Managing Director | BRG

Dr. Mike DuMond’s consulting experience includes numerous engagements in matters involving pay equity, disparate impact, wage-and-hour compliance, systemic Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigations, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs audits, and the calculation of economic exposure. 

He routinely works with counsel and internal subject-matter experts to design statistical models that are reflective of an employer’s hiring, promotion, compensation, termination, and performance evaluation processes. He also routinely works with employers and internal and external counsel on proactive audits relating to potential compensation disparities. 

Dr. DuMond’s engagements in wage-and-hour matters have involved allegations relating to off-the-clock work, miscalculation of the regular rate of pay, missed meal/rest periods, and misclassification of exempt status. He also specializes in the preparation and analysis of complex electronic databases. He has supported his analysis through declarations, written reports, and sworn testimony. 

Dr. DuMond’s academic research focuses on employee compensation and selection procedures and has been published in professional peer-reviewed journals, including Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Economic Inquiry, and the Journal of Sports Economics. 

Member of the Firm | Epstein Becker Green P.C.

Employers in a range of industries, including health care, retail, hospitality and insurance, count on Kathleen Barrett to defend them in employment litigation in state and federal courts. Kathleen has represented companies across the country in wage and hour class actions. She also regularly represents companies in cases involving allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination brought by single-plaintiff employees at all levels of a company.

In addition, Kathleen proactively counsels clients to ensure their employment practices comply with current or new workplace laws and regulations. For example, she has guided clients through new workplace issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also offered training and guidance on the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis and its impact on a client’s workplace drug policies, complaint procedures, disciplinary action policies, and accommodations practices.

Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Kathleen worked in medical prosecutions at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. She has published numerous articles and presented on a variety of employment law topics, including the impact of the legalization of cannabis on the workplace, wage and hour compliance, and reasonable accommodations in health care workplaces. She also speaks on developments in wage and hour class action law, managing remote employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fair Labor Standards Act classification, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and cannabis workplace issues.

Co-Owner | Medium Rare

Mark Bucher is more than a successful restaurateur and food service industry veteran. He is a compassionate, community-aware change maker and innovative thinker. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, he has combined his food service expertise, entrepreneurial drive and generosity to address often devastating food insecurity problems in the Washington, DC metro area.

Mark is co-owner of Medium Rare, the highly acclaimed steak and frites restaurant with locations in Arlington, VA, Bethesda, MD, Columbia, MD, Cleveland Park, DC, Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, Watertown, MA, New York, NY, and Philadelphia, PA.

At the beginning of the pandemic, he created Feed the Fridge to combat hunger in the metro region while helping pandemic-battered restaurants stay in business. Through the program, Bucher installs refrigerators at recreation centers and schools in the region’s food deserts and pays local restaurants to stock them with up to 100 freshly prepared meals every day. Those meals are available to anyone who’s hungry – no questions asked.

Feed the Fridge is not just another nonprofit. It’s a community experience touching – and improving – thousands of lives. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Feed the Fridge has served more than 700,000 meals to those dealing with food insecurity. It even provided much needed baby formula during the recent acute shortage. His is a proven,successful formula that Mark is hoping to take nationwide.

Before co-founding Medium Rare in 2011, Mark owned a chain of burger restaurants, BGR: The Burger Joint. Prior to working in the restaurant industry, he pursued a commercial real estate career, specializing in retail. This led him to restaurant real estate, working for or representing retail heavyweights like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Wolfgang Puck Restaurants, PF Chang’s, and Outback Steakhouse – just to name a few. Additionally, he’s a National Restaurant Association board member, and an adjunct professor at American University where he teaches on food insecurity and public policy.

Mark brings much more to the table than professional expertise and a desire to help. He brings a deep understanding of real-world hunger-related issues, a profound commitment to addressing those issues and the entrepreneurial know-how to find solutions that work and have an immediate impact.

Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary | Yum! Brands

Erika Burkhardt is the Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary of Yum! Brands, Inc. and reports to the Yum! Brands CEO. In this role, she oversees all of Yum!’s legal activities globally. Prior to her current role, Burkhardt served as Associate General Counsel for Yum! where she oversaw the Company’s trademark and employment law teams. She has been with Yum! since 2004, beginning as Pizza Hut U.S. Human Resources & Litigation Counsel and taking on a number of roles within the department before serving as VP, Brand Protection, where she had responsibility for the brand’s overall crisis and risk management. Prior to joining Yum!, Burkhardt practiced law at Baker Botts and Holland & Hart. She received her J.D. from Duke University Law School and bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

General Counsel | National Labor Relations Board

Crystal Carey was sworn in on January 7, 2026, as the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The General Counsel, appointed by the President to a 4-year term, is independent from the Board and is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of unfair labor practice cases and for the general supervision of the NLRB field offices in the processing of cases.

