Webinar: A Day in the Life of a Labor & Employment Lawyer

**Program hosted in (ET) Time Zone**

Please join the Labor & Employment Law Section for a discussion about what a day in the life of an employment lawyer looks like. Our panel will represent many different rolls that attorneys focusing on employment law might have, from in-house at FedEx, to Government Sector, to private practice, the panel will discuss their background, legal career paths, and some interesting cases they’ve had along the way. This will be an informal discussion and is not for CLE credit

Register Now!

Presented by the Federal Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section

Presenters

TJ McGrath

T.J. McGrath serves as the General Counsel for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission advising the Executive Director on legal and business matters. Prior to MedPAC, she was the General Counsel at the Congressional Budget Office, and Associate General Counsel for the TRICARE Management Activity now the Defense Health Agency. She served 12 years on active duty with the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps and 18 years as a reservist.

T.J. co-founded Ardaithe Consulting LLC, developing tailored durable soft skills training for leadership and staff. Specializing in Resiliency Training, Resolving Workplace Disputes, and Leading Teams, she has deployed training modules on Ethics, Sexual Harassment, Bystander Intervention, Mindfulness, and De-escalation.

For the FBA she currently serves on the Professional Development Committee and is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section.

Joe Schulz, Corporate Attorney / Chief Legal Officer, Terra Labor Consulting Group LLC

Dr. Joe A. Schulz is a corporate attorney and Chief Legal Officer at Terra Labor Consulting Group, LLC, based in Houston, Texas. He oversees legal strategy, regulatory compliance, contracts, and litigation. A licensed Minnesota attorney with a background in education leadership, he holds a J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and a doctorate in education. Prior to becoming an attorney he spent 20 years in Texas public schools as a teacher and a campus administrator. Dr. Schulz also serves as Chief Legal Counsel for TerraImm, guiding immigration tech operations and legal support services across the U.S. and Mexico.

Catherine Scott  Partner, Morgan Brown & Joy

Catherine “Cat” Scott is a management-side labor and employment litigator at Morgan Brown & Joy LLP with a particular interest in and focus on appellate litigation.

She is currently the President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and Treasurer of the Labor & Employment Division of the Federal Bar Association.

Joshua Van Kampen, Managing Partner, Van Kampen Law.

Joshua Van Kampen is a multi-award-winning employment attorney, dedicated to representing employees who have been wronged by their employers. Recognized statewide for his expertise in plaintiff-side employment law, Josh has consistently ranked among the Top 100 attorneys in North Carolina by SuperLawyers from 2017-2025. Additionally, he has been named one of Charlotte’s Top 25 attorneys across all practice areas from 2018-2023 and again in 2025, making him one of the youngest attorneys in the state to receive such recognition so consistently.

Josh’s career began in Chicago at two nationally recognized defense firms, Seyfarth Shaw and Franczek Sullivan, where he spent six years advising companies on employment law matters. His transition to representing employees came from a personal realization that his passion lay in fighting for individuals, rather than corporations. In 2004, he transitioned entirely to plaintiff representation, and in 2012, he founded Van Kampen Law in North Carolina, now regarded as one of the most aggressive and effective plaintiff-side employment law firms in the state. Drawing on his experience in defense, Josh brings a unique and proactive perspective to his clients, anticipating defense strategies and advocating tirelessly for their rights.

In addition to running his firm, Josh is deeply involved in the legal community. He frequently lectures on employment law and negotiation strategy, and he holds leadership roles, including vice-chairman of the Mecklenburg County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment section. He is committed to fostering the next generation of heart-centered legal professionals who see law as both a livelihood and a vocation for justice.

Mary Hamm, Lead Counsel, FedEx.

Mary Hamm practices employment law as in-house counsel at FedEx. Prior to joining FedEx, she practiced at Burch, Porter, & Johnson, PLLC in Memphis and served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Joseph M. Hood, then Chief United States District Judge of the Eastern District of Kentucky. She previously served as a member and chairperson of the Standing Local Rules Committee for the United States District Court, Western District of Tennessee. She is a past president of the Memphis/Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and served on the planning committee for the FBA’s Annual Meeting & Convention in Memphis in 2023. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Michelle Gessner, Owner, GessnerLaw, PLLC.

Michelle Gessner is the managing member and owner of GessnerLaw, PLLC with offices in Charlotte and Wilmington, NC.  Michelle represents employees across the state of North Carolina and beyond, with a primary focus on class/collective wage and hour litigation. Being the first in a blue-collar single-parent family to achieve a college degree, Michelle’s appreciation for hard-working employees gives her an altruistic perspective and purpose when she provides counsel, litigation, and/or advocacy services for her clients.  Michelle recently obtained a record-breaking $22.1 million jury verdict against Wells Fargo for her deserving client in an ADA/Retaliation/NC Wrongful Discharge case in the Western District of North Carolina.

Register Now!

• Registration Fees
  • FBA Member: $0
  • Nonmember: $95

  Live Captioning: Closed captioning is available for all virtual webcasts.

  Internet Requirements: Virtual programs require suitable internet strength to stream online panels. A minimum internet connection of 800 Kbps is recommended for an optimal attendee experience. Test your connection here.