Dan maintains a broad practice covering all aspects of labor and employment law. For over 30 years he has counseled clients on federal and state employment laws, wage and hour laws, OSHA workplace safety matters, workforce restructurings, layoffs and reductions in force, and compliance with disability accommodation, non-discrimination and family and medical leave requirements. He has drafted employment agreements, noncompete agreements, nondisclosure agreements, separation agreements, exit incentive programs, employee handbooks and affirmative action plans. His traditional labor practice includes representation of clients in collective bargaining, grievance resolution, arbitrations, strikes, as well as union avoidance, union organizing campaigns and defense of unfair labor practice cases.

Dan has tried and litigated numerous employment cases (in both jury and bench proceedings) arising under a wide variety of statutes including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, OSHA and state laws regarding negligent retention, wrongful discharge and defamation. He has defended government contractors in workplace investigations and claims brought under government contracting laws including the Davis Bacon Act, the Service Contract Act, CWHSSA and Executive Order No. 11246.

Dan has also handled labor and employment and benefits issues in several hundred acquisition, disposition and merger transactions. Representing both buyers and sellers, Dan has focused on deal due diligence, negotiation and drafting of purchase agreement provisions, advised on union recognition/successorship, union contract obligations, and strategic planning for post-Closing operations.

Prior to Lape Mansfield Nakasian & Gibson, Dan was a partner in the Cleveland and Atlanta offices of Jones Day and, prior to Jones Day, was a partner at Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP in Atlanta. Dan is fluent in Spanish.

Education

• J.D., Vanderbilt University, 1978 (Articles Editor, Law Journal)
• B.A., cum laude in Zoology and Spanish Literature, Duke University, 1975

Memberships and Affiliations

• Ohio State Bar Association
• State Bar of Georgia
• Legal 500
• Chambers USA
• Ohio and Georgia Super Lawyer

Representative Experience

• Defense verdict in a federal court jury trial alleging sexual harassment, negligent retention, intentional infliction of emotional distress and sex discrimination claims
• Denial of class certification in a nationwide wage and hour class/collective action case
• Defense of numerous OSHA workplace fatality investigations
• Handling of multiple internal investigations involving C-Suite Executives
• Successful defense of federal government contractor in a federal debarment trial
• Union organizing campaign involving 5,000 employees in the textile industry

Bar Admissions

• Georgia and Ohio
• Federal and State Courts in Georgia and Ohio