Margo O’Donnell

I advise on consequential employment issues such as noncompetes, individual and group discharges, and internal investigations. I litigate “bet the company” employment cases involving high stakes restrictive covenants and trade secrets, class actions, whistleblower claims, wage-and-hour issues, and statutory claims of harassment and discrimination. I defend employers in claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the WARN Act, and the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, and state laws. My litigation experience ranges from the defense of one of the largest race discrimination class actions in history to two-party restrictive covenant disputes. Recent wins include: A judgment in favor of a trading firm in a noncompete case pending in both state court and in an arbitral forum, which included the recovery of attorneys’ fees for my client; The dismissal of a federal court lawsuit alleging statutory employment claims brought against one of the largest diagnostic testing companies in the world; The dismissal of wage-and-hour class action brought against a national call center; The dismissal of a breach of contract lawsuit brought against a steel manufacturer involving claims to a $6 million bonus; Investigations relating to whistleblower claims brought against Fortune 500 companies and group terminations of executives. I also devote significant time to mentoring and supporting the success of women and diverse attorneys. I currently co-chair Benesch’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. I am the founder of and currently lead B-Sharp, Benesch’s professional development program for women in-house attorneys. Legal Focus: Workplace Issues Labor and Employment Litigation Class Action Litigation Labor and Employment Counseling Restrictive Covenant Litigation Wage and Hour Litigation