Thomas Kane has more than 30 years of experience advising clients on a variety of labor and employment law matters. Mr. Kane has represented employers since the late 1960s in claims by their employees. He has managed many class actions on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, trying some of them to conclusion and resolving others by summary judgment or by settlement satisfactory to the client.
In addition to defending class actions alleging race, gender and disability claims, Mr. Kane has represented clients in the trial of individual and group race, national origin, gender, religious disability, and marital status cases. These cases were tried before juries and judges in both state and federal court.
Mr. Kane has tried numerous sex harassment claims involving many complex and cutting-edge issues. For example, he handled one of the earliest “same-sex harassment” claims in federal court, and secured a defense verdict from the jury. Much of the case focused on extensive statistical analysis that Mr. Kane presented to the fact-finder in a way that a non-statistician could understand.
In addition to his trial practice, Mr. Kane also represents employers in collective bargaining arbitrations involving issues of contract interpretation, safety, unit definition and work rule violations. He also has defended employers against claims filed by the National Labor Relations Board, including unfair labor practices charges, unit determinations, and strike-related issues.
Finally, Mr. Kane helps ensure that employers comply with employment laws and regulations and, thus, avoid or minimize the problems that can lead to litigation. He has designed and written affirmative action plans, reduction-in-force plans, employee manuals and numerous other effective human resource documents. He has also advised employers on the proper conduct of large reductions-in-force, executive terminations and executive placements.
Mr. Kane has received significant professional recognition for his employment law practice. He was selected as one of the “Leading American Attorneys” as determined by a statewide survey of lawyers conducted by the American Research Corporation, a distinction limited to fewer than 6% of
Minnesota lawyers.
In May 2006 in the area of Commercial Litigation, Mr. Kane was selected as one of
The Best Lawyers in America®, by Woodward/White, Inc., and subsequently as one of the “Best Lawyers in
Minnesota,” as published in
Minnesota Monthy.
Since 2006, Mr. Kane has been named annually to the
Super Lawyers list in the areas of Employment & Labor and/or Professional Liability: Defense by
Minnesota Law & Politics magazine. In addition, he holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability. He is also a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Kane’s other professional affiliations include the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section), the Minnesota State Bar Association (President, Young Lawyers Section) and Phi Alpha Delta.
Prior to joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in August 2000, Mr. Kane practiced in the litigation department for nearly 30 years as a partner with the law firm of Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly.
Mr. Kane has been a frequent lecturer and featured speaker at continuing legal education programs involving labor and employment issues. His presentations include:
- “Procedures and Safeguards in the Law Firm to Avoid Vicarious Liability,” Hinshaw’s 2006 Legal Malpractice and Risk Management Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 2006.
- “LLP, LLCs and PCs – Vicarious Liability Protection and Limitations,” Hinshaw’s Legal Malpractice and Risk Management Conference, Chicago, Illinois, February 2005.