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Mark E. Furlane is a partner in the HR Law Practice Group. Before joining the firm in 1979, Mark spent just under five years as a lawyer for the United States Marine Corps where he gained extensive trial experience. In Mark's 28 years of private practice since joining the firm, he has represented employers in nearly all labor and employment issues confronting today's employer. His practice is now concentrated in the area of employment law, with his major emphasis in the areas of employment, benefits and fiduciary litigation and employment counseling.
Employment Litigation and Counseling. Mark has successfully litigated numerous class actions and individual actions in various state and federal trial and appellate courts and in arbitration forums. His litigation practice includes all facets of employment, especially in the areas of employment discrimination and harassment, restrictive and confidentiality covenants and trade secrets, wrongful discharge, FMLA, defamation, wage and hour and other compensation disputes, Public Sector Civil Rights claims and most other state and federal statutory and common law employment compliance issues. Mark has extensive experience representing both corporations and executives in the negotiation and litigation of executive compensation-related matters. He also has extensive experience advising clients on the broad array of issues facing both large and small employers today. He has frequently negotiated executive and other employment and separation agreements, especially with respect to restrictive covenant and confidentiality concerns, and he has represented both employers and executives in the negotiation of executive-related matters. Mark also represents clients in OSHA matters, including litigation before the Occupational Safety and Review Commission, and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Briefings on Hospital Safety.
ERISA and Fiduciary Litigation. Mark has successfully litigated class actions, individual actions and actions by the Secretary of Labor brought under ERISA and other theories. These have included claims involving benefit denials, discrimination, fiduciary breach claims, claims involving cash balance plans, pay equity plans and other welfare benefit and retirement plans, both qualified and non-qualified. He was lead counsel in one of the largest cash balance plan actions in recent years, obtained denial of class certification status and summary judgment in an age discrimination challenge to a conversion to a pay equity plan, and recently obtained summary judgment in a fiduciary breach ESOP case. Mark also has represented both companies and executives in executive compensation disputes, involving most facets of executive compensation and benefits issues.
Traditional Labor Relations, Arbitration and Related Litigation. Mark has considerable experience in traditional labor counseling, collective bargaining and union avoidance, including representing clients before the NLRB and ISLRB in both unfair labor practice and representation proceedings. He has extensive experience representing employers in labor arbitrations and has represented employers in matters involving unlawful picketing, secondary boycotts, strikes and related matters.
In General. Mark is a member of the Labor and Employment Sections of the Chicago and Federal Bar Associations. He is a past chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Labor and Employment Section and a current board member of the local chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is a member of the trial bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. | 