Mark A. Spognardi

Partner

Mr. Spognardi focuses on representing management in traditional and non-traditional labor and employment law matters, including counseling, litigation, and appellate work. His practice includes representation in unfair labor practice and representation proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board; union-free campaigns; employment discrimination matters before federal and state anti-discrimination agencies and federal courts; Section 301 lawsuits; contract negotiations and arbitrations; drug and alcohol testing; alternative compensation systems; veterans’ re-employment rights; WARN Act and RIF matters; federal and state wage and hour matters; employment at-will; wrongful discharge and whistleblower lawsuits; federal and state injunctive relief, strike management; human resource audits and employee handbooks; employment contracts; restrictive covenants and non-compete agreements; pension plan withdrawal liability; and various other employment related matters. Mr. Spognardi represents businesses in all industries, including manufacturing transportation, banking and investment, food processing, textile, health care, retail, hospitality, construction, interim services, and publishing, media and communications, and public sector interests.

Professional Activities and Achievements

Mr. Spognardi is a frequent speaker and lecturer on labor relations and employment-related topics before employer and industry associations including:

• North American Trucking Industrial Relations Association – Board Member; 2012 Program Director
• Midwest Textile Service Association – General Counsel
• Society for Human Resource Management – Member
• American Bar Association – Member
• Peterson-Pulaski Business and Industrial Council – Member

Recent Publications

Mr. Spognardi’s publications include:

• “Employers’ Summer of Discontent: Obama Labor Board pushes anti-employer agenda,” Westlaw Journal (September 20, 2011)
• “The Employee Free Choice Act: Protecting Your Manufacturing Business,” Industry Week (March 4, 2009)
• “Collective Bargaining Under the NLRA in the Health Care Industry,” The Law of Medical Practice in Illinois (3d ed. 2007) , a chapter in The Law of Medical Practice in Illinois–new in the Thomson West Illinois Practice Series. In this chapter, he discusses the unique issues facing acute care institutions under the National Labor Relations Act and in the labor relations/collective bargaining context.
• “Having Your Waffle and Eating It Too: The EEOC’s Right to Circumvent Arbitration Agreements,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Summer 2002)
• “Perspective – Bad Law and Bad Politics: OSHA’s Ill-Fated Ergonomics Standard,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 27, No. 1 (Summer 2001)
• “The Sting: “Testers” May Sue Under Title VII, Circuit Court Rules,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 26, No. 4, (Spring 2001)
• “In the Lion’s Den: Religious Accommodation and Harassment in the Workplace,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2000)
• “Conducting a Successful Union-Free Campaign: A Primer (Part I),” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Autumn 1998)
• “Conducting a Successful Union-Free Campaign: A Primer (Part II),” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 24, No.3 (Winter 1998)
• “Allentown Mack v. NLRB: Is the Board’s ‘Good Faith Reasonable Doubt’ Standard in Its Twilight?” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Summer 1998)
• “Organizing Through Cyberspace: Electronic Communications and the National Labor Relations Act,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 23, No. 4 (Spring 1998)
• “Conducting a Human Resources Audit: A Primer,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 23. No. 1 (Summer, 1997)
• “Defending Against the Corporate Campaign: Selected Legal Responses to Common Union Tactics,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Autumn, 1996)
• “Navigating the STAA: A Survey and Recent Developments Under the Anti-Retaliation Provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act,” Labor Law Journal (April, 1996)
• “Temporary Employment Relationships: Review of the Joint Employer Doctrine Under the NLRA,” Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Autumn, 1995).

Education

DePaul University College of Law (J.D. 1984)
University of Iowa (B.A. with honors 1980)

Bar Admissions

State of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, including Trial Bar
U.S. District of Columbia Court of Appeals