CHARLOTTE (May 22, 2023) - Seyfarth Shaw LLP has announced that Andrew Quesnelle has joined the firm as a partner in its Labor & Employment department, based in Charlotte.
Quesnelle brings to Seyfarth nearly 17 years of experience in labor and employment law, litigation, investigations, labor and employee relations, and employee benefits, many of which were spent representing clients in health care, life sciences, and medical devices. He offers nearly a decade of in-house experience giving him an extensive knowledge of corporate business, legal and human resources operations and functions, including how companies evaluate legal risk and non-legal considerations that impact client decision-making.
Quesnelle has litigated numerous federal and state court cases involving employment discrimination, wage and hour, employee benefits, and various tort and contract claims. He won many of the cases that he litigated on summary judgment or at trial.
"Andrew Quesnelle is an impressive addition to our renowned labor and employment practice," said Laura Maechtlen, chair of the firm's national Labor & Employment department. "He supplements his strong substantive knowledge of labor and employment law with the added benefit of in-house experience and the innate understanding of what clients want, need, and expect gained by managing outside counsel."
Quesnelle comes to Seyfarth from Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., where he was the Associate General Counsel, Labor & Employment. Quesnelle previously served as Legal Counsel, Employment and Senior Director of Workplace Practices Americas, at Stryker for more than eight years.
"Andrew will provide our clients with another highly-skilled and experienced lawyer for their employment law needs in Charlotte and the Southeast," said Frederick "Fritz" Smith, co-managing partner of Seyfarth's Charlotte office. "He is a great fit culturally who will help build our growing bench in the Carolinas with his strong business connections, hands-on experience managing the day-to-day challenges as an in-house lawyer, and knowledge and skills as an employment litigator and counselor."
Quesnelle's wide range of capabilities include single and multiple-plaintiff employment litigation, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, OFCCP compliance, compensation equity, leaves of absence and accommodations, wage and hour, HR investigations and non-competes and restrictive covenants. He also brings considerable experience in employment immigration, ERISA litigation, and labor relations issues.
"I am excited to join Seyfarth, where I will be able to collaborate more closely with other lawyers and use my extensive in-house experience to assist clients in navigating their most complex and challenging employment legal issues." said Quesnelle. "That experience allows me to see matters from the client's perspective and gives the client the security of knowing that they are being represented by someone who not only has subject-matter expertise but has been in their shoes and knows the pressures and concerns that weigh on them. Seyfarth's size and reach will enable me to provide an attractive value proposition to clients and provide the best in legal representation and client service."
Quesnelle earned his. J.D. summa cum laude from Villanova University School of Law, where he was a managing editor of the Villanova Law Review and his B.A. with distinction from the University of Michigan.