Thomas M Stanek

Traditional Labor Relations, Employment Law, Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets, Litigation, Multistate Advice and Counseling

Tom Stanek co-chairs Ogletree Deakins’ Traditional Labor Relations Practice Group and is a trusted management-side advocate with over 25 years of experience guiding employers through high-stakes labor and employment challenges. He advises executives and HR leaders on traditional labor strategy, complex employment litigation, workforce planning and training, and restrictive covenant and trade secret protection. A pragmatic strategist and effective courtroom advocate, he practices in state and federal courts and appears before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and state civil rights and labor authorities. His expertise spans multiple industries, including healthcare, hospitality, financial services, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, transportation, and government contracting. He is recognized by Chambers USA (Leading Lawyer), Southwest Super Lawyers, and The Best Lawyers in America®, and was named Best Lawyers® 2026 Labor Law – Management “Lawyer of the Year” in Phoenix, Arizona.

Traditional labor counsel and advocacy

Tom leads employers through the full spectrum of traditional labor relations challenges. He defends companies in unfair labor practice charges and handles representation and decertification proceedings before the NLRB. He represents management in collective bargaining and labor negotiations and has handled hundreds of grievances, mediations, and arbitrations, consistently aligning outcomes with operational and financial goals. He counsels on positive employee relations and organizing risk, including union awareness and educational campaigns, strike and work stoppage preparedness and response, and rapid deployment strategies for acute labor challenges.

Training and proactive compliance

Drawing on deep, cross-industry experience, Tom designs and delivers tailored, interactive training for leadership teams on the National Labor Relations Act, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), wage and hour issues, and other federal, state, and local requirements. His programs emphasize practical, actionable guidance to elevate compliance, reduce risk, and maximize resources. He partners with clients to implement employee relations solutions that reinforce culture, enable growth, and withstand regulatory scrutiny.

Unfair competition and trade secrets

As a member of the firm’s Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets Practice Group, Tom builds state and nationwide strategies to protect human capital investments, trade secrets, and proprietary and confidential information. He advises on non-compete, non-solicit, non-disclosure, no-poach, anti-raiding, and confidentiality agreements and policies, maintaining comprehensive knowledge of evolving restrictive covenant and trade secret law nationwide. When disputes arise, he prosecutes and defends restrictive covenant and employment agreement cases, aligning litigation strategy with business imperatives.

Multistate advice and counseling

As part of the firm’s Multistate Advice and Counseling Practice Group, Tom drafts employment, arbitration, and separation agreements and advises on handbooks, policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance with complex, rapidly changing laws. He delivers practical, scalable solutions to help multijurisdictional employers remain compliant.