Matthew Keiser is a partner in Kirkland’s Washington, D.C. office. He concentrates his practice in employment law aspects of corporate transactions and private equity, employment law counseling, and employment litigation.
Matthew counsels clients from start-ups to FORTUNE 100 companies in every aspect of employment law, including the latest developments regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Title VII, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Matthew has a national practice and is well-versed in the nuances of state employment laws throughout the country. He regularly assists clients in negotiating high-level employment contracts and handling difficult termination issues, including reductions-in-force and early retirement programs. He also handles sensitive issues involving restrictive covenants and trade secrets. He has extensive experience in employment law issues related to the use of social media. He also assists clients in drafting and implementing personnel policies, providing employment law-related training to their staff, litigating employment disputes and advising on day-to-day human resources compliance issues.
Matthew has handled a wide variety of significant employment litigation matters in state and federal courts and in mediation/arbitration proceedings. These disputes have included breach of contract, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, executive compensation, restrictive covenants, business torts and higher education issues. He has developed extensive discovery, deposition and trial experience, including obtaining a favorable jury verdict in a breach of non-compete case.
Matthew was formerly senior counsel for employment in the Office of the Chief Counsel for Employment in the U.S. Senate (2004-2006). He provided in-house legal advice and representation to each of the 180 Senate offices, including members and committees, in all employment and labor law issues and first-chaired trials in federal court and in administrative proceedings before the Office of Compliance.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Matthew was a partner at Arnold & Porter LLP. Previously, he served as a staff attorney for The George Washington University Office of the General Counsel (1996-1997), where he also practiced employment law and developed skill with regards to employment issues affecting colleges and universities, including faculty tenure disputes.
