Photo of Richard W. Warren

Richard W. Warren

Principal
Employment and Labor Deputy
Group Leader

Office

T:
+1.313.496.7932
O:
+1.313.963.6420
F:
+1.313.496.7500
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Education

Michigan State University College of Law, J.D., 2001

Michigan State University, James Madison College, B.A., 1998

Bar Admissions

Court Admissions

U.S. District Courts

  • Eastern District of Michigan
  • Western District of Michigan
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Northern District of Illinois

U.S. Court of Appeals

  • Sixth Circuit
  • Seventh Circuit

Richard Warren defends employers facing all types of wrongful discharge lawsuits, including discrimination, retaliation and harassment claims filed by employees. 

He also has a wealth of experience handling non-competition litigation and defending employers faced with complex and class action cases, including age discrimination, race discrimination and retiree health benefit claims. 

In order to help companies avoid employment lawsuits, Richard also spends a significant amount of time counseling management and human resource professionals in areas such as hiring, layoffs, discipline and termination.  He also advises clients regarding non-competition and non-solicitation agreements and disputes.   

Representative Matters

Richard represented a company that had been sued by a former employee for age discrimination. The company terminated the employee when the employee admitted, during the course of his deposition, to engaging in serious misconduct while at work. 

As a result, a federal judge issued summary judgment in the company's favor and dismissed the employee’s claims.

Reported and Published Decisions

Haase v IAV Automotive Engineering, Inc., Not Reported in N.W.2d, 2011 WL 6004073, Mich. App. 2011, December 01, 2011 (Approx. 4 pages)

Allen v Sears Roebuck and Co., _ F.Supp.2d, _, 2011 WL 1044484 (E.D. Mich. Mar. 10, 2011) 

Dennis King v ITT Technical Institute, 2009 WL 3014945 (Mich. App. 2009)

The Boeing Company v Lori M. March, et al., 2009 WL 2949631 (N.D. Ill. 2009)

Robert W. Leannah, Charlotte L. Koehler, Michael E. Arrowood, Lawrence R. Lenhardt, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 965 v Alliant Energy Corp. and Wisconsin Power and Light Company, 2009 WL 497128 (E.D. Wis. 2009)

Aaron K. Guyton, et al. v Detroit Public Schools, 2008 WL 2937788 (E.D. Mich. 2008)

The Boeing Company, et al. v Lori M. March, et al., 2008 WL 4450309 (N.D. Ill. 2008)

Aaron K. Guyton, et al. v Detroit Public Schools, 2008 WL 2064562 (E.D. Mich. 2008)

Garold Allen, et al. v Sears Roebuck and Co., et al., 2008 WL 544951 (E.D. Mich. 2008)

Robert Leonhardt, et al. v ArvinMeritor, Inc., et al. 581 F.Supp.2d 818; 44 EBC 2921 

Honors

Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law-Management, 2012-present; Litigation-Labor & Employment, 2013-present

Michigan Super Lawyers, Employment and Labor, 2014-present; Rising Star, 2009-2013

DBusiness Magazine, Top Lawyers, Labor and Employment Law, 2021-present

International Who's Who of Management Labour & Employment Lawyers 2010 (one of only 6 Michigan lawyers selected for inclusion)

Who's Who Legal - The International Who's Who of Management Labour and Employment Lawyers, 2011, 2013

Michigan State University College of Law, magna cum laude; Articles Editor, Law Review, 2000-2001; Recipient, Charles King Scholarship and Law Review Scholarship; Member, Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity

Professional Activities

American Bar Association, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee, Management Co-Chair, Contingent Work Force Subcommittee; Class Action and Complex Litigation Subcommittee

State Bar of Michigan

Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2012–present

Macomb County Bar Association, Young Lawyers' Section

Civic, Cultural & Social Activities

Leadership Oakland, Class of 2013-2014

James Madison College at Michigan State University, Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2003-2011

Michigan State University National Alumni Association, Member, Young Alumni Committee, 2007-2008

Speeches

"Beyond COVID-19: Managing and Motivating a Hybrid Workforce," Miller Canfield 2022 HR Fall Training Camp

"Recovering from COVID-19: The Future of Work in Michigan," Miller Canfield 2021 Employment Law Webinar

"Are You My Employee? How to Avoid Expensive Wage and Hour Mistakes, and Properly Categorize Your Workforce," Michigan Chamber of Commerce webinar, July 14, 2021

