Practice Expertise

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Areas of Practice

  • Complex Employment Litigation
  • Labor and Employment
  • Public Accommodations
  • Retail
  • Wage and Hour Class Actions
  • View More

Profile

For more than thirty years, Michael Brett Burns has represented leading employers and management in a wide range of employment and public accommodations-related matters. Brett's practice focuses on employment class actions, wage and hour class, collective, and PAGA representative actions, complex public accommodations litigation, and federal and state agency pattern or practice actions (including lawsuits filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and various state attorneys general).

Brett has led the defense teams for more than 250 class, collective, representative, and pattern or practice actions, tried complex class actions, collective actions, and pattern or practice cases to juries, and secured verdicts for clients in multiple single-plaintiff jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations.

In addition to his litigation and arbitration practice, Brett counsels clients on litigation avoidance strategies and on creative solutions for complicated employment, wage and hour, and public accommodation law challenges. He has earned national recognition for his work from Chambers USA (2021 to present), Benchmark Litigation (2018 to present), Legal 500 US (2021 to present), the California Daily Journal (2021 "Top Labor & Employment Lawyers"), and others. He is a member of the American Employment Law Council and several other legal organizations.

Bar Admissions

    Education
    JD, The University of Texas School of Law, Member and Associate Editor, Texas Law Review, 1991

    BS, Texas A&M University, 1988

    Areas of Practice

    • Complex Employment Litigation
    • Labor and Employment
    • Public Accommodations
    • Retail
    • Wage and Hour Class Actions

    Blogs

    Hunton Employment & Labor Law Perspectives

    Providing innovative services and support to clients is a top priority at Hunton & Williams. We believe that delivering true value to our clients requires a multifaceted approach. Beyond traditional engagements, we look to provide tools and resources tailored to their specific needs.

    Hunton Immigration and Nationality Law

    The Hunton & Williams LLP Immigration practice, part of the firm's Labor and Employment Team, is concentrated in two major areas. First our work involves advising American and foreign businesses about obtaining the most appropriate temporary and permanent work visas for executives, professionals, and other skilled foreign workers. Careful planning and documentation are necessary to ensure the greatest chance of success. We also represent our clients in any negotiations or administrative...

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