Service Areas
Education
- University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 1974
- University of Michigan, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Court Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals
- Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Courts
- Western District of Michigan
- Eastern District of Michigan
Douglas L. Callander represents public and private employers in state and federal courts, labor relation boards and administrative agencies. He was leader of the labor and employment and litigation sections at his previous firm. In his 35 years' practice he has negotiated hundreds of collective bargaining agreements and arbitrated hundreds of employment claims.
“I have often been told that our strengths are our weaknesses. If that’s true, I am lucky to have a career in which passion is a strength. Being an advocate for my clients is more about who I am than what I do. I strongly believe that it is that passion that gives my clients confidence and comfort and translates into success.”
Douglas L. Callander
Experience
Doug represented an employer in a suit filed under the Americans With Disabilities Act by a young man who claimed he was fired from his job because he had Tourettes Syndrome. The man’s claim was complicated by the fact that he had involuntary muscle reactions (tics) which caused him to repeatedly beat himself around the eyes, leading to technical blindness. He claimed, and his expert supported him, that his tics and loss of sight were a direct result of increased anxiety caused by his termination. Furthermore, the young man also suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is a common condition for Tourettes sufferers.
“Our challenge in this lengthy trial was to balance our passion with a need to calmly accept the plaintiff’s condition with empathy but without a hint of accepting responsibility for it. We were successful, and the jury returned a verdict for us after deliberating for approximately 45 minutes.”
Representative Matters
His experience includes negotiating over 250 collective bargaining agreements and arbitrating more than 150 employment claims. He is a highly rated litigator who has successfully defended numerous lawsuits in multiple states.
Professional Activities
- State Bar of Michigan
- Kalamazoo County Bar Association, Pro Bono Legal Services Volunteer
- Michigan Super Lawyers, 2007-present
Honors + Awards
- "One of the Best Legal Minds in Kalamazoo," Kalamazoo Gazette, 1990
- "Community Service Award," Kalamazoo County Bar Association
- Michigan Super Lawyers, Labor & Employment 2008
Civic, Cultural + Social Activities
- Greater Kalamazoo United Way, V.P., President, Former Board Member, Chairman: Allocations Committee, Special Projects/Labor Committee, Executive Search Committee, New Admissions Committee, Member, Personnel Committee
- J.H. Quantum Technology, Inc., Director and Officer
- Family Resource Center/Child Guidance Clinic, Chairman of the Board; Capital Fund Campaign, Chairman
- Kalamazoo Drug Court, Fund Raiser
- Association for Retarded Citizens, Former Board Member
- Kalamazoo Community Forum, Former Board Member
- Lakeside Home for Children, Former Board Member
Speeches
Presented at numerous seminars and training sessions for employers on all aspects of employment law.
Seminars + Events
- 2013 HR Spring Training
- What Does Right-to-Work Mean for Michigan Employers?
- Health Care Reform - What You Should Know + Do
- 2012 HR Spring Training Seminar
- Employment Law Briefings
- 2011 HR Spring Training Seminar
- Seven Months Later: Employer Update on U.S. Health Care Reform
- Health Care Reform
- 2010 Annual Employment Law Seminar
- Annual Labor and Employment Law Seminar
- Employment Law 2009 - Kalamazoo
- New FMLA Regulations Seminar: Kalamazoo