GC Carey began her labor law career as an intern at the Agency’s Baltimore Regional office (Region 5) while attending Penn State Dickinson School of Law. After graduation, she served as a Field Attorney in Region 5 for three years. She then spent six years working at the NLRB’s Headquarters both in the Division of Enforcement Litigation in the Office of Appeals and as senior staff counsel to Chairman Philip A. Miscimarra. In 2018, Ms. Carey transitioned to private practice at Morgan Lewis, where she became a partner.

Born in Athens, Georgia, Ms. Carey received her J.D. degree from Penn State Dickinson School of Law, her M.A. from Old Dominion University, her B.A. from the University of Georgia, and her A.A. from Emmanuel College. She and her husband Paul (a U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist) are the proud parents of three daughters and love attending wrestling tournaments, soccer matches and track meets in their free time.

Vice President, Global Safety, Security, and Risk Management | Papa Johns International

Dr. Davis has over 36 years of expertise in public and occupational health, safety, and security, with a strong background spanning Tactical EMS, Transportation, Construction, Oil & Gas, and, more recently, the Food Service industry. Currently, Dr. Davis serves as Vice President of Global Safety & Security at Papa John’s International, where he leads teams specializing in occupational health, safety, DOT compliance, security, law enforcement, and loss prevention. In this role, he oversees safety and security operations globally, encompassing 13 Quality Control Centers, over 500 corporate restaurants, and three Global Restaurant Support Centers. 

Dr. Davis has actively contributed to numerous professional boards, including Kentucky Harvest, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce, National Safe Place Network, and most recently, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. He holds respected certifications as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Graduate Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (Gr. IOSH), and Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (NREMT-P). 

Dr. Davis completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Indiana University and earned a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University. His doctoral research focused on the effects transformational leadership characteristics have on workplace engagement within the health and safety profession. 

Member of the Firm | Epstein Becker Green P.C.

Paul DeCamp is a Member of the Firm in the Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practice, in the Washington, DC, office of Epstein Becker Green. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s national Wage and Hour practice group. A former Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Wage and Hour Division, Mr. DeCamp has more than two decades of experience representing employers and trade associations in the most complex and challenging wage and hour litigations, government investigations, and counseling matters.

Additionally, Mr. DeCamp has served as lead counsel in class and collective actions across the country. His work spans a broad range of industries, including aerospace, financial services, gaming, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, restaurants, retail, and transportation, as well as many others.

Appointed as Wage and Hour Administrator by the President of the United States in 2006, Mr. DeCamp was the chief federal officer responsible for interpreting and enforcing the nation’s wage and hour laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and a variety of prevailing wage statutes affecting government contractors. Most recently, Mr. DeCamp was a partner at a labor and employment law firm, where he served as National Chair of its Wage and Hour practice for eight years.

Partner | Jenner & Block LLP

An appellate and complex commercial litigator, Gabriel Gillett develops, evaluates, and executes successful long-term legal strategies for clients facing multifaceted disputes. He crafts winning briefs and arguments in courts across the country on a range of issues, including contract and business disputes, class actions, government regulation, insurance coverage, antitrust, civil procedure, securities, preemption, and constitutional and administrative law.

Leading Jenner & Block’s partnership with the Restaurant Law Center, Mr. Gillett has been a go-to lawyer on major issues impacting restaurant and hospitality companies, franchisors, and franchisees. He has led the firm’s high-profile lawsuits in Chicago and New York on behalf of iconic restaurants seeking business interruption coverage from their insurance carriers. Mr. Gillett has also served as appellate counsel for the Restaurant Law Center and state restaurant associations in many federal and state cases involving business interruption claims, regulatory challenges, antitrust, ERISA, and other important issues.

Partner | Steptoe LLP

Tony Hopp is an experienced trial lawyer who represents clients in complex commercial, environmental, and mass tort matters. Tony handles all phases of single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action claims, and has tried multiple commercial and mass tort cases to verdict in state and federal courts. He has also argued and won appeals in Illinois, California, New York, Nebraska, and the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Some of these matters include defeating class certification in multiple consumer class actions, obtaining decertification of a consumer class, and defeating class certification for medical monitoring after a multi-day evidentiary hearing. Tony has also argued and won multiple motions to dismiss in putative consumer class actions involving allegations of consumer fraud and “slack fill”. He has successfully litigated numerous matters involving Lanham Act violations, trade secret claims, and breaches of post-employment restrictive covenants.

