Robert M. Vercruysse

Robert M. Vercruysse

President, Founder, Director and Shareholder

Robert Vercruysse is nationally recognized as a leading counselor, negotiator and litigator in all facets of employment, labor, civil rights and ERISA litigation. His clients include automobile manufacturers and suppliers, newspapers, news organizations and television stations, distributors, financial institutions, hospitals, physician groups and universities. While Michigan is primary, he handles cases for clients throughout the United States.

Mr. Vercruysse served as a law clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and was an adjunct professor of Labor Law at The University of Michigan Law School.


Practice Areas

Labor & Employment Law, ERISA Litigation

Serves as an independent mediator or arbitrator


Education

University of Michigan Law School (J.D., cum laude)

Michigan State University (high honors)


Awards & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America (listed since 1987)

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (listed since 2004)

Michigan Super Lawyers Top 100 (listed since 2006)

Who's Who Legal USA: Management Labour & Employment (listed since 2006)

Selected by his peers from across the United States as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (1997)


Publications & Lectures

Editor, Michigan Employment Law Letter

Regular contributor to legal and professional publications

Co-author, Age Discrimination In Employment Law (BNA 1999)

Co-author, Employment Litigation in Michigan (ICLE 1999)

Co-author, Employment Discrimination Law, 3rd edition (BNA 2002)

Co-author, Employment Litigation in Michigan, 2nd edition (ICLE 2004)

Co-author, The Handbook of Fraud Deterrence (2007)

Frequent speaker and lecturer to various business, professional and trade organizations


Trials, Appeals and Negotiations

Recently won a major appeal on behalf of a national airline in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals where a plaintiff Supervisor alleged race discrimination.

Recently won a class action ERISA case in the Eastern District of Michigan which was affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of an automotive parts supplier.

Recently tried and won a jury trial on behalf of a national medical supply company where plaintiff alleged sex and pregnancy discrimination.

Recently negotiated an auto supplier's collective bargaining agreement with the UAW after an 87 day strike that shut down a major automobile company, major concessions.

Took over a major strike in the newspaper industry from a large Detroit law firm; successfully concluded the strike; won major Federal Court and NLRB related litigation.

Successfully tried and won numerous class actions, jury trials, arbitrations, NLRB and MERC trials on behalf of both public and private employers throughout the United States.

Has, through his work over the years, helped to shape the labor and employment laws in Michigan.


Memberships

Sixth Judicial Conference for the United States Court of Appeals (Life Member)

Federal Bar Association (Executive Board, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter)

American Employment Law Council (Charter Member)

State Bar of Michigan (former Chair, Labor & Employment Law Section)

American Bar Association (Member and presenter at the Committee's Annual and Midwinter meetings, Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, Labor Law Section)

American Bar Foundation (Fellow)

Michigan State Bar Foundation (Fellow)

Historical Society of the United States District Court (former Trustee, Eastern District of Michigan)

Michigan Employment Relations Commission (Member, Advisory Committee)

EEOC Advisory Committee on ADR

ABA/EEO Liaison Committee for Michigan