Kelley Drye Expands Labor and Employment Practice

LOS ANGELES, CA – Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Gallion, Kate Visosky andDavid Van Pelt, all formerly at Sheppard Mullin, have joined the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Mr. Gallion and Ms. Visosky join Kelley Drye as partners and Mr. Van Pelt joins as special counsel. They have been recognized as leading practitioners in the field by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Super Lawyers.

Based out of the firm’s Los Angeles office, the team brings decades of California-focused labor and employment law experience to Kelley Drye, increasing its ability to handle the spectrum of clients’ needs in this area, coast to coast. Mr. Gallion, Ms. Visosky and Mr. Van Pelt have worked together for years, functioning as a team to provide seamless national representation to clients across industries, including financial services, health care, retail, entertainment, advertising and insurance.

“This is significant for Kelley Drye.  We have always offered clients tailored labor and employment advice, and the addition of Michael, Kate and David certainly expands the depth of this service, specifically to include California employment law,” said David E. Fink, managing partner of Kelley Drye’s Los Angeles office. “Their experience with the nuances of state law and the hot-button employment issues in California will be great assets to our clients.”

Aggressive and effective litigators, Mr. Gallion, Ms. Visosky and Mr. Van Pelt are astute in handling class action and complex litigation, high-stakes wage and hour disputes, discrimination/retaliation claims, agency charges, and trade secrets litigation. They are also seasoned advisers assisting clients navigate the complex and ever-evolving labor and employment laws. A significant part of their practice is assisting clients develop preventative measures to reduce organizational risk and resolve issues before they turn into lawsuits. This includes policy development, leave management, investigations, disability and accommodation management, guidance on terminations, structuring reductions in force, performing audits and developing and providing training.

“Kelley Drye offers a top notch national labor and employment practice, a culture of genuine collaboration and competitive rates. These qualities along with Kelley Drye’s constant process improvement aimed at providing the most effective and efficient representation to clients make it the perfect choice to service our clients going forward and to develop and grow business,” said Mr. Gallion. “We are committed to understanding our clients and their business objectives, providing practical cost-effective, creative solutions, and to maintaining consistent quality. It’s evident that the firm's attorneys have a similar approach.”

Mr. Gallion and Ms. Visosky also have active pro bono practices. Mr. Gallion is a recognized leader in the LGBT community, donating significant time and resources to community organizations. Most recently, he has served as outside general counsel to GLAAD, overseeing the organization’s legal affairs. Ms. Visosky also devotes a considerable amount of time to pro bono legal counsel with GLAAD, as well as other human rights and immigration matters.

“We appreciate Kelley Drye’s reputation for excellence, flexibility and collegiality, as well as its team-approach to the practice of law which make it a perfect fit for our practice,” said Ms. Visosky.

Kelley Drye’s Labor and Employment Practice Group has represented clients at federal, state, and local levels for more than 60 years, providing practical solutions when clients face sensitive employment matters or bet-the-company litigation.

In addition to Mr. Gallion and Ms. Visosky, five new partners have joined Kelley Drye since January, including entertainment litigator Miles M. Cooley in the Los Angeles office. This growth in L.A. and firm-wide affirms Kelley Drye’s commitment to enlisting top talent in the key areas that offer value to our clients.