Michael Oliver Eckard

Michael focuses on all aspects of labor and employment law. He advises companies on labor and employment policy matters, including serving as primary outside labor and employment counsel to multiple private and publicly traded companies. He regularly defends companies and management against discrimination (race, gender, national origin, disability, and religion), sexual harassment, and retaliation claims before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and before state and federal courts. He has experience representing employers in wage and hour collective actions, multi-party discrimination claims, and administrative actions. He also represents management in union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, and unfair labor practice and representation hearings. In addition, Michael has significant experience representing companies and individuals in complex restrictive covenant (nonsolicitation, noncompetition, etc.) and trade secret actions, including seeking emergency injunctive relief to protect his clients’ interests.

In addition to cases in which he has negotiated favorable confidential settlement agreements or other favorable resolutions to employment and labor disputes on behalf of his clients, the following are examples of Michael’s representative matters:

• Regularly advises national, regional, and local clients on labor policies and disputes, as well as contract negotiations and grievance arbitrations
• Represented national and regional clients in labor contract negotiations with various unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the United Steel Workers
• Represented national and regional clients on workforce restructuring and assisted with strategies for a company-wide reductions-in-force
• Obtained summary judgment on numerous occasions in favor of regional and national companies in single-plaintiff and multi-plaintiff discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment lawsuits
• Obtained temporary restraining orders and injunctions on behalf of multiple regional and national companies in both state and federal courts in non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disclosure, trade secret, and unfair competition cases. The cases have included suits to enforce restrictive covenant obligations. He has also represented high-level managers and employers who are defending against restrictive covenant claims
• Obtained emergency temporary restraining orders and injunctions on behalf of multiple clients for workplace violence
• Successfully represented multiple clients in discrimination and harassment claims on appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• Represented multiple national, regional, and local clients claims involving restrictive covenant disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets and computer fraud, along with other tortious conduct

Michael is also a graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) trial training program in Boulder, Colorado.

Education

• J.D., University of South Carolina, 2005
• B.S., College of Charleston, 2002
• U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College , Air University, 2024
• U.S. Army Military Intelligence School, 1997

Admission to Practice

• District of Columbia
• New York
• North Carolina
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
• South Carolina
• Georgia
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Georgia
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth, Seventh, Eleventh and District of Columbia Circuits
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Veteran Claims
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Accredited Attorney
• U.S. District Court, Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma
• Supreme Court of the United States

• American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section)
• State Bar of South Carolina
• State Bar of North Carolina
• Charleston Bar Association
• District of Columbia Bar
• Georgia Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section; Young Lawyers Division)
• Atlanta Bar Association (Member of the Board of Directors, Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers, 2006-07)
• Military Intelligence Corps Association
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3142 (Life Member)
• Care and Counseling Centers of Georgia (Member of the Board of Directors, 2010-2014)
• Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
• East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club

• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Supreme Court’s Enlightenment: Key Takeaways From Groff and Its Impact on Religious Accommodations” – July 21, 2023
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Post-Pandemic Religious Accommodation Requests and Objections: The New Workplace Swords and Shields” – June 21, 2022
• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “COVID Concerns Continue—Even as the Virus (Hopefully) Wanes” – Phoenix – May 5, 2022
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Trends and Forecasts: What Employers Need to Know Now” – Amelia Island – November 11, 2021
• Atlanta Bar Association – “Workplace COVID Vaccine Mandate: What Lawyers Need to Know” – November 4, 2021
• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce – “Business in Your Backyard: COVID Vaccine and Emergency Temporary Standard” – October 5, 2021
• Charleston County Bar’s Lunch & Learn CLE series – “Employment Impacts of the COVID-19 Crisis” – August 24, 2021
• Diversity Equity and Inclusion Conference 2021 – “Leading Through a Lens of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” – July 28, 2021
• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “COVID Concerns: Vaccines, Masks, and Return to Work” – Austin – June 25, 2021
• Society for Human Resource Management, Central Savannah River Area Chapter Webinar – “Consideration of Mandatory COVID Vaccines for Employees” – February 11, 2021
• Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), South Carolina Chapter Webinar – “EEOC Greenlights Employer COVID-19 Vaccination Programs…But How and When Will Everything Fall Into Place?” – February 9, 2021
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “EEOC Greenlights Employer COVID-19 Vaccination Programs…But How and When Will Everything Fall Into Place?” – January 19, 2021
• BHCOE Webinar – “Best Practices in Setting Up a Vaccination Program at Your ABA Organization” – January 14, 2021
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Pandemic Pandemonium: Multistate Compliance and COVID-19” – November 11, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2021 – “COVID Testing and Vaccines” – September 18, 2020
• APPA Business & Financial Virtual Conference – “Ask the Attorney” – September 15, 2020
• Virtual COVID-19 Employment Litigation: Prevention and Defense Strategies – “Avoiding Litigation and Claims With Proper Testing, Screening, and Other Mitigation Measures” – September 10, 2020
• Dorchester County Industrial Council – “Doing Business as Usual in Unusual Times” – August 11, 2020
• Sustainable Return to Work Strategies Webinar in partnership with BioIQ and Cresa – “Top 3 Issues Addressed in Preparing/Continuing Your Return to the Workplace” – June 10, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Testing and Screening for COVID-19: Compliance and Best Practices for the Workplace” – May 19, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Virtual Conference – “Return to Work—Strategies for Success” – May 15, 2020
• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Webinar – “Return to Work: A Guide for Getting the Workforce Back Into the Workplace” – May 7, 2020
• Greater North Dakota Chamber – “COVID-19 Employer Update: Understanding Potential Workplace Impacts (Part 2)” – April 21, 2020
• Greater North Dakota Chamber Webinar – “COVID-19 Employer Update: Understanding Potential Workplace Impacts (Part 1)” – April 17, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update for Employers: Planning for the Potential Impact on Your Workplace” – March 5 & 6, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Key Considerations for Employers As the Coronavirus Spreads” – January 28, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Accommodating Religion and Disabilities in the Workplace” – Denver – November 8, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “L&E Issues in Transactions” – New York City – October 22, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Employee Privacy Issues” – New York City – October 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Going Viral: Addressing Infectious Disease Concerns in the Workplace” – May 8, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar  – “Staying Power: Retaliation Claims Still Top the Charts After a Decade” – Las Vegas – May 2, 2019
• IMA Carolinas Council Spring Conference – “2019 Employment, Benefits, and Executive Compensation Update” – Myrtle Beach – April 26, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Employment Law Briefing – “Going Viral: Addressing Infectious Disease Concerns in the Workplace” – Detroit (Metro) – March 21, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “Preventing and Responding to Workplace Violence” – Atlanta – October 26, 2018
• ACC Annual Tri-City Employment Law Briefing – “Recent Developments in Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation, Employee Recruiting, & Trade Secrets” – Charleston – September 6, 2018
• IMA Carolinas Council Spring Conference – “Employment Law Briefing and Update” – Myrtle Beach – April 26, 2018
• Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce – “Employment Law Update” – Summerville – January 10, 2018
• ACC Annual Tri-City Employment Law Briefing – “The Three Ps of the 30(b)(6) Deposition: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation” – Charleston – October 26, 2017
• Performance Driven Forum – “Making the Tough Call: Real World Ethical Dilemmas for In-House” – Greer – June 22, 2017
• Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce – “Employment Law Update” – Summerville – January 2017
• ACC Annual Tri-City Employment Law Briefing – “Damned If You Do or If You Don’t? The Latest on Background Checks” – Charleston – December 8, 2016
• ACC Annual Tri-City Employment Law Briefing – “Trade Secrets Protection With Teeth: The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016” – Charleston – December 8, 2016
• Association of Corporate Counsel, South Carolina Chapter – CLE Presentation – “Reel Ethics” – Charleston – June 8, 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “The Buzz on Zika Virus: Navigating the Labor and Employment Issues” – Chicago – May 5, 2016
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Executive Webinar: 5 Things Employers Need to Know About Zika Virus” – March 3, 2016
• Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce – “Employment Law Developments from 2015” – Summerville – January 2016
• Association of Corporate Counsel, South Carolina Chapter – CLE Presentation – “Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Clauses Under Attack” – Charleston – December 2015
• Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce – “Employment Law Developments from 2014” – Summerville – January 7, 2015
• Society for Human Resource Management, 2014 South Carolina State Convention – “Guns in the Workplace: Managing Risky Behavior Without Creating Liability” – Myrtle Beach – September 25, 2014
• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce – 2014 Greenwood Labor Forum – “Mechanics of a Union Election and New Challenges to Elections and Campaigns” – Greenwood – April 1, 2014
• Association of Corporate Counsel, South Carolina Chapter – CLE Presentation – “Who’s Business Is It: Protecting Proprietary Information” – Charleston – February 27, 2014
• Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce – “Labor Law Update: It Isn’t Pretty” – Summerville – January 3, 2014

