Michele J.Beilke
Partner
Labor & Employment
mbeilke@seyfarth.com
Michele has extensive experience helping clients navigate litigation and a wide range of employment law issues.
More About Michele
For more than two decades, Michele has litigated single-plaintiff discrimination and multi-plaintiff cases in state and federal courts. She also has considerable national jury trial and arbitration experience. She litigates state and national wage and hour class actions, and discrimination and harassment claims under state and federal law.
Michele provides advice and counsel with respect to California and FLSA wage and hour issues, FMLA, CFRA and ADA issues and leave policies, WARN requirements, and non-solicitation and non-compete agreements. She prepares responses to EEOC and DFEH administrative charges, and has represented employers in connection with Department of Labor audits. She also has experience handling arbitrations before the FINRA and private arbitrators.
Additionally, her practice includes working with in-house attorneys, human resources professionals, and supervisors; conducting sexual harassment training for employers; drafting employment agreements; and developing and implementing workplace policies.
Michele provides advice and counsel with respect to California and FLSA wage and hour issues, FMLA, CFRA and ADA issues and leave policies, WARN requirements, and non-solicitation and non-compete agreements. She prepares responses to EEOC and DFEH administrative charges, and has represented employers in connection with Department of Labor audits. She also has experience handling arbitrations before the FINRA and private arbitrators.
Additionally, her practice includes working with in-house attorneys, human resources professionals, and supervisors; conducting sexual harassment training for employers; drafting employment agreements; and developing and implementing workplace policies.
- JD, University of Southern California Gould School of Law
- BA, University of Southern California
Political Science, Law & Society Minor
- California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- US District Court, Western District of California
- Obtained summary judgment for employer in PAGA cases because the plaintiff, a former employee, failed to provide adequate notice of their claim to LWDA before bringing the lawsuit.
- In putative class action alleging violation of California wage and hour laws, obtained dismissal of appeal from order denying class certification on ground that class representative's settlement of individual claims following denial of certification deprived the class representative of standing to pursue the appeal. In the same decision, also obtained affirmance of summary judgment as to another class representative on the ground that, upon termination of employment, the plaintiff signed a release of disputed wage claims in exchange for enhanced severance benefits.
- Successfully defended employer from retaliation and wrongful termination lawsuit after the company terminated an employment for cause. After a six-week trial, the jury returned with a defense verdict.
- Obtained summary judgment and award in costs and attorneys' fees in a highly contentious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit involving plaintiffs—former employees—who were terminated for submitting falsified reports in order to artificially inflate incentive bonuses.
- Successfully defended an employer from an age discrimination lawsuit after the plaintiff, a former employee, was terminated for poor performance. After a week-long jury trial, the jury returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended an employer from a disability discrimination and wrongful termination case. After a six-day arbitration the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended an employer from putative class action and wrongful termination claims. Obtained early dismissal of class allegations. After a four day arbitration, the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended a former regional manager sued for wrongful termination and disability discrimination. After a five-day arbitration, the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully mediated hundreds of labor and employment matters.
- Partnered with international pharmaceutical client on sixth sigma project to develop and train ADA compliance position.
- Successfully defended securities brokers and affiliated bank employees before the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) arbitration panels.
- Persuaded class cancel to dismiss class allegations in job misclassification putative class action and settled remaining individual claim for nuisance value.
- Obtained early dismissal of a national FLSA collective action with subclasses in New Hampshire and Massachusetts involving overtime, minimum wage, meal and rest breaks, and reimbursement of business expenses.
- Obtained summary judgment in numerous single-plaintiff discrimination and wrongful termination claims.
- Successfully arbitrated dozens of single-plaintiff discrimination claims.
- Successfully defended employers in administrative charges before the DFEH, EEO, and OSHA.
- Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a California Labor and Employment Star (2018-2024)
- Recognized by Legal 500 United States for Labor and Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense (Legalese Ltd.) (2020-2021, 2023)
- Named 2019 "Outstanding Bar Leader" by the Los Angeles County Bar Association (March 2019)
- Named by Los Angeles Business Journal as among the Most Influential Women Lawyers (2018-2019)
- Firm Attorney Nominee, Leaders in Law, Los Angeles Business Journal (2018)
- Listed by Daily Journal as One of the Leading Employment Lawyers in California (2010)
- Co-Author, “Calif. High Court Ruling May Curb PAGA-Only Suits,” Law360 (September 17, 2019)
Michele has extensive experience helping clients navigate litigation and a wide range of employment law issues.
