Mark H. Burak

Recent Cases:

Klauber v. VMware, Inc. 599 F. Supp.3d 34 (D. Mass. 2021):  Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in hotly contested commission dispute.

Shea v. The Fresh Market 2021 WL 2223006 (Mass.Super.):   Succesfully moved to compel arbitration in case where employer signature was missing from arbitration agreement.

Fincher v. EMD Serono, Inc. (United States District Court MA) Civil Action 1:14-CV-10502-RGS: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in disability case.

Oxlaj v. Greencore USA, Inc. (MA Superior Court-Essex) Civil Action ESCV2011-01184-D: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in contentious sexual/national origin harassment and retaliation case.

Trent v. ADT Security Services (United States District Court MA) Civil Action 1:11-C11912-RGS: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in age, retaliation and wage claim action (2013 WL 4512052).

Henry v. BJ’s Wholesale Company (United States District Court MA) Civil Action 1:12-CV-10620-DJC: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in case alleging racial discrimination, racial harassment and retaliation.

Terry v. SimplexGrinnell, LP (United States District Court MA) Civil Action 4:11-CV-40117-FDS: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of employer in case alleging FMLA interference/retaliation and violations of the ADA (2013 WL 1332240).

Confidential Matter: On behalf of pharma company, initiated pursued pre-litigation claims against 18 departed employees who stole confidential and trade secret information.  Obtained return of all client information, payment of attorneys’ fees and extended restrictive covenant agreements without litigation.

Confidential Matter: In trade secrets/customer privacy case, on behalf of high-tech manufacturer filed litigation against two former company executives and obtained substantial monetary settlement and stipulated agreement from defendants to abide by the terms of their non-solicitation and non-disclosure agreements.

Confidential Matter: Represented client in high-profile internal investigation of several senior executives regarding alleged gender bias, resulting in the departure of executives without any litigation.

Confidential Matter: Represented client in investigation of senior in-house counsel’s alleged misconduct following allegations of pay inequity, resulting in departure of in-house counsel without litigation.

Reported Cases:

• Klauber v. VMware, Inc., 599 F. Supp.3d 34 (D. Mass. 2021)
• Mirabel v. Herb Chambers of Auburn, Inc., 2012 WL 859566 (D. Mass. 2012)
• Rodio v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., 416 F. Supp. 2d 224 (D. Mass. 2006)
• Delegne v. Kinney Systems, Inc., 2004 WL 1881071 (D. Mass. 2004)
• Stokes v. Saga Int’l Holidays, Ltd., 218 FRD 6 (D. Mass. 2003)
• Kifle v. Kinney Systems, Inc., 25 MDLR 252 (MCAD July 17, 2003)
• Flebotte v. Dow Jones & Co., Inc., 51 F. Supp. 2d 36 (Mass. 1999)
• Tomka v. The Seiler Corp., 66 F.3d 1295 (2d Cir. 1995)
• Lysak v. The Seiler Corp., 415 Mass. 625 (1993)

Education

• J.D., magna cum laude, Boston University School of Law, 1991
• B.B.A., University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1987

Admission to Practice

• Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit

• Boston Bar Association
  • Council (2021-current)
  • Former Co-Chair, Labor and Employment Section (2012-2014)
  • Member of Labor and Employment Section Steering Committee (1999 to 2008; 2012 to 2016)
• Massachusetts Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section)
• American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section)
• Human Resources Leadership Forum

Community Service:

• Board of Advisors, Pan Mass Challenge (2022-current)
• Founder and Co-Captain, Team Crank, Pan Mass Challenge (2010-present)
  • Personally responsible for raising in excess of $1.2 million for cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute
• Board Member, Acton-Boxborough United Way (2015-2021)
• Board member Acton-Boxborough Youth Soccer (2012-2014)
  • Head coach (2004-2012)
• Board member Acton-Boxborough Youth Lacrosse (2008-2011)
  • Assistant coach (2006-2010)

• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “What’s the Range? Pay Transparency Laws on the Rise” – Phoenix – November 9, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Equal Pay Day Series: Part 1—Foundational Concepts in Pay Equity” – February 15, 2023
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, MCLE Employment Law Conference – “COVID-19 and the New Normal” – December 2021
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Equal Pay Is Here to Stay: Lessons From the Latest Litigation” – New Orleans – November 14, 2019
• Association of Corporate Counsel (Northeast Chapter) – “Massachusetts Pay Equity Law: #timesup (almost)!” – June 5, 2018
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “The Life of a Discrimination Claim—From Allegation Through Trial” – Phoenix – May 9, 2018
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “New Year, New Pay Equity Laws: Bans on Salary History Inquiries” – January 9, 2018
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Call the Hotline? Constructing a Whistleblower/Internal Complaint Program” – San Diego – May 5, 2017
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education – MCLE Employment Law Conference – “1,000,000 Ways to Prove (or Disprove) Pretext” – Boston – December 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive Seminar – “I Do What I Want! Managing Individual Expression at Work” – Colorado Springs – October 1, 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Massachusetts Enacts Sweeping Pay Equity Legislation” – August 24, 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Pay Equity: Federal and State Focus Increases Risk of Pay Discrimination Claims for Many Employers” – February 23, 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive Seminar – “The New “Me Too” Litigation—Defending Self-Reinforcing Claims Brought By Multiple Plaintiffs” – Phoenix – November 13, 2015
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Massachusetts Earned Sick Time, Ready or Not” – June 25, 2015
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Healthcare and Life Sciences . . . Emerging Issues for Employers” – San Antonio – May 15, 2015
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Harmonizing Cross-Border Employment Practices and “Boilerplate” Language” – Las Vegas – May 8, 2014
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “From Harassment to Fraud: A Workshop On Conducting First-Rate Workplace Investigations” – New Orleans – May 8, 2013
• Boston Bar Association – “The Supremes-Review and Preview of Supreme Court and SJC Employment Cases” – Boston – October 2012 – October 2013
• Boston Bar Association – “The Legal Landscape of Stereotyping and Unconscious Bias Cases” – Boston – June 2009
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education – “What Every Lawyer Needs To Know About Employment Law” – Boston – June 2009 – June 2013
• Boston Bar Association – “Litigating Wage/Hour, Class/Collective Actions” – Boston – May 2009
• Boston Bar Association – “Employment Law Basics” – Boston – May 2008 – April 2013
• MCLE Employment Law Conference – “Employment Related Tort Claims Update” – Boston – December 2007
• Boston Bar Association – “Handling Retaliation Cases – The Cutting Edge” – Boston – September 2007
• Suffolk University Law School – “Retaliation Claims After White” – Boston – September 2006
• MCLE Employment Law Conference, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education – “Electronic Discovery Best Practices” – Boston – December 2005
• Suffolk University Law School – “Employment Litigation – Thinking Outside the Box” – Newton – October 2003
• Associated Industries of Massachusetts – “Management 2003, Best Practices in a Competitive Economy” – Boston – May 2003

• March 9, 2023 – SHRM Online – “Is Pay Transparency and Reporting Coming to Massachusetts?”
• 2008 – Boston Bar Association – “Employment Law Guide: A Practical Guide to Understanding Massachusetts Employment Law”
• March 2007 – New England In-House – “Why Retaliation Claims Are On The Rise and What Employers Can Do About It”
• July 26, 2006 – New England In-House – “Protecting Privileges in Internal HR Investigations: A Primer”

• May 2, 2023 – Bloomberg Law – “‘No Mercy’ Ruling Leaves Employers Sweating Late Paychecks”
• August 5, 2016 – SHRM Online – “New Mass. Pay Equity Law Prohibits Salary-History Questions”
• June 9, 2014 – Boston Bar Association – “Working to Address Employment Issues in Nonprofits”
• February 17, 2013 – Boston Globe – “Exploring the Age Divide in Boston Start-Ups”
• April 20, 2012 – SHRM.org – “Letter Carrier’s Claim of Disability-Based Harassment Properly Dismissed”

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Employment Law – Management (2016-2025)
  • Litigation – Labor and Employment (2016-2025)
• Top 100 New England Lawyer by Boston Magazine (2010)
• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 2002
• Super Lawyer (2007-present) (Litigation – Employment Defense)
• Chambers USA Leading Lawyer (2019-present)
• Best Lawyers in America (2016-present)