Jim Coleman has twenty-five years of experience in counseling employers on wage and hour matters, as well as defending employers in wage and hour litigation and administrative proceedings. His expertise includes in-depth knowledge of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and many comparable state wage and hour laws. Jim serves as General Counsel for the National Council of Chain Restaurants, and through his representation of the trade association, as well as many of its member companies, he has developed considerable expertise in addressing legal issues of particular concern to the food service industry. Jim has also represented the chain restaurant industry before Congress in connection with legislative matters involving the FLSA and the NLRA. He is widely regarded for his expertise in counseling employers on numerous labor law issues, including wage and hour standards, child labor restrictions, occupational safety and health standards, and employment discrimination. He has successfully defended many large restaurant chain employers in litigation brought by the U.S. Department of Labor concerning wage and hour, child labor, and OSHA matters. Jim has also defended many employers against single and multi-plaintiff lawsuits involving claims of employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and related charges. Jim serves as the Chair of the firm’s Wage & Hour Practice Group.