More About Michele
For more than two decades, Michele has litigated single-plaintiff discrimination and multi-plaintiff cases in state and federal courts. She also has considerable national jury trial and arbitration experience. She litigates state and national wage and hour class actions, and discrimination and harassment claims under state and federal law.
Michele provides advice and counsel with respect to California and FLSA wage and hour issues, FMLA, CFRA and ADA issues and leave policies, WARN requirements, and non-solicitation and non-compete agreements. She prepares responses to EEOC and DFEH administrative charges, and has represented employers in connection with Department of Labor audits. She also has experience handling arbitrations before the FINRA and private arbitrators.
Additionally, her practice includes working with in-house attorneys, human resources professionals, and supervisors; conducting sexual harassment training for employers; drafting employment agreements; and developing and implementing workplace policies.
Michele provides advice and counsel with respect to California and FLSA wage and hour issues, FMLA, CFRA and ADA issues and leave policies, WARN requirements, and non-solicitation and non-compete agreements. She prepares responses to EEOC and DFEH administrative charges, and has represented employers in connection with Department of Labor audits. She also has experience handling arbitrations before the FINRA and private arbitrators.
Additionally, her practice includes working with in-house attorneys, human resources professionals, and supervisors; conducting sexual harassment training for employers; drafting employment agreements; and developing and implementing workplace policies.
- JD, University of Southern California Gould School of Law
- BA, University of Southern California
Political Science, Law & Society Minor
- California
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- US District Court, Western District of California
- Obtained summary judgment for employer in PAGA cases because the plaintiff, a former employee, failed to provide adequate notice of their claim to LWDA before bringing the lawsuit.
- In putative class action alleging violation of California wage and hour laws, obtained dismissal of appeal from order denying class certification on ground that class representative's settlement of individual claims following denial of certification deprived the class representative of standing to pursue the appeal. In the same decision, also obtained affirmance of summary judgment as to another class representative on the ground that, upon termination of employment, the plaintiff signed a release of disputed wage claims in exchange for enhanced severance benefits.
- Successfully defended employer from retaliation and wrongful termination lawsuit after the company terminated an employment for cause. After a six-week trial, the jury returned with a defense verdict.
- Obtained summary judgment and award in costs and attorneys' fees in a highly contentious discrimination and retaliation lawsuit involving plaintiffs—former employees—who were terminated for submitting falsified reports in order to artificially inflate incentive bonuses.
- Successfully defended an employer from an age discrimination lawsuit after the plaintiff, a former employee, was terminated for poor performance. After a week-long jury trial, the jury returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended an employer from a disability discrimination and wrongful termination case. After a six-day arbitration the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended an employer from putative class action and wrongful termination claims. Obtained early dismissal of class allegations. After a four day arbitration, the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully defended a former regional manager sued for wrongful termination and disability discrimination. After a five-day arbitration, the arbitrator returned a defense verdict.
- Successfully mediated hundreds of labor and employment matters.
- Partnered with international pharmaceutical client on sixth sigma project to develop and train ADA compliance position.
- Successfully defended securities brokers and affiliated bank employees before the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) arbitration panels.
- Persuaded class cancel to dismiss class allegations in job misclassification putative class action and settled remaining individual claim for nuisance value.
- Obtained early dismissal of a national FLSA collective action with subclasses in New Hampshire and Massachusetts involving overtime, minimum wage, meal and rest breaks, and reimbursement of business expenses.
- Obtained summary judgment in numerous single-plaintiff discrimination and wrongful termination claims.
- Successfully arbitrated dozens of single-plaintiff discrimination claims.
- Successfully defended employers in administrative charges before the DFEH, EEO, and OSHA.
- Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a California Labor and Employment Star (2018-2024)
- Recognized by Legal 500 United States for Labor and Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense (Legalese Ltd.) (2020-2021, 2023)
- Named 2019 "Outstanding Bar Leader" by the Los Angeles County Bar Association (March 2019)
- Named by Los Angeles Business Journal as among the Most Influential Women Lawyers (2018-2019)
- Firm Attorney Nominee, Leaders in Law, Los Angeles Business Journal (2018)
- Listed by Daily Journal as One of the Leading Employment Lawyers in California (2010)
- Co-Author, “Calif. High Court Ruling May Curb PAGA-Only Suits,” Law360 (September 17, 2019)