Kim A. Leffert

Kim Leffert is a counsel in the Chicago office of Mayer Brown's Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. Kim has intensive experience in counseling employers in labor and employment matters. Kim's practice includes advising management in drafting employment and severance agreements. Kim represents employers in labor and employment disputes, but also counsels employers on proactive strategies to avoid litigation. And when mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions arise, Kim helps clients conduct employment-related due diligence, negotiates contract provisions, and drafts employment-related sections of transaction documents.

A significant and growing part of her work involves electronic discovery issues. Kim has substantial experience assisting clients with the preservation, collection, review and production of electronic documents in litigation. She also helps clients prepare document retention policies and procedures and records management programs, as well as develop electronic discovery programs.

Kim has been ranked by Chambers USA for Labor & Employment in Illinois since 2010. Chambers praises Kim for being “well regarded for her experience in labor and employment litigation, including wage and hour suits. She is also noted for her expertise in e-discovery matters.” Further, “[c]lients praise her counseling skills, commenting that “’she is the voice of reason’” and “'is very calm and patient and walks us through issues.'"

• She has bench and jury trial experience in federal and state court actions involving state common law theories (breach of contract and tort) and wage-and-hour issues, as well as the defense of employers in a wide variety of EEO and Section 301 actions. 
• She has argued cases before the Fourth and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on disability discrimination and sexual harassment. 
• In administrative proceedings, Kim represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board (unfair labor practice claims, unit determinations, election proceedings) and the EEOC and state human rights agencies (discrimination charges and hearings). 
• She has also participated in court and agency sponsored formal mediation programs and represents employers in labor arbitrations.
• Kim helps clients craft appropriate handbooks and policies (including preservation of employment-at-will rights and compliance with FMLA, veterans rights, state protective laws) and offers guidance on WARN compliance regarding plant closures. 
• In the area of discrimination, Kim assists clients with EEO issues in both individual and collective employment decisions, defends against discrimination claims (Title VII, ADA, ADEA and state/local equivalents), prepares affirmative action plans, represents employers during compliance reviews and in the resulting administrative proceedings, and presents training programs on various EEO topics.
• Kim advises management on collective bargaining strategies and contract interpretation issues. When necessary, she investigates alleged executive wrongdoing.
• Part of a team of Mayer Brown lawyers that designed an extensive e-discovery program for a “Big Four” accounting firm.

• Cornell University, BA
• The University of Chicago Law School, JD

• Illinois

• American Bar Association, Section on Labor and Employment Relations
• Chicago Bar Association, Labor and Employment Committee, and past co-chair of the Young Lawyers’ Section Labor and Employment Committee