August W. Heckman III is an associate in Morgan Lewis's Labor and Employment Practice. Mr. Heckman represents employers in state and federal employment law matters—including discrimination, wage and hour and employee benefits law matters—in the financial services, transportation, media, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and retail industries.
Mr. Heckman's litigation matters involve claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; claims under the FLSA and state wage and hour laws; claims under ERISA—involving breaches of fiduciary duty, prohibited transactions, 401(k) and ESOP issues, severance pay, and challenges to plan denials of benefits, plan amendments, and termination of benefits; claims of defamation, breach of contract, and intentional torts; and claims involving restrictive covenants and employee recruitment practices. These matters include single-plaintiff, multiple-plaintiff, class actions, collective actions, and EEOC pattern and practice cases, as well as labor arbitrations.
Mr. Heckman also counsels clients on how to avoid litigation and provides advice on matters such as employee discipline and termination; preventing and investigating harassment, discrimination, and whistleblower claims; employee recruiting and hiring practices; and challenges to benefit plan determinations.
Mr. Heckman received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2005, where he was a member of the National Moot Court Board and named to the Order of the Coif. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, in political science from Monmouth University in 2002, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Mr. Heckman is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York and before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits; the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of New York; the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
