Labor & Employment Disputes: How to Effectively Mitigate Litigation Risks

Dina Ninfo currently services as the Acting Deputy General Counsel of Personnel and Special Counsel for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). The CMS Legal-Personnel team provides all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor with advice and counsel regarding the Illinois Personnel Code, the Illinois Personnel Rules, and various federal and state employment laws. The team also represents agencies in matters before the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Counsel, and in relation to inquiries from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Illinois Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
As Special Counsel Dina conducts high level internal investigations. Prior to joining CMS Dina was in private practice for over a decade focusing on workers’ compensation, personal injury, and employment litigation. Dina earned her J.D. from the UIC John Marshall School of Law and a B.S. from John Carroll University. Dina currently serves as the Vice Chair of the ISBA Diversity Leadership Counsel, Legislative Co-Chair of the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law, is a founding member and Executive Board Member of the Illinois Force of Lawyers Against Sexual Harassment (FLASH), is Co-President of the Chicago Chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW), and serves on the Associate Board of WINGS Metro.

Andy is the managing partner and is a member of Laner Muchin’s Executive Committee. He joined the Firm as an associate in 1996. Andy spends a majority of his time negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing clients in arbitrations, responding to union grievances and in matters before the National Labor Relations Board in almost every industry and for clients of all sizes.
In addition, Andy advises clients on how to navigate state, local and federal employment laws. He helps clients develop strategies on resolving complex employee relations issues in matters such as reasonable accommodations under the nation’s various disability laws, compliance with the nation’s various sick day and leave laws and hiring strategies in light of the many laws governing what information an employer may consider.
Andy also helps draft executive employment agreements, non-compete and confidentiality agreements, severance agreements, arbitration and other employment-related agreements.
Andy is a prolific author of employment-related articles and sections in treatises and has co-authored many articles for the Employment Law Update. He was most recently selected for recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2024 for Labor Law – Management and honored by The American Lawyer’s 2022 Midwest Trailblazers list. He has been named in Illinois Super Lawyers by Chicago Magazine each year from 2010 to 2022, a recognition awarded to only five percent of the lawyers in the state of Illinois. In 2021, he was named a Notable Gen X Leader in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Matt Revord is Chief Legal Officer at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, an upscale casual concept with 61 locations across the United States. Matt leads the legal function for Cooper’s Hawk, and previously led the Human Resources team as well. Prior to Cooper’s Hawk, he was Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary, as well as Chief People Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, for Potbelly Sandwich Works. Matt was an integral part of the Potbelly IPO in 2013. Prior to the IPO, he created the first franchising program for Potbelly, then ran both international and domestic franchise development growing to more than 40 franchise locations in the U.S., as well as international locations in the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Canada and India.
Before joining Potbelly, Matt was Vice President, General Counsel, of Brunswick New Technologies, Inc., and Deputy General Counsel for Brunswick Corporation. Earlier in his career, Matt was Vice President, Associate General Counsel for True North Communications Inc. Matt began his career as an Associate with Kirkland & Ellis. Matt has experience in M&A, public company governance, shareholder activism, employment law, intellectual property, franchising, government affairs and litigation.
Matt earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, at the University of Illinois College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Government, summa cum laude, at the University of Notre Dame

Kim Metrick is Vice President, Employment Law, Legal Operations and Investigations for the Walgreen Company, the nation’s largest drugstore chain with more than 8,000 pharmacies across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Kim began her career with Walgreens in 1995 as a Senior Attorney. She has held various management positions throughout her career with Walgreens. In her current role, Kim is responsible for leading a team of employment law and employee benefit attorneys and legal staff professionals engaged in a broad based national employment and accessibility law practice. Together they work with Business Leaders and Human Resources to support employment decisions that reduce risk and drive business objectives. Kim also oversees the Global Legal Operations and Investigations Functions at Walgreens. Prior to joining Walgreens, Kim was an associate with the law firm of Ross and Hardies (now McGuire Woods).

Kim holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Kim is a frequent speaker on employment law topics and is active in various community service organizations. A longtime advocate of diversity within the legal industry, she is the immediate past President of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law. Her work to advance women’s initiatives was also recognized by Best Lawyers magazine where she was awarded a Woman of Influence award in 2017. This year, Kim was awarded the 2018 Walgreen Champion of Champions Legal Division Engagement Award, an award that recognizes team members who best demonstrate the Walgreens mission to champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy. She was the 2018 recipient of the Women’s Bar Foundation Rise Up and Reach Back award for her contributions to the legal profession and efforts to advance women’s initiatives in law.