David E. Schlesinger
No Company Is Too Big to Play Fair
About
David Schlesinger is a seasoned trial lawyer with a history of success for employees over nearly twenty years. David has been certified as an Employment Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He has repeatedly been named a "Best Lawyer in America," a "Best Lawyer in Minnesota," and, for the past decade, a “Super Lawyer.”
David recently first chaired a jury trial in a discrimination case that resulted in a $375,000 verdict in his client’s favor and a total award of more than $1.65 million.
For David, there is nothing more professionally rewarding than when he can help his clients improve their lives and circumstances. His clients have awarded him a 10.0 "Superb" rating through Avvo.
David is the former chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Council. He served on Gender Justice’s board of directors. He taught Law in Practice at the University of Minnesota Law School and is the former president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.
David has successfully litigated a variety of employment claims, including several significant cases involving gender, race, and disability discrimination. His practice falls on the intersection of employment and business disputes, and includes litigation of breach of fiduciary duty and minority shareholder claims. He has effectively defended employees from non-compete and trade secret claims.
David is frequently asked to deliver presentations on employment law matters to groups of attorneys. Topics have included employment agreements, equal pay rights, religious discrimination, and trial skills.
Education
- J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude
- B.A., Mary Washington College, cum laude
Admissions
- Arizona Supreme Court
- Minnesota Supreme Court
- 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
- 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
- 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. District Court – District of Arizona
- U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court – District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court – District of North Dakota
Memberships & Honors
- Named one of “The Best Lawyers in America,” 2022-2025
- Named to the Super Lawyers list, Minnesota Super Lawyers, 2013-2025.
- Named to "Top Lawyers," Minnesota Monthly 2022 – 2025
- Named to “Power 30 List for Employment Lawyers” by Minnesota Lawyer, 2021.
- Former Chair, MSBA Labor and Employment Council.
- Former Board Member and Former Chair, Legal Advisory Committee, Gender Justice.
- MSBA Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist. According to the MSBA, “The certified specialist designation is earned by leading attorneys who have completed a rigorous approval process, including an examination in the specialty area, peer review, and documented experience. Certified attorneys have demonstrated superior knowledge, skill, and integrity in their specific field and can use the designation of a specialist to advertise their credentials. . . This achievement has been earned by fewer than 3% of all licensed Minnesota attorneys.”
- Adjunct Associate Professor teaching Law in Practice, University of Minnesota Law School, 2011 to 2018
- Former President, Minnesota Chapter, National Employment Lawyers Association
- Named to Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyers list, 2020-2024
Presentations & Publications
- “Help for Colleagues in Crisis: Recognizing and Responding to Impairment and other Challenges in the Legal Profession.” Minnesota CLE Webcast, December 2024.
- "Pay Equity Lawsuits and Emerging Trends – Essentials for Litigators and Advisors," Employment Law Institute Webcast, June 2024.
- "The Changing Legal Environment: Creating and Capitalizing on Opportunities for Newer Lawyers." Federal Bar Association, June 2023.
- "The Impact of the NLRB’s Recent McLaren Macomb Decision on Employment Severance and Settlement Agreements: What Attorneys Need to Know.," MSBA Webcast, April 2023.
- "Elimination of Bias: Understanding Chronic Illness," Minnesota CLE, February 2023.
- "Joint Employer and Independent Contractor Issues," Minnesota CLE, December 2022.
- “Litigating fitness for duty cases under the ADA,” Eighth Circuit NELA, St. Louis, Missouri, October 2022.
- “What you need to know regarding the Biden Administration’s Covid-19 Action Plan,” Minnesota CLE Webinar, September 2021.
- Covid-19 Employment Litigation, Minnesota Association for Justice Annual Convention, August 2021
- Problem Employees: When the Problematic Behavior Stems from a Mental Health Condition, Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, July 2021.
- “New Minnesota Cases Strengthen Employee Rights – Top Takeaways from Diverse Perspectives,” 2021 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2021.
- “Minnesota Appellate Courts Strengthen Employee Protections,” MSBA Public Law and Appellate Sections, October 2020.
- "Winning Discovery Strategies," NELA National Convention, July 2020.
- “Advising Employees in the Wake of Covid-19,” Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, May 2020.
- “The Intersection of Legal Ethics and Mental Health – Our Clients, Our Colleagues, Ourselves,” Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, 2019.
- “Business Litigation: The Big Impact of the New Amended Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure – 7 Ways They Are Changing Discovery Practice,” Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, 2019.
- “Employment Discrimination Overview,” Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, 2019.
- “Sex Harassment After #Metoo – The Latest Cases, Laws, and Practices.” Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, 2019.
- “The Big Impact of the New Amended Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure – 7 Ways They Are Changing Discovery Practice,” Strategic Solutions for Solo & Small Firms Conference, Duluth, Minnesota, 2019.
- "Elimination of Bias: Understanding Chronic Illness," Minnesota CLE Webcast, July 2018.
