Service Areas
Education
- Emory University School of Law, J.D., 2005
- University of Pittsburgh, B.S.B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals
- Seventh Circuit
U.S. District Court
- Central District of Illinois
- Northern District of Illinois
- Southern District of Illinois
Dionne R. Hayden represents public and private employers in federal and state courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Commission on Human Rights, and arbitration proceedings.
She has counseled clients on and defended actions brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, the Fair Credit and Reporting Act, the WARN Act, and numerous other state and federal laws.
Experience
Dionne's experience includes defending individual and class actions, including cases involving allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, gender, and disability, as well as, retaliation, wrongful discharge, trade secrets, non-competition agreements, breach of contract, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a number of other torts and employment related matters.
She also counsels employers on employment decision making, policy formulation, including the drafting of employee handbooks, diversity sensitivity and training, and on-site internal investigations.
In addition to her employment litigation practice, she is experienced in a varity of other areas including school law, general litigation, complex commercial litigation, and complex constitutional litigation.
She also has experience in legal issues relating to document retention and destruction policies, evidence preservation and litigation hold directives, and electronic discovery, including organizing large-scale document production and review.
Representative Matters
- Temporary Employment Agency Employment Litigation
Obtained multiple summary judgment dismissals of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation lawsuits against one of the nation's largest temporary employment placement agencies.
- Beverage and Bottling Company Labor Arbitration
Obtained favorable labor arbitration decisions upholding employment decisions contested by bargaining unit employees and union representatives on behalf of one of the nation's largest soft drink and bottling companies.
- Food Services Company Employment Litigation
Obtained favorable result in the trial of a race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against commercial food service company. Third chair at trial.
- Higher Education Institution Employment Litigation
Successfully obtained dismissal (by motion) of gender discrimination lawsuit against higher education institution and museum.
- Individual Immigration Defense Appellate Litigation
Lead attorney in appeal of immigration case to Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Presented oral argument before panel of Seventh Circuit Court judges.
- Financial Institution FMLA Litigation
Successfully resolved FMLA lawsuit for regional banking institution.
- Manufacturing Company Warn Act Compliance
Successfully resolved WARN Act compliance issues for various multi-state manufacturing companies.
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Cook County Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- National Employment Law Counsel
- National Association of College and University Attorneys
- The Women of Miller Canfield
- Miller Canfield Mentoring Committee
Honors + Awards
- American Society of Legal Advocates Top 40 Labor & Employment Lawyer Under 40 in Illinois
Civic, Cultural + Social Activities
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
