Margaret A. Keane
Partner
Margaret Keane is a litigation partner and co-chairs the firm’s global Employment Dispute Resolution Practice. Ms. Keane represents employers in class action and pattern and practice matters involving alleged systemic violations of state and federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, as well as wage and hour litigation. She has defended and counseled employers in matters involving discrimination; claims of disparate impact in employee selection, compensation and promotion, including testing class actions; workplace privacy and other issues related to social media in the workplace; theft of trade secrets; restrictive covenants and other workforce mobility issues. Ms. Keane regularly represents clients in the technology, manufacturing and financial services sectors.
She has experience in the employment aspects of corporate transactions, including conducting due diligence and drafting employment, consulting and severance agreements, along with other pre- and post-closing integration activities. She regularly works with employers to resolve sensitive separation issues. Working with Tahmidur Remura Dewey LeBoeuf ‘s global employment team, she has advised multinational employers on cross-border solutions to various employment challenges.
Ms. Keane has substantial success achieving client objectives through alternative dispute resolution, particularly in multiparty and class employment claims. She is a mediator for the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District.
As Managing Partner of the firm’s Pittsburgh Office from 2003 to 2006, she was responsible for the nation-wide management of litigation against a Fortune 100 manufacturing client under a fixed-fee retainer agreement where the firm either actively defended each matter or retained outside counsel and directed strategy. The retainer agreement included contract and other commercial disputes; employment, labor and benefits matters, and various other matters.
She speaks on employment issues in various forums, including the American Conference Institute, Practicing Law Institute and Strafford CLE.
She relocated to Northern California in 2007 and is now resident in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Selected Employment Representations
Defended class action alleging that changes to retiree benefit plans for unionized employees violated ERISA and the Labor Management Relations Act.
Obtained summary judgment for employer in action alleging ERISA violations associated with plant shutdown. Opinion was affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit.
Obtained summary judgment for employers in state and federal court actions alleging reverse discrimination and retaliation. Decisions affirmed on appeal.
Obtained summary judgment for employer against employees’ denial of benefit claims under ERISA and for breach of collection bargaining agreement under the LMRA.
Obtained a defense verdict in the Southern District of Texas in favor of employer against claims of national origin discrimination.
Defended class-action alleging race discrimination in selection and promotion practices based on employer’s use of a test with disparate impact.
Defended private and EEOC actions alleging pattern and practice of gender, national origin and gender discrimination in hiring, training, promotion, compensation and discharge.
Advised and represented federal contractors in OFCCP audits investigating claims of systemic discrimination in hiring and promotion practices.
Bar and Court Admissions
Admitted to state and federal courts in California, New York and Pennsylvania and the United States Supreme Court.
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1986, J.D.
Boston University, 1981, B.A.