Michael D.Jacobsen
Partner
Labor & Employment
mjacobsen@seyfarth.com
Michael is dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for our clients throughout all stages of litigation, and counseling them toward their goals.
More About Michael
Michael represents companies facing class, collective, and other representative actions, and pattern and practice lawsuits. Michael’s litigation practice spans state and federal courts and includes defending Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, contract, and consumer fraud claims. Clients look to Michael for solutions regarding how to advance their positions to reach decisive, favorable resolutions early on in these matters, and in the ongoing development of successful, long-term strategies both in and beyond litigation.
Prior to joining Seyfarth, Michael practiced business and tort litigation in the Chicago office of a Vault 50 firm. His experience trained him to navigate the constantly-evolving procedural and substantive challenges in the matters he handles.
During his time with Seyfarth, Michael has focused on developing strategies to defeat class and other complex actions, including outside the labor and employment context. He also has an extensive practice of matters pending in California, providing him with a unique perspective in the Chicago office in defending against cutting-edge plaintiff theories in this fluid and complex arena.
From his litigation experience, Michael is a strong proponent of using efficient eDiscovery approaches and tools in order to control cases from an early point. He is committed to taking a responsive, thorough approach with clients and making their jobs easier. Michael achieves successful outcomes for our clients based on their unique needs and practical concerns.
Michael enjoys working with Seyfarth's team of outstanding and dedicated attorneys who share his passion for providing creative, thoughtful solutions to clients managing complex pressures.
Prior to joining Seyfarth, Michael practiced business and tort litigation in the Chicago office of a Vault 50 firm. His experience trained him to navigate the constantly-evolving procedural and substantive challenges in the matters he handles.
During his time with Seyfarth, Michael has focused on developing strategies to defeat class and other complex actions, including outside the labor and employment context. He also has an extensive practice of matters pending in California, providing him with a unique perspective in the Chicago office in defending against cutting-edge plaintiff theories in this fluid and complex arena.
From his litigation experience, Michael is a strong proponent of using efficient eDiscovery approaches and tools in order to control cases from an early point. He is committed to taking a responsive, thorough approach with clients and making their jobs easier. Michael achieves successful outcomes for our clients based on their unique needs and practical concerns.
Michael enjoys working with Seyfarth's team of outstanding and dedicated attorneys who share his passion for providing creative, thoughtful solutions to clients managing complex pressures.
- JD, University of Illinois College of Law
Magna cum laude
Elder Law Journal, articles editor - BA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Illinois
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Related Services
- Defended a large senior living company in a putative class action alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), California Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California Unfair Competition Law, and elder financial abuse. The trial court in this action denied the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification with respect to all claims except the ADA claims, for which the court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in part.
- Defended a large global staffing company in multiple putative class and collective actions alleging violations of the California Labor Code, California Unfair Competition Law, and Fair Labor Standards Act. The trial courts in these actions granted the defendant's motions to compel arbitration, and dismiss the class and collective claims.
- Defended a large restaurant company in a putative class and collective action alleging violations of the California Labor Code, California Unfair Competition Law, New York Labor Law, and Fair Labor Standards Act. The trial court in this action declined to grant the plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification.
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Aug 9, 2024
Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery
-
Blog Post
Aug 6, 2024
BIPA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery
-
Legal Update
May 17, 2024
Illinois Legislative Update: BIPA Reform Bill Reducing Damages Approved by Illinois House, Awaiting Governor's Signature
-
Blog Post
Jan 18, 2024
No Harm, No Foul? The Legacy of TransUnion Two Years Later (Part 4)
- Recognized as a "Ones to Watch" lawyer by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2021)
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Co-Author, “Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 9, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Illinois Legislative Update: BIPA Reform Bill Reducing Damages Approved by Illinois House, Awaiting Governor's Signature,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 17, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Google: Demonstrating the Hazards of Employment Discrimination from Every Angle,” Employment Law Lookout, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 25, 2019)
- Co-Author, “EEOC Leadership Shift: A New EEOC Chair Confirmed By Senate,” Workplace Class Action Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 8, 2019)
- Co-Author, “And The Train Kept A-Rolling: EEOC’s 2018 Enforcement And Litigation Statistics Show Charges Down But The Agency Still On The Move,” Workplace Class Action Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 11, 2019)
- Co-Presenter, “Biometric Privacy Laws: Litigation and Compliance,” Lawline (February 21, 2024)
- Speaker, “Wage and Hour Collective Actions: Conditional Certification and Decertification,” Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance Video (December 6, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Best Practices and Considerations for Employee Demand Letters, Charges and Early-Stage Lawsuits," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 28, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Employment Class Actions: The 2020 Landscape Explored Live Webcast," The Knowledge Group (October 8, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, “Settling Wage/Hour Claims,” Strafford (September 22, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, “Exploring the Modernized Approach to Preventing Workplace Harassment,” Willis Towers Watson (November 14, 2018)
"Thoughtful, patient, and thorough." —Client feedback
“Smart and professional.” – Client feedback
Michael is dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for our clients throughout all stages of litigation, and counseling them toward their goals.