Over the course of his career, Tony has handled a wide variety of litigation and counseling engagements. His litigation experience includes mass tort matters, CERCLA cases, RCRA private citizen suits, consumer class actions, insurance coverage disputes including bad faith, unfair competition and Lanham Act claims, trade secret claims, actions for violation of non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, shareholder derivative claims, dealership termination cases, housing discrimination and zoning litigation. His counseling experience includes risk management and product stewardship issues, environmental audits, internal corporate investigations, and local siting of solid waste management facilities.

Principal | Jackson Lewis

Marvin Kaplan is a principal in the New York City, New York, office of Jackson Lewis P.C.  

Marvin, a former Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), advises clients on labor and employment issues, focusing on union organizing and labor-management relations. Over his eight years on the NLRB, Marvin participated in over 900 decisions, including decisions addressing the lawfulness of captive audience speeches and work rules, and the standards for determining the composition of a bargaining unit and whether an individual is an independent contractor, and several rulemakings, defining a joint-employer and laying out procedures governing representation elections. 

Prior to his time on the NLRB, he served as Chief Counsel at the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and a Special Assistant at U.S. Department of Labor. His cross-disciplinary experience makes Marvin particularly well-suited to advise clients on strategic business planning. 

His experience at all levels of government in different agencies and branches, including the U.S. House of Representatives, provides a unique perspective on Congressional oversight, legislation, regulations and federal investigations—enabling him to help clients navigate complex compliance challenges and anticipate regulatory developments that could impact their organizations. 

He is a graduate of Cornell University and Washington University in St. Louis Law School. 

Chief Advocacy Officer | National Restaurant Association

Sean Kennedy joined the National Restaurant Association in June 2019 as executive vice president of public affairs, and has since risen to the role of Chief Advocacy Officer. He is the organization’s senior-most executive in the development and execution of its multiyear strategy, directing all advocacy, federal and state lobbying, grassroots activity, policy analysis, and industry litigation through the Restaurant Law Center. 
 
Kennedy joined the Association from Airlines for America, a trade group representing leading U.S.-based passenger and cargo airlines, where he served as senior vice president, global government affairs. His portfolio spanned government relations around the world, and his efforts helped achieve a series of bipartisan legislative victories in a divided Congress. 
 
Before working for the airline industry, Kennedy served in the Obama White House as special assistant to the President for legislative affairs. From 2008 to 2011, he was tasked with promoting Administration initiatives in Congress and identifying challenges and opportunities for President Obama’s legislative agenda. He also served as a liaison to moderate Republican and Democratic Senators and was the lead White House official working across political, vetting, and communications teams to guide the President’s nominees through the Senate confirmation process. 
 
From 2007 to 2009, Kennedy served as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO.), where he helped her establish her unique brand and voice and sustain a high public and media profile, and oversaw operations at her Washington, D.C. and state offices. 
 
From 2004 to 2007, he was an assistant vice president for federal relations at AT&T, the world’s largest telecommunications company, serving as its primary point of contact for both U.S. House and Senate Democratic Leadership. He also was primary liaison for the House and Senate Commerce Committees on technology policy issues. 
 
From 1995 to 2004, Kennedy served as legislative director for House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO.), where he managed day-to-day operations of the Congressional office, its press strategy and legislative staff. He received his bachelor’s degree from Emory University and law degree from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. 

President & Chief Executive Officer | National Restaurant Association; CEO | National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Michelle Korsmo is president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. In this role, Korsmo is responsible for delivering value to the Association’s members, the 52 state association partners, and the restaurant industry. 
 
With Korsmo’s leadership, the Association continues to pursue its vision for a thriving restaurant and foodservice community through strong operations; risk mitigation and talent development; advancing and protecting business vitality; and driving knowledge and collaboration. 
 
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises over 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.7 million employees. 
 
Prior to joining the Association, Korsmo was president and chief executive officer of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), the national trade association representing the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry. Korsmo led WSWA through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the industry was deemed essential and its workforce had the tools it needed to adapt to shifting business channels. Korsmo focused WSWA on defending the state-based regulatory structure and promoting the value of the wholesale tier. 
 
Previously, Korsmo served seven years as head of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association for real estate settlement services and the title insurance industry. Under her leadership ALTA created an industry standard for compliance management in response to the 2008 housing crisis. Additionally, ALTA doubled both its membership and revenues, and tripled fundraising for its industry PAC during Korsmo’s tenure.   
 
