Event Details

Ending the cycle of workplace bullying requires identifying its causes, finding its sources, and taking effective action. Failing to take all three steps can simply perpetuate the problem, or worse, exacerbate it. In this webinar, Michael O’Brien, an employment law attorney with experience helping HR staff snuff out bullying cultures, will discuss practical ways you can change your business climate.

Learning Objectives include:
(a) What makes a workplace ripe for bullying?
(b) What behaviors allow workplace bullying to go unchecked?
(c) How can you eradicate workplace bullying?

Presenter:
Michael O'Brien, Perkins Coie LLP

An attorney that is comfortable in both the courtroom and the boardroom, Michael O’Brien has deep experience in labor and employment law. A former in-house counsel for the University of Alaska system, his practice at Perkins Coie focuses on labor issues, employment investigations, unfair labor practice claims, harassment, unionization efforts, and other employment issues. He also possesses in-depth knowledge of Title IX and other education laws that impact both the K-12 and post-secondary environment.

Michael is an experienced litigator, drawing on his time as trial lawyer for the State of Alaska Public Defender Agency and Office of Public Advocacy. With dozens of cases tried before a jury, he has developed a reputation for success on behalf of his clients. A frequent speaker, Michael routinely presents and provides trainings on topics including discrimination and crisis management, utilizing his crisis management certification from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Michael is an active member of his community and was an elected member of the Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District School Board. His pro bono work focuses on providing legal assistance to domestic violence victims, especially women whose immigration status renders them particularly vulnerable to abuse. In 2015, he was named a recipient of the Alaska Bar Association’s Brian J. Timbers Pro Bono Award for pro bono work for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.