Workplace Violence Prevention

Ogletree Deakins understands that employers across the country face workplace violence risks and incidents. These risks and workplace violence events span industries, trades, and geography, and intersect with workers and management.

We draw on a cross-disciplinary team of attorneys with experience advising and counseling employers on a broad cross-section of workplace violence and threat assessments and response. When needed, we coordinate and collaborate with both internal and external experts such as security and law enforcement professionals, threat assessment psychologists, and public relations professionals. Our attorneys provide advice and litigation support for a variety of disputes or issues related to workplace violence, including:

• Training
• OSHA compliance and litigation
• Internal threat and violent incident investigations
• Government or law enforcement investigations and liaison support
• Temporary restraining orders
• Termination and other discipline related to workplace violence
• Leaves related to domestic violence and crime victims
• State-specific workplace violence plan requirements
• Crisis management
• Review of protocols and programs for statutory and regulatory compliance

Our attorneys bring their experience and knowledge of workplace violence issues to the employers we represent. The depth of our practice allows us to provide the following benefits:

• Immediate response to dynamic situations across a broad footprint of offices
• Access to counsel with on-point and in-state experience who can handle the most complex issues
• Experience working with general counsel and members of senior leadership teams
• Counsel who monitor pending legislation and legal trends in workplace violence
• Trainings and presentations on crisis management and threat assessments
• Preventive counseling about legal risks associated with workplace violence
• OSHA compliance and litigation experience in the healthcare industry, retail settings, and general industry
• Recordkeeping and documentation of threats and workplace violence
• Management support in labor and union issues that overlap with workplace violence concerns

Communication is a vital part of serving the legal needs of our clients. We regularly update clients on the status of their matters and are available for consultation at every step of the workplace violence decision-making process. This participative practice style promotes information-driven decision-making and helps to build strong and lasting relationships based on timeliness, responsiveness, quality, and value.

We are a leader in offering value-based billing for clients. We work closely with our clients to develop fee arrangements that are tailored to their needs, and we are happy to discuss alternative fee agreements that may be of interest to our clients.

Workplace Violence Prevention Practice Group Leaders

Karen F. Tynan

Robert C. Rodriguez