Martine Wells

Labor & Employment

Employment Litigation & Trials

Wage & Hour Class and Collective Litigation

Workplace Compliance & Counseling

Martine Wells represents employers in all workforce-related matters. While Martine’s goal is to help employers avoid disputes, when necessary, she defends employers in all varieties of employment litigation, including class, collective action, and individual lawsuits involving current and former employees. While her practice is focused on wage and hour claims (off-the-clock, unpaid overtime, tip pools and credits, and misclassification claims arising under the FLSA, the Colorado wage laws and COMPS, and other states’ laws), she also represents employers in discrimination, wrongful termination, and non-compete/non-solicit litigation. Martine is well versed with managing e-discovery issues, experts, and appeals. In parallel to her litigation practice, she regularly advises employers on strategies to mitigate risk in the workplace, including regarding restrictive covenants, hiring and separations, equal pay, and wage and hour issues. She also supports deal teams advising regarding employment issues in mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions, and advises executives related executive employment agreements. Her clients include employers of all sizes across industries, including health care, real estate development, mortgage lending, call center, hospitality, consumer finance, consumer goods, retail, and online gaming.

Concentrations:

Employment litigation defense

Class and collective action defense

Employment agreements

Noncompete agreements

Board Member, Ronald McDonald House Charities, 2019-Present

Member, Fundraising Strategies Taskforce, Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado, 2011-2017

Member, American Employment Law Council, 2022-Present

Member, American Bar Association, 2011-Present; Member, Labor & Employment Section, 2011-Present; ADEA Co-Chair, Federal Labor Standards Committee, 2017-Present.

BNA Bloomberg The Fair Labor Standards Act Treatise; Board of Editors, 2018-2021; Contributing Author/Editor, 2013-Present

Member, Colorado General Counsel Mentoring Program, Class of 2020

Member, Impact Denver, Class of 2019

Member, Colorado Bar Association, 2010-Present

Member, Colorado Women’s Bar Association, 2010-Present

Member, Denver Bar Association, 2010-Present

Member, Faculty of Federal Advocates, 2011-Present

Member, Wage & Hour Defense Institute, 2019-2023

Member, Workplace Law Advisory Board, University of Denver – Sturm College of Law, 2018-Present

Advisor, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2019-Present; Legal Advisory Committee, 2019-Present; Public Affairs Council, 2021-2022

Board Member, BabiesNow! Foundation, 2014-2019

Volunteer Attorney, Colorado Lawyers Committee, 2011-2015

Volunteer Attorney, Colorado Poverty Law Project, 2016

Volunteer Attorney, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, 2011-Present

Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2022

Education:

J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2013

B.S., Northwestern University, 2003

Clerkships:

Hon. Russell Carparelli, Colorado Court of Appeals, 2010-2011