Prior to ALTA, Korsmo served as executive vice president of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. She was previously deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Labor. Following her education at North Dakota State University, Korsmo started her career as a business owner in her home state of North Dakota, where she built a public advocacy and political consulting firm representing a consortium of organizations before the North Dakota Legislature. 

Partner, Litigation | Skadden

Margaret Krawiec is co-head of Skadden’s Litigation Group in Washington, D.C. and co-leader of the firm’s congressional investigations practice. She has represented clients in connection with U.S. Department of Justice investigations, state attorney general investigations, investigations by various congressional committees, matters before federal agencies and complex civil litigation. 

Ms. Krawiec previously worked as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division, through the auspices of the Attorney General’s Honors Program. While serving in this position, she gained substantial trial and courtroom experience representing the United States in diverse, high-profile civil cases in federal district courts throughout the country. Ms. Krawiec also served as a law clerk for the Hon. Gregory J. Hobbs, Jr. of the Colorado Supreme Court.

Shareholder | Greenberg Traurig LLP

Riley Lagesen, chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Restaurant Industry Group, serves as lead counsel to many of the nation’s most well-known restaurant brands and culinary talent. Riley’s passion for the restaurant industry comes from his many years as a restaurant employee, and later, a restaurant owner, in Los Angeles. He saw an opportunity for law firms to better serve restaurant industry clients, and has dedicated his career to supporting both clients and the restaurant industry.

Ranked and recognized in the restaurant industry as a leading legal and business advisor, Riley has deep restaurant finance and development experience, enabling him to help clients develop and execute up growth strategies. He is also well-connected in restaurant and food policy circles, leading efforts to create greater public access to real food, among other things.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Riley co-founded the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) with his long-time client Chef Guy Fieri, which raised approximately $23 million and provided over 40,000 grants to impacted restaurant employees. In recognition of this work, Riley was selected as by the National Law Journal as a 2020 Crisis Leadership Trailblazer. Riley also founded and created Restaurant High, a popular not-for-profit and invitation only business, leadership and advocacy summit that attracts leading restaurant minds from around the country.

Partner | Baker Botts

Mark Little focuses his practice on complex legal and regulatory challenges. He has significant experience protecting clients’ interests through challenges to national, state, and local regulations. Most recently, Mark has been at the forefront of the legal challenges against state and local governments’ attempts to ban natural gas in new and existing buildings.

Mark also represents clients in a broad range of appeals and original proceedings in federal and state courts across the country. He has argued a number of cases in courts ranging from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to the Texas and Washington Supreme Courts.

Mark is the Chair-Elect of the Houston Bar Association’s Appellate Section and Editor-in-Chief of the Appellate Lawyer, the Section’s Journal. He received his law degree from The University of Texas, where he graduated first in his class, was on the editorial board of the Texas Law Review, and received awards in trial advocacy and moot court competitions.

Before joining Baker Botts, Mark served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Partner | Fisher Phillips LLP

Emily Litzinger is a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Louisville, Kentucky office and serves clients nationwide.  Emily understands the impact employment litigation can have on a business, and she partners with companies to minimize liability and reduce risk with preventative strategies focused on compliance, training, and the implementation of best practices.  When workplace disputes arise and litigation cannot be avoided, these same companies call on Emily to represent them throughout every phase of the adversarial process.

As a member of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Restaurant Association, Emily is often tapped to speak and write about topics that impact the hospitality industry. She is known for her presentations on preventing workplace harassment and discrimination, conducting effective internal investigations and ensuring compliance with wage and hour practices.

Partner, Complex Litigation and Trials; Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation | Skadden LLP

For more than two decades, Mike McTigue has represented companies in class action defenses and complex civil litigation in jurisdictions across the country.

Mr. McTigue has counseled clients in international arbitration proceedings in the United States and in international forums. Additionally, he has substantial experience representing companies in the financial services, retail, telecommunications, technology, pharmaceutical and life sciences, education, hospitality and insurance industries.

Mr. McTigue has a successful record of obtaining early dismissals and plaintiffs’ voluntarily dismissal of claims, defending cases on the merits, defeating class certification, negotiating favorable individual settlements and curtailing the efforts of professional litigants. He routinely defends clients in matters that involve federal and state statutes, including numerous consumer protection laws, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act, among many others.

In recognition of his work, he has been repeatedly recognized by the BTI Consulting Group, Benchmark Litigation and The Legal Intelligencer for client service and contributions to the legal profession.

