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Morgan Lewis

Thomas F. Hurka

Partner

Thomas F. Hurka represents employers in US federal and state court, before government agencies, in corporate transactions, and in collective bargaining proceedings. Thomas counsels and represents clients in class actions, collective actions, and litigation involving restrictive covenants, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and breach of contract disputes. His clients range from retail, finance, automotive, pharmaceutical, and airline companies, to manufacturing, technology, insurance, accounting, and professional services enterprises.

Extended Profile

Thomas has experience in matters involving the ADA, ADEA, FLSA, FMLA,  and ERISA, WARN, Title VII, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, National Labor Relations Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and state and local employment laws.

He represents clients in US federal and state trials, emergency proceedings, arbitrations, mediations, and state and federal administrative proceedings; and in collective bargaining, grievance adjustment, and matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and appellate courts. He both prosecutes and defends against temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions.

In addition, Thomas counsels employers on regulatory and union matters, workplace harassment, and discrimination. He helps clients address matters related to personnel policies, wage and hour issues, employee handbooks and policies, executive contracts, severance agreements, independent contractor agreements, and hiring, disciplining, and discharging issues.

US and foreign-based companies seek Thomas’s advice on cross-border transactions and employment and outsourcing issues. He has experience representing multinational employers in global restructuring, reductions in force, employment policy changes, and outsourcing.

Thomas lectures and publishes regularly on a variety of employment-related topics.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Thomas was a labor partner at an international law firm.

Education

  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 1998, J.D.
  • University of Rochester, 1993, B.A.

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Circuits
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
  • U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana

Awards and Affiliations

Recommended, Labor and employment: Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense, The Legal 500 US (2019)

Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017, 2019)

Member, Indiana State Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, American Bar Association, Chicago Sister Cities International Program (Prague Committee), Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, and National Immigrant Justice Center (Heartland Alliance)

Listed, Who's Who Legal – Pension & Benefits (2015–2016)

Listed, Who's Who Legal – Labour and Employment (2013, 2016)

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