Shelagh Michaud

Practice Areas

Shelagh C.N. Michaud is a member of the Labor & Employment practice group and the firm’s Occupational Safety & Health (OSHA) practice. Her practice focuses on advising and counseling clients on employment matters and workplace safety (OSHA) issues and representing employers in employment and workplace safety investigations and litigation. She has a broad range of experience counseling and representing corporations, schools, municipalities, and nonprofit entities in state and federal employment, workplace safety, and business dispute matters.

EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING

In my practice, I counsel and advise employers on day-to-day and long-term employment law matters, such as termination and performance counseling, employee management, and employment policies and best practices. I also work with employers to implement workplace safety initiatives and policies, including those to address public health emergencies/infectious disease issues and workplace violence concerns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have continued to work actively with clients to respond to business and financial concerns and workplace safety issues, to keep abreast of changing guidance, regulations, and laws impacting employers as businesses move forward during and after the pandemic, and to implement new employment policies and practices to assist businesses as they grow and transition during these changing times.

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION

I represent employers in all stages of discrimination and employment matters pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), state agencies, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and state and federal courts. I defend clients in employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, workplace safety, and COVID-19–related matters. I assist clients in conducting investigations and implementing strategies to prevent litigation and work with clients to develop and implement effective and manageable employment policies and practices to respond to changing business needs. I have also represented and counseled municipalities, schools, and colleges in civil rights and business litigation matters.

As COVID-19 moves into endemic phase, we need to be aware of the impact of lessons learned from responding to the pandemic and ways in which that experience can shape and improve employment policies and practices going forward.

Career

Boston College Law School, J.D., cum laude

University of New Hampshire, B.A., cum laude

Professional Memberships

Member of the Policy Committee of the Compass School in Kingston and the North Kingstown High School Booster Club Board

Massachusetts Bar Association

New Hampshire Bar Association

Rhode Island Bar Association