For several years, he has co-authored the Pennsylvania chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Litigation and Dispute Resolution as well as the USA chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Consumer Protection Laws and Regulations. Additionally, he has been a guest lecturer at Villanova University School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Executive Director, Workplace Policy Institute | Littler 

Shannon Meade is the executive director of Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute^® (WPI^®), the firm’s government relations and public policy arm. A highly seasoned government affairs professional, she advocates for the interests of employers to help define and shape workplace policy at the international, national and local levels.

Drawing on more than two decades working in senior roles on Capitol Hill and for prominent trade groups, Shannon develops strategic advocacy campaigns in partnership with clients to advance their legislative and regulatory priorities. Her deep policy experience, political acumen and vast relationships with government officials and industry associations allow her to build coalitions that protect and promote the collective interests of companies, trade associations, state chambers of commerce and business groups. Over the last several years, she has been at the forefront of major workplace policy debates and legislative victories, including efforts to defeat the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act at the national level and state-specific reforms such as the push to reform Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.

In addition, Shannon helps clients navigate transformational workplace issues and developments that the law has yet to address but that employers are grappling with in real-time. She is actively engaged in advocacy efforts with key federal and state lawmakers related to such issues as artificial intelligence, automation, contingent workers and wage and hours laws. Shannon and WPI are also engaged in legislative efforts to address the skilled labor shortage in the U.S., including supporting legislation aimed at modernizing the nation’s workforce development and education system.

Prior to joining Littler, Shannon served as the vice president of public policy and legal advocacy for the National Restaurant Association, the leading business association for the restaurant and foodservice industry. She also served as the deputy director of the Restaurant Law Center, the legal arm of the Association, and worked extensively with the Association’s Educational Foundation on workforce development programs. Before that, Shannon was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, chief of staff and legislative director for Congresswoman Kay Granger, and legislative counsel on the U.S. House Government Reform Committee.

Senior Associate | Baker Botts

As an Associate in the firm’s Environmental, Safety and Incident Response group, Scott Novak advises clients on litigation, regulatory advocacy, and compliance matters, focusing on climate and sustainability issues in particular. He has prepared dozens of comments on a wide array of environmental rulemakings and utility commission proceedings. Scott also has first chair litigation experience in both federal and state court. 

Prior to joining Baker Botts, Scott worked as a Fellow at the Georgetown Climate Center to assist states in developing the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program, a regional cap-and-invest policy for on-road transportation fuels. 

Scott also maintains an active LGBTQ+ pro bono practice through the Baker Botts Pride in Action initiative and is co-host of the Environmental Evolutions podcast. 

During law school, Scott advised multiple environmental non-profits as a student-attorney in the Institute for Public Representation’s Environmental Clinic. He also served as a law clerk for the Environmental Enforcement Section of the U.S. Department of Justice – Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Regional Managing Partner • Co-Chair, Hospitality Industry Group | Fisher Phillips LLP

Alden Parker is the managing partner of the firm’s Sacramento office and the co-chair of the Hospitality Industry Group. Alden represents employers in all facets of employment law matters. He has considerable experience defending employers in litigation involving claims under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), California’s wage and hour laws, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Alden has also defended employers against whistleblowing and retaliation claims, including claims under the California Whistleblower Act and various provisions of the California Labor Code.

Alden has extensive experience defending employers in federal and state court, as well as in investigations by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In addition to defending his clients in litigation, Alden frequently counsels employers to assist them in avoiding litigation. He regularly advises clients on leave management issues and the interactive process for employees with disabilities, reinstatement obligations under various leave laws and wage and hour compliance. Alden has prepared employee handbooks and a variety of agreements, including independent contractor, employment, confidentiality and trade secrets agreements.

His clients are involved in a variety of industries, including restaurants, retail, construction, and healthcare. Alden is also a frequent speaker for many human resources organizations, including those affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management.

Partner | Steptoe

Natalie Rainer is a Chambers-ranked lawyer, focusing on laws affecting the food, supplement, and cosmetic industries, with deep experience guiding companies in through complex regulatory and litigation challenges. In addition to working with finished product manufacturers, she also advises manufacturers of food-contact materials, additives, and processing aids on compliance with requirements administered by the US Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and Federal Trade Commission. Natalie has successfully filed with FDA numerous Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notices, Color Additive Petitions, and Food Contact Notifications (FCNs), enabling clients to bring innovative products to market.  

