Education

  • Juris Doctors (J.D.), Wayne State University Law School, 1983
  • Master of Arts (M.A), English, Georgetown University, 1976
  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English, Georgetown University, 1974

State Bar Admissions

  • Michigan

Licensed to Practice In

  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Anne Widlak

Photo of Anne Widlak
Partner
200 Talon Centre Drive
Suite 200
Detroit, Michigan 48207

T: (313) 567-5921
F: (313) 567-5928

Practice Overview

Since becoming licensed to practice law in 1983, Anne Widlak has developed a specialty in management side employment law as both a litigator and a counselor. She provides preventive counseling to employers of all sizes, advising in-house counsel, human resources professionals and other managers about a wide variety of employment issues in the workplace. She also has drafted numerous employee handbooks and conducted training on multiple employment topics.

Ms. Widlak has also successfully defended cases in state and federal courts involving a comprehensive array of claims, including workplace harassment; discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, national origin and other protected categories; retaliation; violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act; wrongful discharge; intentional interference with an at will employment relationship and others. She has extensive experience representing employers in the defense of discrimination charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • State Bar of Michigan - Chair, Litigation Section, 2002-2003 and past Secretary, Treasurer and Council Member; Member, Litigation and Labor and Employment Law Sections.
  • Macomb County Bar Association - Member, Labor and Employment Law Committee and Masters Section.

Community Involvement

  • Ms. Widlak is a Board member of the Detroit Institute for Children and a former Trustee of University Liggett School.

Noted Presentations and Publications

Ms. Widlak has presented seminars on a variety of employment law topics. Most recently she and a colleague presented a seminar for employers addressing the emerging use of social networking sites by both employees and employers and the unique legal issues created by such use in the workplace.

Honors and Distinctions

  • Achieved an “AV” Preeminent (5.0 out of 5) peer rating by Martindale Hubbell, the highest ranking for ethical standards and legal ability.
  • Selected as one of Michigan’s Super Lawyers, representing the top 5% of the attorneys practicing in Michigan.
  • Named one of DBusiness Magazine’s Top Lawyers for 2010.
  • Named a Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America (LCA). The LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation.
  • Appointed as Panel Chairperson, Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, the adjudicative arm of the Michigan Supreme Court for the discharge of its exclusive constitutional responsibility to supervise and discipline Michigan attorneys

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