More About Michael
Michael represents companies facing class, collective, and other representative actions, and pattern and practice lawsuits. Michael’s litigation practice spans state and federal courts and includes defending Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, contract, and consumer fraud claims. Clients look to Michael for solutions regarding how to advance their positions to reach decisive, favorable resolutions early on in these matters, and in the ongoing development of successful, long-term strategies both in and beyond litigation.
Prior to joining Seyfarth, Michael practiced business and tort litigation in the Chicago office of a Vault 50 firm. His experience trained him to navigate the constantly-evolving procedural and substantive challenges in the matters he handles.
During his time with Seyfarth, Michael has focused on developing strategies to defeat class and other complex actions, including outside the labor and employment context. He also has an extensive practice of matters pending in California, providing him with a unique perspective in the Chicago office in defending against cutting-edge plaintiff theories in this fluid and complex arena.
From his litigation experience, Michael is a strong proponent of using efficient eDiscovery approaches and tools in order to control cases from an early point. He is committed to taking a responsive, thorough approach with clients and making their jobs easier. Michael achieves successful outcomes for our clients based on their unique needs and practical concerns.
Michael enjoys working with Seyfarth's team of outstanding and dedicated attorneys who share his passion for providing creative, thoughtful solutions to clients managing complex pressures.
Prior to joining Seyfarth, Michael practiced business and tort litigation in the Chicago office of a Vault 50 firm. His experience trained him to navigate the constantly-evolving procedural and substantive challenges in the matters he handles.
During his time with Seyfarth, Michael has focused on developing strategies to defeat class and other complex actions, including outside the labor and employment context. He also has an extensive practice of matters pending in California, providing him with a unique perspective in the Chicago office in defending against cutting-edge plaintiff theories in this fluid and complex arena.
From his litigation experience, Michael is a strong proponent of using efficient eDiscovery approaches and tools in order to control cases from an early point. He is committed to taking a responsive, thorough approach with clients and making their jobs easier. Michael achieves successful outcomes for our clients based on their unique needs and practical concerns.
Michael enjoys working with Seyfarth's team of outstanding and dedicated attorneys who share his passion for providing creative, thoughtful solutions to clients managing complex pressures.
- JD, University of Illinois College of Law
Magna cum laude
Elder Law Journal, articles editor - BA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Illinois
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Related Services
- Defended a large senior living company in a putative class action alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), California Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California Unfair Competition Law, and elder financial abuse. The trial court in this action denied the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification with respect to all claims except the ADA claims, for which the court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in part.
- Defended a large global staffing company in multiple putative class and collective actions alleging violations of the California Labor Code, California Unfair Competition Law, and Fair Labor Standards Act. The trial courts in these actions granted the defendant's motions to compel arbitration, and dismiss the class and collective claims.
- Defended a large restaurant company in a putative class and collective action alleging violations of the California Labor Code, California Unfair Competition Law, New York Labor Law, and Fair Labor Standards Act. The trial court in this action declined to grant the plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification.
Related News & Insights
-
Legal Update
Aug 9, 2024
Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery
-
Blog Post
Aug 6, 2024
BIPA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery
-
Legal Update
May 17, 2024
Illinois Legislative Update: BIPA Reform Bill Reducing Damages Approved by Illinois House, Awaiting Governor's Signature
-
Blog Post
Jan 18, 2024
No Harm, No Foul? The Legacy of TransUnion Two Years Later (Part 4)
- Recognized as a "Ones to Watch" lawyer by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2021)
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Co-Author, “Governor Pritzker Signs Amendment Limiting Damages To A Single Recovery,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 9, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Illinois Legislative Update: BIPA Reform Bill Reducing Damages Approved by Illinois House, Awaiting Governor's Signature,” Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 17, 2024)
- Co-Author, “Google: Demonstrating the Hazards of Employment Discrimination from Every Angle,” Employment Law Lookout, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 25, 2019)
- Co-Author, “EEOC Leadership Shift: A New EEOC Chair Confirmed By Senate,” Workplace Class Action Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 8, 2019)
- Co-Author, “And The Train Kept A-Rolling: EEOC’s 2018 Enforcement And Litigation Statistics Show Charges Down But The Agency Still On The Move,” Workplace Class Action Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 11, 2019)
- Co-Presenter, “Biometric Privacy Laws: Litigation and Compliance,” Lawline (February 21, 2024)
- Speaker, “Wage and Hour Collective Actions: Conditional Certification and Decertification,” Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance Video (December 6, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Best Practices and Considerations for Employee Demand Letters, Charges and Early-Stage Lawsuits," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 28, 2022)
- Co-Presenter, "Employment Class Actions: The 2020 Landscape Explored Live Webcast," The Knowledge Group (October 8, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, “Settling Wage/Hour Claims,” Strafford (September 22, 2020)
- Co-Presenter, “Exploring the Modernized Approach to Preventing Workplace Harassment,” Willis Towers Watson (November 14, 2018)
"Thoughtful, patient, and thorough." —Client feedback
“Smart and professional.” – Client feedback