In addition to federal requirements, Natalie regularly advises clients on the increasingly complex patchwork of state laws affecting food and consumer-facing products, such as extended producer responsibility schemes, environmental marketing limitations, and restrictions on contaminants. Her practice includes advising manufacturers and retailers on compliance, sustainability, and marketing claims across the food and beauty industries.  

Her regulatory counseling often dovetails with the litigation practice, defending clients against not only deceptive advertising challenges but also claims alleging exposure to emerging contaminants like microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). She frequently represents clients in Proposition 65 enforcement challenges regarding lead, other heavy metals, PFAS compounds, mycotoxins, and other listed chemicals and provides pragmatic advice on Proposition 65 compliance. Products.  

Natalie, who has a Masters in Public Health in addition to her law degree, guides clients through enforcement actions and recall situations involving adulteration, misbranding, foodborne illness, and allergen cross-contamination. She regularly advises on food safety issues and regulatory compliance under the Food Safety Modernization Act. She regularly publishes on key challenges facing food, cosmetic, and consumer product companies, from sustainable packaging and emerging contaminants to advertising litigation risks. 

Natalie has a background in bioethics and attended culinary school; this experience provides her with a unique perspective benefiting food and consumer product companies navigating complex regulatory landscapes. This diverse background provides her with a unique perspective benefiting consumer-facing companies navigating both regulatory compliance and evolving consumer expectations around safety, sustainability, and wellness. 

Chief Compliance Officer | Chipotle Mexican Grill

Sunayna Ramdeo is Chief Compliance Officer of Chipotle Mexican Grill, where she leads the company’s compliance, ethics, privacy and legal risk management functions and oversees litigation and employment law matters. Her teams are responsible for advancing the company’s enterprise-wide compliance strategy, strengthening governance frameworks and mitigating legal and regulatory risk while supporting Chipotle’s growth objectives. Ms. Ramdeo works closely with senior leadership and business partners across the organization to promote operational excellence, ethical decision-making and a culture of integrity and accountability.

Prior to joining Chipotle in March 2026, Ms. Ramdeo held senior leadership roles at Petco Health and Wellness Company, where she led the litigation, employment law and compliance functions and served as the head of Human Resources for the company’s field organization. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions overseeing compliance, privacy and litigation programs for organizations in the financial services and consumer products industries. Throughout her career, Ms. Ramdeo has partnered with executive leadership teams and boards of directors to navigate complex regulatory environments, drive organizational transformation and strengthen stakeholder confidence. Ms. Ramdeo earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University

Deputy Secretary for Enforcement | California Labor and Employment Development Agency

Todd M. Ratshin was appointed by Governor Newsom as Deputy Secretary for Enforcement at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency in September 2024. Ratshin is overseeing the Labor Agency’s implementation of the 2024 reforms to the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), the longstanding law that allows employees to bring representative actions against their employers to enforce state labor standards and collect civil penalties for Labor Code violations on behalf of the state. In this capacity he leads the Labor Agency’s administration of the new early resolution procedures added by the 2024 reforms.

Ratshin has broad public and private sector experience in the fields of labor and employment law, both advocating the protection of workers’ rights and representing employers. He frequently is invited to speak about the PAGA reforms and has presented to both attorney and industry organizations at webinars, seminars, and conferences.

Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel | Restaurant Law Center

Robin Repass is the Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel of the Restaurant Law Center (RLC), the independent public policy organization created specifically to represent the interests of the food service industry in the courts. The RLC is essential to the protection and advancement of the restaurant industry. It promotes pro-business laws and regulations that allow restaurants to continue to grow, create jobs, and contribute to a robust American economy. It provides courts and regulatory agencies the industry’s prospective on significant legal and regulatory issues to ensure that the views of America’s restaurant operators are taken into consideration. 

Repass is a strategic litigation and public policy leader with extensive experience representing business owners in federal, state, and appellate courts with a focus on workplace safety, employment litigation, and regulatory compliance. Repass has more than 20 years’ experience as both in-house and outside legal counsel, with deep experience in policymaking and coalition building.  At the RLC, Repass is the courtroom advocate for the restaurant industry, working tirelessly to safeguard the industry’s place as an engine of opportunity, connection, and economic growth. 

Prior to joining the Restaurant Law Center, Repass was a partner at Fisher & Phillips in Washington, D.C., where she led workplace safety, employment law, and government relations matters for employers and trade associations nationwide, including clients in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality sectors. In this role, she litigated complex employment and OSHA cases in federal and state courts, engaged directly with regulators on rulemaking and enforcement issues, and served as a leading legal spokesperson in public and regulatory forums. She also held senior legal and public policy roles at Amazon, leading global workplace safety compliance initiatives, advising executive leadership on regulatory and legislative strategy, and engaging with federal and state policymakers. Earlier in her career, Repass served in leadership roles at Ogletree Deakins and Tesla, building deep expertise in employment law, workplace safety, and regulatory compliance across highly regulated industries. 

