United States 
Canada (EN) 
México 
France 
Deutschland 
United Kingdom 
Mami Kato is an experienced and skilled litigator who has successfully represented her clients in all areas of labor, employment, and other types of workplace disputes. Mami has consistently secured summary judgments for her clients in both the federal and Michigan state courts as well as in arbitrations involving statutory claims and other federal and state law causes of action arising out of or in connection with employment relationships. As a passionate brief writer and an oralist, Mami has also successfully represented her clients on appeals brought before the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Michigan Court of Appeals. Mami utilizes her extensive litigation experience in advising and counseling her clients on day-to-day employment law related matters, and obtaining dismissals of administrative charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
As a native Japanese, Mami has been instrumental in conducting effective workplace investigations for U.S. subsidiaries of Japanese companies where some witnesses request to participate in Japanese. Mami’s familiarity with the Japanese culture and her extensive knowledge of the U.S. labor and employment law enable her to identify and evaluate issues under the applicable U.S. laws and advise clients on mitigating potential litigation risks while operating in the United States.
As a former union-side labor attorney, Mami is also familiar with the National Labor Relations Act and the proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and has successfully defended her clients in federal “hybrid” §301 actions jointly brought against employers and labor organizations. Her experience includes providing representations in connection with unfair labor practice charges filed with the NLRB, advising clients on compliance with the collective bargaining agreements, formulating strategies for contract negotiations, and representing her clients in labor arbitrations.
Mami is an active leader with the State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan’s Institute of Continuing Legal Education. She is a regular contributor to the disability law chapter of the Michigan ICLE’s Employment Law for Michigan Lawyers, which is published annually, and has presented annual updates on the ADA, FMLA, and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act at the State Bar of Michigan Labor and Employment Law Section’s Mid-Winter Meetings. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mami was on the management staff of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for over ten years where she dealt primarily with various labor issues involving the musicians and the stagehands. Her experience provides Mami with unique insight to be an effective advocate, both in understanding the employers’ needs and diligently analyzing the legal issues in connection with her clients’ operational concerns.
