Oberman Thompson & Segal, LLC
OTS was formed in September 2003 by Jeffrey Oberman and Leonard Segal as Oberman & Segal, LLC. In January 2006, John Thompson joined the firm and the firm name was changed to Oberman Thompson & Segal, LLC. In October 2006, Natalie Wyatt-Brown joined the firm and in May 2007, James (“Jamie”) Forman became a member. The five members have 100 years of combined experience.
OTS is a unique law firm. Each attorney worked for many years at large law firms but thought there was a better way to practice and to represent clients. OTS’s boutique environment, with a focus on business and employment law, allows it to best represent its clients and allows its clients to receive the prompt and personal service they deserve from their lawyers. In addition to highly experienced attorneys, OTS has a top-notch support staff and technological capabilities to provide excellent and timely representation to all of our clients, large and small.
OTS lawyers advise clients throughout the business cycle, from formation through difficult issues such as commercial disputes, internal conflict and employment matters. In addition to day-to-day counseling, OTS lawyers frequently provide training for companies and organizations in various topics including noncompetes, trade secrets, sexual harassment, discrimination, leave policies, workplace violence, and wage and hour matters.
OTS lawyers also represent clients in litigation matters in state and federal court and before various governmental agencies. While OTS lawyers zealously represent their clients, they understand that it is often in a client’s best interests to undertake alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation or arbitration, and each lawyer has significant experience in these arenas.
Leonard B. Segal, Esq.
Leonard Segal is an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Oberman Thompson & Segal, LLC. Mr. Segal practices in the areas of employment and labor law and commercial litigation, primarily representing employers. In 2003, after several years of working in large law firms, and two years as a sole practitioner, Mr. Segal co-founded Oberman & Segal, LLC, the predecessor to Oberman Thompson & Segal, LLC.
Mr. Segal has extensive experience representing clients in employment-related and commercial litigation matters in state and federal court, as well as before various governmental agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Minnesota Human Rights Department. By way of example, Mr. Segal has defended claims for wrongful termination, discrimination, breach of contract, violation of non-compete obligations, sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violation of Minnesota’s whistleblower protection statute, and has asserted claims for breach of contract, violation of non-compete obligations, tortious interference with contract, and defamation.
Mr. Segal frequently counsels clients regarding a wide range of employment-related issues including hiring practices, discipline and discharge, employment policies, non-competition and confidentiality issues, drug and alcohol testing, affirmative action, sexual and other forms of unlawful harassment and discrimination, workplace violence, and labor union issues. Mr. Segal also advises clients regarding various employment-related laws and statutes including the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
In addition to providing litigation and counseling services, Mr. Segal regularly provides training for companies and their employees in areas such as discrimination, sexual and other forms of unlawful harassment, hiring, discipline and discharge, drafting and implementing employment policies, workplace violence, and compliance with wage and hour laws. Mr. Segal believes regular training is critical for employers to comply with employment-related laws and to reduce the risk of litigation.
Mr. Segal graduated from the University of Minnesota’s School of Management in 1990 with a B.S. degree in Business. He received his J.D. degree in 1993 from the UCLA School of Law, where he was a member of the Moot Court Honors Program and the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. Following law school, Lenny worked for a downtown Los Angeles law firm before returning to Minnesota in 1996. Lenny was named a “Rising Star” by Minnesota Law & Politics and other magazines in both 2006 and 2007.
Mr. Segal is admitted to practice in Minnesota and California State Courts, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Eighth and Ninth Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the District of Minnesota, the District of North Dakota, the Central District of California, and the Eastern District of California. He is a member of the labor and employment law sections of the Minnesota State and Hennepin County Bar Associations.
Areas of Specialty
Employment & Labor Law, Commercial Litigation; Client size ranges from mom and pop to very large, although the majority of our clients are in the small to mid-sized range.
My Philosophy
My goal is to help clients maintain positive employee relations through training, well drafted and communicated policies, and treating people fairly. By so doing, companies can reduce the number of employment-related issues that arise in the workplace and, when issues do arise, they can address and resolve them internally for a small fraction of the cost of defending a civil lawsuit.