Learn more about the Restaurant Law Center and the cases it is engaged in here. 

Administrator, Wage and Hour Division | U.S. Department of Labor

Andrew Rogers was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025, to be the 20th Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor—his second stint at WHD.  

As the Administrator, Rogers is charged to lead the law enforcement agency responsible for interpreting and implementing federal minimum wage, overtime, and child labor requirements, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, several employment standards and worker protections in the nation’s immigration laws, and other statutes. Together, these statutes cover more than 155 million workers at more than 12 million worksites across the United States.  

Prior to becoming Administrator, Rogers served as the Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from February 2025 to November 2025, where he was responsible for managing and coordinating the agency’s nationwide litigation program and providing overall direction to all components of the Office of General Counsel. Prior to being designated by the President as Acting General Counsel, he served as Chief Counsel and Chief of Staff to the Chair.   

During the first Trump Administration, he served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. In this capacity, Rogers focused primarily on regulations and opinion letters.   

Before his government service, Rogers represented and counseled clients on all aspects of wage and hour law for 12 years in private practice. He began his legal career clerking for Chief Judge Harvey Bartle III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He earned a B.A. from the University of Virginia with honors and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.  

Shareholder | Littler

Joy Rosenquist serves as a California liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute® and focuses on California state legislative and regulatory developments in employment and labor law. She assists the employer community in understanding the impact of California legislation before it becomes law. With her background in governmental affairs and regulatory practice, having previously worked for the State of California for over a decade, she is skilled at representing both private and public entities on all facets of advice and counsel, and employment litigation. 

In addition to her government relations and public policy work, Joy is an experienced litigator in state and federal court, defending both private companies and public entities throughout her career. She practiced labor and employment litigation and advice and counsel work at the State for 11 years, with an emphasis on implementation of executive orders, legislation, oversight of regulations, and California budget bill and trailer bill legislation. With Joy’s background in governmental affairs and regulatory practice, she is skilled at representing public entities on all facets of statutory and municipal compliance and related litigation and ordinances. 

Between 2001 and 2011, Joy practiced employment law with several private practice firms in the Sacramento area, developing a diverse practice including public sector litigation, constitutional challenges to peace officer conduct, and private sector trade secret and employee misappropriation cases. 

Joy is also adept at workplace audits and investigations, having oversight of internal and third party investigators while employed at the State. She regularly conducts outside investigations for local and State governmental entities.  

Joy speaks around the U.S. and internationally on emerging issues in the workplace, including pay transparency, artificial intelligence and California labor and employment public policy. She is regularly quoted and published in such media outlets as Law360, Political, Bloomberg Law, CNBC, SHRM and LexisNexis, and has a significant social media presence on LinkedIn. 

Shareholder | Littler

Bruce J. Sarchet has focused his entire legal career on the representation of management in labor and employment law matters. 

With energy, enthusiasm, and intense focus, Bruce provides clients with superior quality work and exceptional client service and has earned a reputation as a hands-on problem solver. He crafts practical, real world solutions to workplace problems — balancing business realities with the need to minimize exposure to litigation. 

Bruce has a wide-ranging practice representing private, public and nonprofit entities in all aspects of labor and employment law, including claims of workplace discrimination and harassment, wage and hour compliance, and the National Labor Relations Act. 

He also serves as the California coordinator and liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI). In this capacity, Bruce focuses on California state legislative and regulatory developments in employment and labor law, as well as municipal ordinances and regulation of the workplace. He assists the employer community in understanding and impacting California legislation before it becomes law. 

As a member of WPI, Bruce represents trade associations in bringing constitutional law challenges to overbroad state laws, including a challenge to AB 51 which limits the use of employment arbitration agreements, and a challenge to AB 2455, which provides labor unions access to contact information for home care workers. 

Partner | Jenner & Block

Jon Skladany leverages 14 years of experience as a senior adviser to Republicans at key committees in the US Congress to help clients navigate high-profile investigations and other congressional inquiries. Companies across industries benefit from his nuanced understanding of the congressional oversight process. Since joining Jenner & Block, House Republican leadership has also tapped Jon to assist high-profile select committee investigations. In 2024, Jon served as special counsel to Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Republicans on the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump. 

