David Cessante

David Cessante represents and counsels employers in the automotive, hospitality, retail, insurance, and transportation industries on all employment-related matters before administrative bodies and federal and state courts.

Dave has extensive litigation experience defending employers in federal and state courts as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the United States Departments of Labor (DOL), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and other administrative tribunals.

In March 2016, Dave obtained a “no cause of action” jury verdict in a lawsuit involving six claims, including claims for gender discrimination and common law claims for unpaid commissions. The plaintiff was seeking $750,000 in damages. After a five-day trial, the jury found in favor of Dave’s client after only twenty-two minutes of deliberations.

Dave is also a frequent lecturer on numerous employment topics, including the FMLA, the ADA, preventing discrimination, retaliation, and harassment in the workplace, HR recordkeeping, wage and hour issues, affirmative action obligations, union avoidance, co-employment, independent contractors, and proper disciplinary and documenting procedures. Dave has been a guest lecturer on a myriad of employment-related topics for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce since 2010 and has also spoken at the annual conference for Michigan SHRM.