Jeremy Ben Merkelson
Jeremy Ben Merkelson is a full-service employment lawyer who serves clients across a wide range of industries. He brings substantial first-chair trial experience to the firm's East Coast employment and labor team.
Jeremy provides regular advice and counsel to businesses of all sizes on managing workplace-related concerns, developing top-tier personnel policies, minimizing employment-related risks, and avoiding costly litigation. He also provides counsel to deal teams, advising on employment aspects of complex, cross-border M&A transactions.
A seasoned litigator, Jeremy has broad experience representing clients in state and federal courts, including in the nation's capital, as well as in administrative proceedings and arbitrations throughout the United States. Jeremy has advised on impactful and complex employment litigation in closely watched sectors such as financial services, technology, and healthcare. His first-chair trial experience includes defending employers in nationwide wage-and-hour class and collective actions, restrictive covenant/employee mobility and trade secrets disputes, and whistleblower retaliation and discrimination cases.
After serving in a leadership and legal advisory role at the Association of American Law Schools, a nonprofit comprising more than 170 U.S. law schools, Jeremy used his experience to build a subspecialty practice advising nonprofits and trade associations in the D.C. area, including serving as pro bono counsel to the Federation of American Scientists.
Super Lawyers named Jeremy to its list of "Rising Stars" for Labor & Employment in Washington, D.C., in 2021 and 2022. He is a prolific public speaker on state and federal employment law updates and matters related to running a successful workplace, addressing a wide range of subjects from conducting internal investigations and auditing HR operations to independent contractor misclassification and the #MeToo movement.
Practice Highlights
Trade secrets, restrictive covenants and emergency relief
Wage & hour class and collective actions
Dispute resolution
Admitted to Practice
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Colorado, 2018
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District of Columbia, 2010
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Virginia, 2009
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U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
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U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
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U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
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U.S. Supreme Court
Education
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J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2009
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B.A., American Studies, Yale University, 2004, cum laude
Languages
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Spanish, Portuguese
Memberships & Affiliations
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- Labor and Employment Law Section, American Bar Association
- Member, Working Group 12, Sedona Conference Trade Secrets
- Member, AIPLA Trade Secret Law Committee
- Firm sponsor partner, National Capitol Region, Association of Corporation Counsel
- Former member, National Capitol Region, Association of Corporate Counsel
- Delegate, National Association of College and University Attorneys, 2015-2017
- Board of Directors, Rising for Justice, 2024
Professional Recognition
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- Selected to "Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers Rising Stars" in Employment & Labor: Employer, Thomson Reuters, 2021, 2022
Background
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- Partner, Holland & Hart LLP, Washington, D.C., and Denver offices, 2017-2023
- General Counsel and Assistant Director, Association of American Law Schools, Washington, D.C., 2015-2017
- Associate, Morrison & Foerster LLP, Washington, D.C., 2009-2015
- Summer Associate, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC, Washington, D.C., 2008
- Urban Fellow, New York City Fire Department, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2004-2006