Suzzanne W. Decker

Miles & Stockbridge represented a distributor of electrical parts, lighting products and commercial shading solutions in a part-sale, part-rollover transaction with a private equity sponsor utilizing representations and warranties insurance, which required additional scrutiny of the seller’s diligence profile. The team navigated and resolved extensive diligence obstacles, including state sales and use tax exposures and employee benefits issues. They significantly reduced the buyer’s proposed client-transition holdback, negotiating a clean exit for two retiring partners and obtained favorable rollover equity and governance terms for the continuing partners.

Miles & Stockbridge represented a Baltimore-based manufacturer accused of breach of contract and discrimination in a federal lawsuit brought by a former vendor. The firm obtained summary judgment for all claims, most of which were upheld on appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The firm also has provided day-to-day employment law counseling and advice and successfully defended the manufacturer in EEOC charges filed by employees, including a charge of disability discrimination in which the firm obtained a very favorable early settlement for the client.

Miles & Stockbridge provides employment law advice on an ongoing basis on an array of matters of importance to numerous colleges and universities, working closely with the General Counsel and other senior leaders. We advise them in employment law, faculty matters, sensitive employment issues, student issues, internal investigations, and numerous other areas. 

We serve as outside general counsel to several independent schools. We provide ongoing legal advice to the schools on employment law, faculty issues and faculty contracts, student conduct issues, enrollment agreements and other contract matters, school policies, and numerous other areas.

Miles & Stockbridge served as lead defense counsel in a nationwide FLSA class action claim directed at staffing agencies providing engineers for nuclear power plants. We developed a multi-prong strategy focused on dismissing the parent corporation and a significant reduction of Plaintiffs’ claims for damages. We were able to craft a confidential nationwide settlement. 

Miles & Stockbridge assisted executive leadership of a construction products manufacturer in establishing response to COVID related issues, including reopening of operations nationwide, response to outbreaks and setting up stringent health and safety protocols. Potential damages would have been several million dollars, if we been unable to get operations up and running.

Miles & Stockbridge secured a trial victory in Virginia state court on a claim of defamation following the employee’s termination for allegedly engaging in sexual harassment. 

Miles & Stockbridge secured a trial victory in Pennsylvania state court representing a medical provider against a claim for defamation by employee terminated after refusing to take a drug test. 

Miles & Stockbridge defended a restaurant alleged to have improperly used tip pool method of payment. We obtained denial of motion for conditional certification and ultimately were successful at obtaining summary judgment regarding restaurants implementation of tip pool credit. 

Miles & Stockbridge represented a manufacturer in a wage and hour purported class action involving the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Through motions, we were able to successfully reduce this to a single plaintiff case. 

Miles & Stockbridge represented a major retailer against claims of improper pay of a class of pharmacists. We obtained summary judgment and dismissal of FLSA claims. 

Performed an Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) audit for a research university in a case involving a government contractor that alleged race discrimination. We were able to successfully reduce and resolve the case. 

We represented a global manufacturer and defeated motion for conditional certification of a class of similarly situated employees. We ultimately were able to resolve individual claims. 

We defended a major manufacturer against claims of race discrimination where EEOC had issued notice of probable cause of discrimination. After extensive discovery, we were successful in obtaining summary judgment on all claims.

Miles & Stockbridge represented a municipality in a case involving an ADA claim in which the plaintiff accused our client of race discrimination. We successfully resolved this case for our client and obtained dismissal. 

Miles & Stockbridge handled a claim of FMLA retaliation for a truck manufacturer and was ultimately successful in resolving after obtaining ruling significantly reducing available damages. 

Miles & Stockbridge conducts extensive training for management and employees on topics of harassment, FMLA, internal investigations and employment law for managers.