Fisher Phillips Announces Intent to Acquire The Murray Law Group

DETROIT (December 18, 2019) – Fisher Phillips, a national workplace law firm representing employers, and The Murray Law Group, a boutique labor, employment, and immigration firm located in metropolitan Detroit have reached an agreement to combine practices under the Fisher Phillips banner.  As of January 1, 2020, the boutique’s attorneys will join Fisher Phillips, and the physical space located at 31780 Telegraph Road, Bingham Farms, Michigan, will assume the Fisher Phillips brand and become the firm’s 36^th office location. 

The opening of a Michigan office will expand Fisher Phillips’ Midwest presence and continue the growth of the firm’s national footprint. Earlier this year, the firm announced the growth of its presence in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area with the addition of six attorneys from Farrington Law. The firm also opened an office in Pittsburgh with the addition of an industry-leading mine and workplace safety team. In October, Fisher Phillips announced it would be soon opening its sixth office in California in the San Fernando Valley.

Through the addition of The Murray Law Group, Fisher Phillips will benefit from a group of attorneys known for providing counseling, negotiation and litigation services to local and national employers across a wide range of industries. With one of the largest immigration practices in Michigan, the group has experience servicing clients for the automotive, manufacturing, transportation, health care, scientific, military, and temporary service provider industries. Due in part to its location, the group is also nationally recognized for its ability to quickly and efficiently resolve admissibility issues at the U.S.-Canada border.

The attorneys of The Murray Law Group have extensive experience guiding employers on compliance with state and federal laws including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Members of the group also represent employers in wage and hour and occupational health and safety matters before both the United States and Michigan Departments of Labor. In addition, the firm provides valuable advice and counseling to clients on a wide variety of human relations and personnel matters.

“Acquiring this kind of talent with such a broad range of capabilities puts Fisher Phillips in a better position to serve the growing demand for trusted labor and employment counsel in Michigan, the Midwest and the entire country,” said Roger Quillen, Chairman and Managing Partner of Fisher Phillips. “We are thrilled to welcome such an established group of highly-skilled lawyers, and we look forward to combining forces with them to continue delivering innovative solutions to local, national and international employers.”

“Becoming a part of Fisher Phillips will allow us to better serve our clients, as many of the clients we represent work on a national and/or global basis.  Having offices in so many locations across the country will give our clients the high level of service they have come to expect wherever their facilities are located,” said Susan Hartmus Hiser, President of The Murray Law Group. “In turn, we here at The Murray Law Group are eager to assist Fisher Phillips’ clients who do business in Michigan.  Becoming part of Fisher Phillips benefits everyone, as we all work to achieve the best possible results for our clients and help solve the complex legal issues that exist in today’s market.”

In total, 13 attorneys will be joining Fisher Phillips. The seven joining as partners include William E. Altman, Dorothy Hanigan Basmaji, Jesse Goldstein, Susan Hartmus Hiser, Debra Auerbach Clephane Kennedy, Kathleen Saenz Poppenger, and Ronald E. Reynolds.

William E. Altman served as Vice President and Treasurer of The Murray Law Group. He brings experience in the areas of labor, employment, and benefits litigation on behalf of private and public sector employers. He advises employers regarding their obligations under state and federal employment laws, including employment and separation agreements, employment policies, internal investigations, and compliance with state and federal anti-discrimination, wage and hour, and benefits laws. William has in-depth experience defending and advising employers in employee benefits matters and has successfully defended employers in ERISA class actions alleging breach of fiduciary duty, discrimination, and denial of benefits. 

Dorothy Hanigan Basmaji focuses her practice on business immigration and served as her firm’s Immigration Practice Group Leader. She has extensive experience in seeking internal transfers for corporate employees from other countries, as well as representing corporations seeking external hires. Dorothy also advises executives and other business professionals regarding complex immigration regulations. She represents clients before the Department of Labor and its state agencies in labor certification proceedings and matters relating to obtaining nonimmigrant status for physicians, nurses, and other professionals.  She has extensive experience in effectuating the entry of business persons under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and frequently represents clients before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Michigan and across the U.S.

Jesse Goldstein practices in the area of immigration, focusing upon employment-based immigration throughout a range of industries.  His areas of experience include H-1B petitions, L-1 Intra-Company transfers, E1/E2 Treaty Traders/Investors, NAFTA visas, O-1 petitions, Multinational Managers, PERM labor certifications, I-140 petitions, and Employment-Based Permanent Residence.

Susan Hartmus Hiser has served as President of The Murray Law Group with a focus in the areas of labor and employment litigation on behalf of private and public sector employers. She represents employers in litigation filed in both state and federal courts, as well as in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, and the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. Susan has experience in representing employers in multi-plaintiff harassment and disparate treatment cases. In addition to counseling employers on various employment matters, such as FMLA compliance, disciplinary issues and workplace investigations, Susan has drafted and reviewed employment contracts, personnel policies, and employee handbooks. She has also conducted in-house training on all areas of employment law, including harassment prevention, legal compliance, and workplace policies. Susan is frequently called upon both to assist in and to conduct workplace investigations on behalf of her clients.

Debra Auerbach Clephane Kennedy has served as Secretary of The Murray Law Group with extensive experience handling immigration matters and counseling employers in I-9 compliance actions.  Debbie is a national immigration counsel for several Tier-1 automotive suppliers and advises both U.S. and non-U.S. employers who seek to employ foreign nationals in the United States. She regularly counsels management and professional organizations on strategic planning immigration issues related to establishing new U.S. enterprises.  She also provides on-site employer training for human resource personnel on topics of temporary visa classifications, student employment, national interest waivers, permanent residence procedures, I-9 compliance, NAFTA and IRCA discrimination.

Kathleen Saenz Poppenger has extensive experience in the area of employment-based immigration matters, including H-1B workers, L-1 Intra-Company transfers, E 1/E2 Treaty Traders/Investors, NAFTA visas, Multinational Managers, PERM processing, Employment-Based Permanent Residence, as well as I-9 Compliance, Family-Based Green Card matters and Hardship Waivers. She has in-depth experience with healthcare-related immigration matters as well as complex citizenship issues in a variety of other industries.

Ronald E. Reynolds has a diverse business and litigation practice which includes counseling clients on business, employment and real estate issues, as well as litigating real property, employment, business and commercial matters.  He has substantive experience in trial courts, appellate courts and arbitration venues, and has been appointed both a facilitator and an arbitrator in complex commercial and real property law cases.  Ron also serves in a "general counsel" capacity for several small businesses.