- Co-presenter: Outside-The-Box Discovery Tools: Getting Creative With Discovery In The Era Of Proportionality,” National Employment Lawyers Convention, Chicago, June 2018.
- Co-presenter, “Practical Overview: Sexual Harassment Claims and Complaint Policies, Training and Response,” 2018 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 2018.
- Co-presenter, “Winning the Harassment Case – Strategies and Tactics,” 2018 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 2018.
- Co-presenter, “Rectifying Representation and Wrongdoing: Ethical Obligations and Aspirations of Whistleblowing,” Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 2018.
- Co-presenter, “How to Manage Chronic Illnesses in the Legal Workplace,” Workers’ Compensation Institute, Minneapolis, April 2018.
- Co-presenter, “Eighth Circuit Employment Law Update,” Eighth Circuit NELA Conference, Minneapolis, April 2018.
- Co-Presenter, “New Developments in Pay Equity Law,” ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee Midwinter Meeting, Nassau, Bahamas, February 2018.
- Co-presenter, “The Evolving Landscape of Pay Equity Litigation and Legislation,” Minnesota State Bar Association, Minneapolis, December 2017.
- Co-presenter, “Elimination of Bias: Understanding Chronic Illness,” Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, August 2017.
- Moderator/Presenter, “Employment Agreements 101: The Tips and Tricks Every Lawyer Should Know,” ABA Webinar, July 2017.
- Co-Presenter, “Title VII & The Equal Pay Act: Dynamic Duo When Challenging Sex Discrimination in Compensation,” National Employment Lawyers Association 2017 Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas, June 2017.
- Co-Presenter, “The Evolving Landscape of Equal Pay Legislation, Litigation and Regulation,” 2017 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2017.
- “Pay Equity: Increasing Enforcement and Emerging Issues,” ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee Midwinter Meeting, Playa del Carmen, Mexico, 2017.
- “Remembering my father, and the struggle for civil rights in 2017,” MinnPost, January 18, 2017.
- “Fair Pay or Comparable Worth? California’s New Fair Pay Act,” PLI’s Seminar: Cutting-Edge Employment Law Issues 2016: The California Difference, San Francisco, California, 2016.
- Co-author of “Joint Employer and Independent Contractor Issues,” published in The FMLA Handbook, Second Edition, 2016 (Minnesota Continuing Legal Education).
- “Turning the Tables on Employer Counterclaims,” Eighth Circuit NELA Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, 2016.
- “Equal Pay Act Collective Actions,” American Bar Association, Midwinter Conference of the Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee, San Juan, Puerto Rico 2016.
- “Federal Litigation 101,” National Business Institute Video Webcast, 2015.
- “The Art of Trial Preparation” National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, 2015.
- “How NELA Affiliates Operate,” National Employment Lawyers Association Affiliate Leader Training, Atlanta, Georgia, 2015.
- “Equal Pay Act Update,” American Bar Association, Midwinter Conference of the Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2015.
- “Mental Health and the Legal Workplace,” Minnesota Employment Law Series CLE Webcast, 2014.
- “The Art of Trial Preparation,” Eighth Circuit National Employment Lawyers Association Conference, 2014.
- “Wage and Hour 301: Wage and Hour Cases in Minnesota and Developing Trends.” Minnesota National Employment Lawyers Association, 2014.
- Coauthor of “The Canary Sings Again: New Life for the Minnesota Whistleblower Act,” Bench & Bar of Minnesota (September 2013, Volume LXX, Number VIII at 14-18).
- "20 Tips to Make Litigation Practice Just a Little Easier." Strategic Solutions for Solo and Small Firms Conference, Duluth, MN, 2013.
- “Mental Health, Chemical Dependency and Employment – Returning to Work.” Minnesota Employment Law Series CLE Webcast, 2012.
- "Your Boss Did What? Employment Law 101 and the ABCs of Finding a Good Case." Strategic Solutions for Solo and Small Firms Conference, Duluth, MN, 2012.
- “Top 10 Tips to Maximize Economic & Compensatory Damages in Employment Cases.” National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, San Diego, CA, 2012.
- National Academy of Arbitrators Panel: The Voice of Experience in Employment Arbitration, 2012.
- "Religious Discrimination and Accommodation in the Workplace." MSBA Program, 2012.
- "Appeals in Employment Law Cases." Minnesota CLE Webcast Panel, 2011.
- "Kasten: The New FLSA Retaliation Standard." Thomson Reuters Webinar Panel, 2011.
- The Magically Disappearing Defendant: Successor Liability Under Minnesota Law, Bench & Bar of Minnesota (July 2010, Vol. LXVII, No. VI at 30 - 34, 2010).
- "Hot Issues in Debtor-Creditor Practice: Successor Liability and Fraudulent Transfer: Risks for the Successor Business." Minnesota CLE, 2010.
- "Labor and Employment Law Section: Litigating Against the Magically Disappearing Defendant: Successor Liability Under State and Federal Law." Hennepin County Bar Association, 2010.
