MICHAEL E. COLES
Shareholder
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Education:
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Since 1998 Mike has practiced Labor & Employment law exclusively. Mike has handled single plaintiff discrimination and harassment cases as well as multi-state class actions involving the E.E.O.C. In addition to traditional litigation, he has helped clients develop employment policies and procedures, drafted and negotiated contracts, and provided employee and management training on a variety of Human Resources issues. Mike’s peers have repeatedly recognized his efforts and expertise by selecting him as a Texas Rising Star in 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009. Included in Mike's practice are two sub-specialties: immigration and non-compete/trade secret litigation. Mike's immigration practice includes representing multi-national employers transferring employees to the U.S. and other foreign countries, assisting domestic employers with hiring foreign workers, and helping individual clients pursue immigration benefits. In the non-compete/trade secret arena, Mike serves corporate and individual clients in drafting, negotiating, and litigating non-compete agreements. He has successfully handled non-compete and trade secret cases in Texas, Arizona, Florida, and Maryland. When necessary, Mike identifies counsel outside Texas to assist in handling a case. Throughout that process, he remains actively involved to ensure optimal results. Mike is a frequent speaker for a variety of organizations, such as the College of the State Bar of Texas, an honorary society for Texas lawyers, and the Center for International Legal Studies, an organization based in Salzburg, Austria dedicated to cooperative international legal education. Mike also speaks for various colleges and universities throughout Texas and regularly works directly with corporate clients and business groups to provide targeted presentations related to various areas of employment and immigration law. |