As the head of the firm’s national Wage and Hour Defense Group, Gigi regularly defends clients in FLSA litigation and wage and hour class actions across the United States. She has defended several significant, large-dollar wage and hour lawsuits brought under various theories, including exemption misclassification, independent contractor misclassification, unpaid overtime, unpaid minimum wage, unlawful deductions, improper calculation of the regular rate, off-the-clock work, missed meal and rest breaks, among other alleged violations. She also regularly defends clients against individual wage claims and wage and hour audits initiated by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Gigi also leads the firm’s national OSHA Compliance & Defense Practice Group and assists clients responding to OSHA inquiries following complaints of retaliation or alleged unsafe workplace conditions, as well as investigations following injuries, accidents or fatalities. She has significant experience in this area and enjoys an exemplary track record achieving favorable results for her clients.

Gigi is an experienced trial attorney who has litigated and tried cases to verdict before a jury in state and federal court under a variety of employment laws, including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the Equal Pay Act, the FMLA, constructive discharge and retaliation, among others. Her successes include achieving a defense verdict from a 12-person jury in under an hour of deliberation in federal court. She also helps clients navigate and litigate various business disputes over proprietary trade secrets, non-competes and other restrictive covenants, tortious interference, and breaches of contracts or fiduciary duties by employees. 

She defends lawsuits filed under the ADA Title III based upon public accommodation, whether such claims are rooted in claims of denied accessibility to brick and mortar establishments or national websites. In addition, she successfully handles charges of discrimination with the EEOC and other administrative agencies. She has defended employment arbitrations pending before AAA, FINRA and JAMS, and defended management in discharge grievances and labor arbitrations before the FMCS. In one such arbitration, she secured an arbitration award in favor of a new client who had never before successfully defended a grievance.   

She is a frequent presenter for in-house counsel, SHRM members and other HR professionals, and regularly trains managers and employees on compliance with employment laws in the areas of sexual harassment and wage and hour. One client described Gigi’s training style as follows: “Gigi recently developed and facilitated an FLSA training for my team, focusing on exemption statuses. This can be a very dry topic, but Gigi made the training so relatable and engaging! Everyone enjoyed the training and benefited from it. Gigi was such a delight to work with!” Click here to see Gigi's LinkedIn page.

Other clients have described Gigi’s experience and abilities as follows:

• “Gigi is a smart and reliable advisor on employment matters . . . Our confidence in her judgement also expanded the relationship to include representation in general litigation. Her advice is sound and she can see around corners. Moreover, her expertise is national, and not limited to local law. Best of all, she is always highly responsive--if you call with an issue, she makes you feel like you are her only client.”

• “I have had the pleasure of working with Gigi for the past few years as our company corporate attorney. Her  knowledge on employment law and human resource practices are excellent. She is very professional and personable.”

• “Not only is she skilled in the courtroom, but she also has a very down to earth manner of communicating with clients and business associates alike that makes her an excellent trainer and team member.”

• “Gigi is wonderful to work with. She's incredibly knowledgeable and professional, and she’s also patient and  compassionate--important assets in a sensitive field. We are very fortunate to have her counsel.”

• “Gigi is knowledgeable, diligent, zealous, listens intently and she has a high degree of integrity and initiative. She is a hard worker and is upfront and honest. Gigi holds all of the characteristics that make her a successful and approachable individual and legal counsel. I certainly recommend Gigi for any employment consult or representation.”

• “Gigi is truly a life saver when it comes to advising on Employment Law. She is always responsive even when we reach out during non-business hours (which is often regrettably.) Her advice and counsel is always spot-on. We really could not do without her.” 

• “She is extremely knowledgeable in employment law!! I would highly recommend her!!!” 

• “While her strong track record speaks for itself, it is worth noting that she listens exceptionally well and offers clients thoughtful advice and customized solutions based upon their individualized needs. Her zealous advocacy is driven by how much she cares for her clients.”

Gigi has received notable praise and recognition from national ranking organizations and esteemed peer reviews that highlight the top legal talent in the country, including the following:

• Chambers USA®, nationally ranked in Labor & Employment;
• Super Lawyers®, rated by national peer review in Employment & Labor and Employment Litigation;
• The Best Lawyers in America®, rated by national peer review in Employment Law – Management; 
• Benchmark Litigation^®, nationally ranked as Top 250 Women in Litigation, Local Litigation Star, and Labor and Employment Star; and
• Selected to Business Today’s Top 10 Influential Labor & Employment Lawyers Shaping Nebraska in 2023.

Gigi was selected as a Fellow of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation in 2019, which honors attorneys and judges who demonstrate integrity and character, contribute to charitable works and community education, and are dedicated to improving the administration of justice. 

She was elected by her peers to serve as the Chair of the Nebraska State Bar Association’s (“NSBA”) Labor & Employment Section from 2017-2019. She served as the Issue Editor for the NSBA’s annual Labor & Employment publication in 2020.