically acclaimed Chicago theatre company. She is the past board President of Hedwig Dances, a modern dance company in residence at the Chicago Cultural Center. She was the 2003-04 Co-Chair of the Chicago Community Trust's Young Leaders Fund (YLF), an organization that seeks out and makes grants to local not-for-profits dedicated to the arts, children and economic redevelopment of local neighborhoods. Anne also organizes holiday fundraisers for a neighborhood battered women's shelter, collecting contributions and presents for the shelter's women and children.
BACKGROUND
University of Michigan Law School
J.D., 1988
University of Illinois
B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Bronze Tablet, 1985
Anne served as Law Clerk to the Honorable George W. Lindberg, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and participated in several high-profile criminal prosecutions while clerking.
Anne is admitted to practice in Illinois and Arizona. She also is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit, Ninth Circuit, Central District of California, District of Arizona, District of Colorado, Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), and Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin.
RELATED ALERTS
Employers Beware: New Illinois Employment Laws Take Effect on January 1, 2008
RELATED ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS
Sex Discrimination Claims: Make Sure Your Paper Trail Wins,
Rather Than Costs You, Your Case
ADA in the Workplace: How to Manage and Accommodate Employees with Disabilities
Protect Your Business: Use Restrictive Covenants
The Answer to These Five Questions Is No
EEOC Identifies Restaurant Industry as "Single Largest" Source of Sexual Harassment Claims, (pdf)
RELATED NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
Much Shelist Wins Summary Judgment for Wendy's on $1.2 Million
Sexual Harassment Case
Anne E. Larson Addresses CEO Roundtable
Much Shelist Forms New Risk Assessment Team
Wendy's Wins ADA Trial in New York