Prior to entering private practice, Jon specialized in oversight and investigations, including as Chief Counsel for Oversight to Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) at the House Committee on Financial Services, and to Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) in their roles as Republican leaders of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Jon advised Committee Republicans on high-profile investigations of the banking and fintech sectors and oversight of related regulatory agencies. From 2020-2022, Jon served as oversight counsel for Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. 

Jon previously served for a decade in several roles at the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability—the House’s primary investigative committee—including as Republican Staff Director, Chief Policy Counsel, and Deputy General Counsel.   

Most recently, Jon served as US Government Affairs and Senior Communications Officer for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he managed the IMF’s relationship with US government stakeholders, including the White House, Congress, and the Treasury Department. 

Partner, Complex Litigation and Trials; Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation | Skadden LLP

Meredith Slawe represents clients across a range of industries in class actions nationwide and mass arbitrations. She often secures early victories to help clients avoid protracted litigation, including by developing strategies that prompt plaintiffs to dismiss their claims, compelling arbitration, defeating class certification and obtaining dismissals at summary judgment. Ms. Slawe also advises retailers and consumer-facing companies in connection with artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.

Ms. Slawe frequently works on cases focused on cutting-edge privacy and consumer protection issues under federal and state statutes. Prior to joining Skadden, she served as head of her previous firm’s retail industry practice and co-head of its class actions practice, giving her deep experience in advising retailers and consumer companies on class actions and mitigating litigation and enforcement risk. She has handled matters in several jurisdictions involving compliance with federal and state laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, California Consumer Privacy Act and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, among many others.

Ms. Slawe was elected to the American Law Institute and the American Bar Foundation and has been the recipient of numerous legal awards and accolades, including from The American Lawyer, Benchmark Litigation and The Legal 500. She is frequently invited to speak and write on issues pertaining to class actions, privacy, consumer arbitration and the retail industry. Additionally, she has been a guest lecturer on privacy at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and has presented at the Annenberg School of Communications. Ms. Slawe is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and speaks regularly on issues pertaining to women in the profession.

SVP & Association General Counsel | Darden Restaurants

In her role as AGC at Darden, Dawn oversees the company’s commercial litigation, employment dispute resolution, and employment law compliance practices.  Dawn has been on the Darden legal team since 2007, serving as a trusted advisor and business partner across the enterprise.  Darden’s family of restaurants features some of the most recognizable and successful brands in full-service dining — Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s and Bahama Breeze.  Darden owns and operates more than 2,100 restaurants and proudly employs 195,000 team members across the United States and Canada who serve up memorable experiences for 420 million guests every year.  Prior to joining Darden, Dawn practiced commercial litigation with the international law firm of Foley & Lardner.

Senior Impact Manager | Inspire Brands

Alexis Swanson is the Senior Impact Manager at Inspire Brands, where she leads sustainability strategy across the company’s portfolio of restaurant brands. Her work spans a broad range of Impact priorities, including energy efficiency, food waste reduction, responsible sourcing, and sustainable packaging. Leveraging her background in the packaging industry, Alexis leads Inspire’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, guiding the organization through evolving regulatory requirements, reporting obligations, cost management considerations, and packaging optimization strategies. Her role bridges legal, operational, financial, and sustainability functions to help Inspire respond strategically to the rapidly changing EPR landscape.

Partner | Fisher Phillips

Kristin R.B. White is a partner in the firm’s Denver office, co-chair of the firm’s Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Management Practice Group and co-chair of the firm’s Energy Industry Team. Kristin counsels and defends clients in regulatory workplace safety matters, and often acts as crisis management counsel for employers across all industries. 

With more than two decades of experience, she advises employers with respect to their obligations concerning injured workers, including navigating paid sick leave, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, and other employer leave obligations. 

Kristin acts as a strong advocate for her clients before government agencies and administrative boards, such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC). Her experience further includes counseling and defending employers against whistleblower claims, discrimination claims, wrongful termination, and general employment law claims. 

Kristin also understands the best solution to a legal problem is to keep it from happening in the first place. She has made education and prevention a key part of her practice, and regularly conducts training programs and prepares written materials on how to avoid employment discrimination claims, and advises on health and safety topics under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA). 

Kristin has been named a Colorado Super Lawyers® Rising Star in Energy and Resource law several years in a row and selected as the 2024 Barrister’s Choice – Employment Defense Attorney by Law Week Colorado in its annual “Barrister’s Best” ranking of the state’s most respected practitioners. 

She was valedictorian of her law school class at the University of Tulsa and graduated with highest honors from the University of Kansas.