Sheryl Jaffee Halpern is a Principal at Much Shelist's Chicago office. Sheryl helps employers make important decisions in a way that is designed to minimize risk. She counsels business owners and senior leaders on a wide range of business and employment matters, providing clear and direct guidance that promotes legal compliance while remaining cognizant of practical workplace realities her clients face.
Sheryl prides herself on being responsive and detail-oriented. As a strategic advisor, she is supported by Much's full-service team to help clients address complicated day-to-day legal issues as well as big picture business objectives.
At Much, Sheryl is a member of the Management Committee, where she helps chart the firm's long-term direction and strategic growth. She also co-leads Much University, the firm's continuing education and professional development initiative, and serves as chair emeritus of the Much Women's Initiative.
In her practice, Sheryl listens to – and truly hears – her clients so that she can develop an understanding of the unique legal and business challenges they face. She recognizes that building a relationship involves more than just attending to the project at hand, and she works hard to get to know her clients – the businesses and the people – so they can count her among their trusted advisors. Sheryl's primary area of emphasis is employment law, but she often functions as outside in-house counsel to her clients.
Employers can benefit from Sheryl's advice in many respects. She and her team help employers avoid risky workplace situations by implementing sound best practices, such as:
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Adopting a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to discrimination, harassment, wage-and-hour, and other employment-related issues in an effort to prevent claims
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Developing noncompete, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and other agreements that are designed to protect an employer's business interests and updated to comply with evolving laws
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Implementing measures for protecting confidential information and relationships with customers and employees
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Carrying out hiring, firing, or "rightsizing" decisions in a manner that minimizes risk
Sheryl has successfully represented employers at state and local human rights agencies, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state unemployment agencies, the U.S. Department of Labor and state departments of labor, and in state and federal courts.
Prior to joining Much, Sheryl was a partner in a small Chicago firm, where she established and grew the labor and employment practice. Sheryl speaks at legal and industry conferences and seminars on a broad range of labor and employment topics.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Sheryl Jaffee Halpern
- Top Ten Hot Topics for Employers in 2014 - (Posted On Tuesday, December 17, 2013)
- Reminder: EEO-1 Employer Information Report Filing Deadline Is Fast Approaching - (Posted On Tuesday, September 17, 2013)
- Illinois' Firearm Concealed Carry Act Need Not Strike Fear In the Hearts of Employers - (Posted On Tuesday, September 10, 2013)
- Terminate with Dignity: Minimizing Personal and Professional Pain When an Employment Relationship Ends - (Posted On Friday, March 22, 2013)
- When is Your Company’s Social Media Policy an Unfair Labor Practice? Recent NLRB Decisions Offer Long-Awaited Guidance for Employers - (Posted On Monday, December 03, 2012)
- Reminder: EEO-1 Report Filing Deadline Is Fast Approaching - (Posted On Thursday, September 20, 2012)
- Employers Beware: 'Facebook Law' Protects Employees' Social Networking Privacy - (Posted On Friday, August 31, 2012)
- Exercise Caution When Considering Use of Arrest or Conviction Records In Employment Decisions in Light of EEOC Guidance - (Posted On Monday, June 04, 2012)
- Fill for the Funding Dip: EB-5 Visas - (Posted On Monday, May 21, 2012)
- When an Employee Threatens Violence, What's an Employer to Do? - (Posted On Monday, March 05, 2012)
Sheryl Jaffee Halpern and her extensive coverage of Human Resources Issues has been selected for a National Law Review Go-To Thought Leadership Award. Ms. Halpern ’s insights into Parental Leave Regulations, the #MeToo Movement, Overtime and DOL regulations provide NLR readers with an important resource to aid in the understanding of the changing regulations in this area.