"Vaccination Nation: Resolving Workplace COVID-19 Questions," Thomson Reuters Practical Law, May 20, 2021

"Expert Q&A: COVID-19 Vaccine and Employment," Thomson Reuters Practical Law, Dec. 22, 2020

"Labor and Employment Law in Michigan: 2020 Challenges and Beyond," Thomson Reuters webinar, Oct. 28, 2020 

"Anti-discrimination Laws in a COVID-19 World: What Employers Need to Know About ADA, Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws," Michigan Chamber of Commerce webinar, Sept. 17, 2020

"Four Horsemen of the Employment Apocalypse" (Panelist), HR Spring Training, Troy, MI, May 13, 2014

"Special Issues in Gender Discrimination and Defending Against Pay and Compensation Discrimination Suits," American Conference Institute, New York, NY, July 31, 2012

"No Lollygagging with Lilly Ledbetter: A Look Back and Forward on Equal Pay Developments and Class Litigation Implications," (Co-presenter), ABA Complex Litigation Subcommittee, San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 2011

"Elimination of the Mandatory Retirement Age: Lessons from Across the Pond," Taylor Wessing, LLP, London, England, January 2011

"Retiree Health Benefits: How to Avoid Making a Lifetime Promise and What to Do if you Already Have," Society for Human Resource Management State Conference, October 1, 2009, Lansing, Michigan

"It’s Not Your Grandparents' Discrimination Case: How Age Discrimination Class Actions Are Different," moderator, American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee, Key West, Florida, March 24, 2009

"Overview of U.S. Labor Unions: the Interaction between the NLRA, Unions and Employers," US Employment Law: Practical Guidance from Leading US Employment Lawyers, LexisNexis, London, England, November 2008

"Casting a Legal Eye at Current Employment Issues for Medium and Large Employers," Bathfitter, Inc. Annual Management Meeting, January 2008

"Avoiding Pitfalls and Potholes: Key Employment Law Issues Facing Small and Medium-Sized Employers," Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce, October 17, 2007

"A Legal Look at Common Employment Issues: Avoiding Costly Mistakes when Dealing with Employees," Bathfitter, Inc. Annual Management Meeting, January 2007

"Principles of Pre-Employment Statements, the WARN Act and Severance Agreements, Automation Alley, December 2006

"Protecting Your Organization from Liability for Retaliation and Whistleblower Claims," Council on Education in Management, December 2006

"The Controversy Over Retiree Health Benefits," Miller Canfield Labor & Employment Law Seminar, October 2006

"Religious Discrimination and Accommodation in the Work Environment," Miller Canfield Labor & Employment Law Seminar, October 2005

"How to Avoid Class Action Lawsuits and What to Do If You Can't," Miller Canfield's Morning Update Series, February 2005

Publications

"Expert Q&A on EEOC Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI)," Practical Law Labor & Employment, June 29, 2023

"Employment at Will: A State-by-State Survey," (Chapter Author), American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2020 Supplement

"How Workers and Lawyers Organize Class Actions in the Electronic Age," State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Lawnotes, Winter 2012

"Survey of Statute of Limitations Defenses in Gender Discrimination and Equal Pay Act Litigation—Recent Developments," American Conference Institute, Third Annual Forum On Defending and Managing Employment Discrimination Litigation Expert Strategies for Leading Litigators and In-House Counsel, NY, NY, July 30–31, 2012 

"Survey of Recent Cases under the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act," ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law Rights and Responsibilities Committee, San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 2011

"The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 and Its Impact (Or Lack Thereof) on Michigan Employment Law Class Actions,” State Bar of Michigan, Labor and Employment Lawnotes, Fall 2010

"Survey of Recent Class, Collective, and Hybrid Cases under the FLSA and Similar State Laws," ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law, Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, 2010 Midwinter Meeting, Coronado, California, March 2010

"What Were You Thinking? Subjective Decisionmaking: How to Use and Defend Against Experts on Unconscious Bias in Employment Discrimination Cases," (Co-author), ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law, Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, 2009 Midwinter Meeting, April 2008

"I Heard it Through the Grapevine: Evidentiary Challenges in Racially Hostile Work Environment Litigation," (Co-author Jerome R. Watson), The Labor Lawyer, 2004

"The Controversy over the Duration of an Employer's Obligation to Continue to Provide Health and Welfare Benefits to Retirees," ABA Equal Employment Opportunity Committee – Midwinter Meeting, March 2002

Articles