Professional Experience
David Kern practices in the area of labor and employment law and chairs the section’s National Labor Relations Act Team. His practice includes an emphasis on grievance arbitration, discrimination litigation, employer counseling and collective bargaining. He represents clients in state and federal courts and before the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board and other state and federal agencies. Mr. Kern’s recent experience includes:
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Successful negotiation of a multi-year collective bargaining agreement on behalf of a major Wisconsin defense contractor.
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Representation of a large utility in a National Labor Relations Board proceeding, in which it was determined that a number of employees were supervisors and therefore ineligible to organize under the National Labor Relations Act.
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Successful negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement containing significant concessions, which was a condition of the purchase of a manufacturing facility in Illinois.
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Successful defense of a federal court action by a union seeking to compel grievance arbitration of disputes under an employer's retirement plan.
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Successful representation of a multistate employer in connection with two union decertification elections at its Illinois and Wisconsin facilities.
Education and Honors
- University of Michigan Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1979)
- Marquette University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1976)
Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu.
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin,
1979
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Professional Recognition
Recognized as
Best Lawyers® 2013 Milwaukee Labor Law - Management “Lawyer of the Year.”
Recognized as
Best Lawyers® 2012 Milwaukee Employment Law - Management “Lawyer of the Year.”
Listed in
The Best Lawyers in America® (1993-present: Employment Law - Management / Labor Law - Management / Litigation - Labor & Employment).
Listed in
Chambers USA® (2003-present: Band 1, Labor & Employment).
Selected for inclusion in the 2005-2012
Wisconsin Super Lawyers® lists (Employment & Labor).
Martindale-Hubbell AV
® Preeminent Peer Review Rated.
Professional and Civic Activities
- American Bar Association (Member, Labor Law Section).
- ABA Committee on Development of the Law Under the National Labor Relations Act (Member).
- ABA Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (Member).
- State Bar of Wisconsin (Member; Former Member, Board of Directors, Labor and Employment Law Section).
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter (Board Member, 1993-1999, 2001-2005; President of the Board, 2002-2004; Nominating Committee Member, 2007, 2009, 2010).
- National Labor Relations Board, Region 30 (Member, Policies and Procedures Committee).
- North Lake Yacht Club (Member).
- Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin, Volunteer Respite Program (Advisory Committee Member).