• October 31, 2016 – SHRM Online – “Employees’ Continuing Work Constitutes Assent to Arbitration Agreement”
• April 25, 2014 – SHRM.org – “Right to Bring FLSA Collective Action Can Be Waived”
• August 27, 2013 – SHRM.org – “Right to FMLA Reinstatement is Not Absolute”

• February 5, 2021 – SHRM Online – “Steer Clear of Roadblocks to Mandating or Incentivizing Vaccines”
• January 13, 2021 – SHRM Online – “Should Employers Administer COVID-19 Vaccines?”
• December 23, 2020 – Bloomberg Law – “By the Numbers: 5 Practices That Could Drive Big Law in 2021”
• December 18, 2020 – Law360 – “Firms, Courts Face Worker Vaccine Bind Despite EEOC Guide”
• November 6, 2020 – Law360 – “3 Challenges For Holiday Hiring In 2020”
• November 6, 2020 – EHS Today – “How to Follow CDC Holiday Party Advice”
• September 18, 2020 – Bloomberg Law – “Covid-19 Employer Vaccination Programs Could Be Sought by OSHA”
• August 7, 2020 – Bloomberg Law – “States, Localities Filling Federal Void With Virus Safety Rules”
• July 17, 2020 – SHRM Online – “CDC Issues Guidance on Testing Employees for COVID-19”
• April 28, 2020 – SearchHRSoftware – “HR to see COVID-19 status dashboards, contact tracing apps”
• April 23, 2020 – Law360 – “EEOC Gives Employers A Green Light To Test For COVID-19”
• February 27, 2020 – AJC – “Georgia employers weigh how coronavirus will affect work routines”
• February 24, 2020 – South Carolina Lawyers Weekly – “Coronavirus has lawyers springing to action, too”
• February 13, 2020 – SC Biz News – “Employers confronting legal issues surrounding coronavirus”
• August 5, 2016 – SHRM Online – “Zika Fears Keep Workers Away from Olympics”
• August 3, 2016 – Law.com – “As Zika Infections Rise, Law Firms Follow Ebola Playbook”
• April 27, 2016 – SHRM Online – “Summer, Mosquitoes—and the Zika Virus”
• February 3, 2016 – SHRM.org – “The Zika Virus: What Employers Should Not Do”
• October 30, 2014 – SHRM.org – “Ebola Response: Suspend Unnecessary Travel”
• October 20, 2014 – National Law Journal – “Hospitals Sweat Potential Ebola Liability”

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law – Management (2021-2025)
• Named the Best Lawyers® Charleston Employment Law – Management Lawyer of the Year (2025)
• Labor and Employment Rising Star by HR Professionals Magazine
• Editor, South Carolina Law Review
  
• Rising Star, Georgia Super Lawyers (2011-present)
• AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell