William E. Altman

Shareholder

Mr. Altman practices in the areas of labor, employment, and benefits litigation on behalf of private and public sector employers. He has extensive experience representing employers in cases involving anti-discrimination laws, whistle-blower and retaliation actions, ERISA actions, non-competition agreements, trade secrets, fiduciary duty actions, and class actions. Mr. Altman defends employers in state and federal courts and before state and federal agencies.

Mr. Altman has particular expertise in defending and advising employers in employee benefits matters.  In addition to advising employers in such matters, Mr. Altman has successfully defended employers in ERISA class actions alleging breach of fiduciary duty, discrimination, and denial of benefits.  He serves as national benefit litigation counsel for a Detroit automaker.  He has also represented employers in single and multiple beneficiary litigation involving the denial of benefits, Qualified Domestic Relations Orders, and declaratory actions to determine beneficiaries.

Mr. Altman also advises employers regarding their obligations under state and federal employment laws, including employment and separation agreements, employment policies, internal investigations, and compliance with state and federal anti-discrimination, wage and hour, and benefits laws.

Mr. Altman is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Sections of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association, the ABA's Employee Benefits Committee, and the Federal Bar Association.  Mr. Altman has served as an Editor of the Michigan Employment Law Letter for the past decade.

Prior to joining Vercruysse Murray & Calzone, P.C., Mr. Altman served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert E. DeMascio of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.


Practice Areas

Employment discrimination

Retaliation and whistleblower

ERISA litigation

Traditional labor law

Non-compete and trade-secrets

Employment agreements


Education

Michigan State University, Detroit College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude and first in his class, 1995)

University of South Carolina (B.S., 1991)


Awards & Recognitions

Charles H. King Award (Detroit College of Law)

American Jurisprudence Award for Civil Procedure

American Jurisprudence Award for Evidence

American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Profession


Publications

Co-author, Employment Law in Michigan: An Employer’s Guide (ICLE 1997-2011)

Co-editor, Michigan Employment Law Letter (1997-2012)

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

Co-author, "Mandatory Arbitration of Statutory Claims Under Collectively Bargained Agreements," (ABA-BNA EEO, 2001)


Memberships

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

American Bar Association (Member, Labor & Employment Law Section)

Federal Bar Association (Member)

 

Representative Cases

Brooks v. Chrysler Group LLC – UAW Pension Plan, 2012 WL 95267 (E.D. Mich. 2012) (Successfully defended pension plan against claim for pension benefits)

 

Dean v. DaimlerChrysler Life, Disability and Health Care Benefits Program, 439 Fed. Appx. 265 (4th Cir. 2011) (Successfully defended benefits plan in claim for long term disability benefits)

 

Beauchamp v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 2011 WL 34897980 (E.D. Mich. 2011) (Successfully defended pension plan against claim for pension benefits)

 

Lilley v. DaimlerChrysler Corporation-UAW Pension Plan, 2010 WL 380833 (S.D. Ill. 2010) (Successfully defended pension plan against claim for pension benefits)

 

Meyer v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 2009 WL 702817 (E.D. Mo. 2009) (Successfully defended employer against claim for disability benefits)

 

Crawford v TRW Automotive U.S. LLC, 560 F.3d 607 (6th Cir. 2009) (E.D. Mich. 2007) (Successfully defended employer in class action pension discrimination case under arising out of a plant closure)

 

Hendricks v. Home Depot, Inc., 2006 WL 3422695 (S.D. Ohio 2006) (Successfully defended employer in putative class action involving ERISA claims arising out of workers compensation leaves)

 

In re U.S. Truck Company Holdings, Inc., 341 B.R. 596 (E.D. Mich. 2006) (Successfully represented multi-employer pension plan and trust in case involving “trucking industry” exception to withdrawal liability )

 

Meier v. Green, No. 07-11410, 2007 WL 2909418, 2007 WL 1868999 (E.D. Mich. 2007); Meier v. Detroit Diesel Corporation, 2006 WL 2089208 (Mich. Ct. App. 2006) (Successfully defended employer in multiple-count, multiple action litigation by former employee alleging numerous discrimination and other claims.)

 

Detroit Newspaper Agency v. N.L.R.B., 435 F.3d 302 (D.C. Cir. 2006) (Obtained Court of Appeals holding that NRLB’s order was not supported by substantial evidence where it determined that employee was discharged due to union activity; the NLRB subsequently dismissed the case)

 

Henry v. Northwest Airlines, Inc., 148 Fed.Appx. 410 (6th Cir. 2005) (Obtained summary judgment for employer in race discrimination claim brought by long term employee)

 

Detroit Newspaper Agency v. Schaub, 108 F. Supp. 2d 729 (E.D. Mich. 2000) (Obtained injunctive relief restraining the NLRB from prosecuting unfair labor practice charges against the employer)

 

Hogan v. Petitpren, Inc. Employee Profit Sharing and Pension Plan, 92 F. Supp. 2d 612 (E.D. Mich. 2000)  (Successfully defended employer in case alleging violations of ERISA procedure and failure to provide benefits)

 

NLRB v. Detroit Newspaper Agency, 185 F.3d 602 (6th Cir. 1999) (Obtained first impression ruling that privilege reviews regarding agency subpoenas are the province of the courts, rather than the agencies)