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Claudia Orr

Plunkett Cooney

33 years of experience
Arbitration & Mediation
Michigan

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Biography

An attorney in the firm’s Detroit office, Claudia D. Orr exclusively represents and advises employers and management in employment and labor law matters. Ms. Orr's clients include Fortune 500 companies, local governments, tier-one automotive suppliers, nationwide distributors of pharmaceutical products, numerous nonprofit agencies, healthcare providers, restaurants, and wholesale food distributors. She also has extensive litigation and appellate experience, and regularly practices before state and federal courts as an advocate. As a counselor, Ms. Orr regularly advises clients on employment/labor matters, including hiring, discipline/discharge, complex ADA/Family and Medical Leave Act/STD-LTD/Workers' Disability Compensation issues, and labor grievances/arbitration matters. Ms. Orr regularly defends clients in litigation and arbitration matters involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA violations, wage/benefit issues, retaliation against whistleblowers, public policy discharge, unpaid commissions, and pension, severance and other ERISA claims, etc. Ms. Orr routinely represents clients in administrative proceedings before government agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Michigan Department of Civil Rights, state and federal Departments of Labor (including their Wage and Hour Divisions ), and the Michigan Employment Security Commission. In addition, Ms. Orr has an ever-growing practice in Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”). In this regard, she serves as defense case evaluator for the special employment panels of the Wayne, Macomb and Oakland Counties’ Case Evaluation Tribunals, is an appointee to the American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Neutrals for its Employment Panel, and serves as a mediator for the American Arbitration Association and others. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law - Management and Top Lawyers in Detroit for several years.

Education

University of Detroit Law School: J.D. (1991) | Law; 1988 - 1991; Honors: 3rd in Class, Summa Cum Laude; Activities: Law Review

University of Michigan - Dearborn: BGS (1986) | (Soc/Psyc/AmHist); 1980 - 1986; Honors: PSY CHI, Top 10%, with High Honors

Professional Experience

Senior Attorney: Plunkett Cooney; 2005 - Current; Employment/Labor - Employer Side, ADR (Mediator/Arbitrator)

Partner: Williams Mullin ("sold to" Howard & Howard); 2003 - 2005; Employment/Labor (Employer Side), ADR (mediator/arbitrator)

Partner: Clark Hill; 2001 - 2003; Employment/Labor Attorney (Employer side)

Partner: Barris Sott Denn & Driker; 1996 - 2001; Employment/Labor Attorney (Employer side)

Associate Attorney: Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP; 1991 - 1996; Employment Attorney (Employer side)

Professional Associations

American Arbitration Association: Mediator / Arbitrator; 2003 - Current; Activities: Panel of Neutrals (Employment Arbitrator), Mediator

Detroit SHRM: Legal Affairs Committee Chair; 2001 - Current; Activities: Served as chair of Legal Affairs Committee (approx. 2004-2008), VP of Legal Affairs/Member of Bd of Directors (approx. 2008-20012), Chair of Legal Affairs Committee (2012- present)