Looking at these dramatic changes in the role of human resource officers, Jeff McGuiness and Dan Yager decided that their practice needed to be restructured to better serve these new demands. Robert Williams had retired a few years earlier, and they decided to make a fresh start and create an entirely new organization whose focus was consistent with Kenneth McGuiness' original concept of targeting services at the senior HR executive level.

The formation of McGuiness & Yager LLP was officially announced on August 1, 2007. The new firm is maintaining the traditional focus on employment, labor relations, compensation, benefits and coalition management matters. At the same time, its focus has been expanded to support the strong demand for executive compensation, governance, and HR strategy services. The prior firm's affirmative action and EEO practice now operates under the banner of Norris, Tysse, Lampley & Lakis.

The pool of talent initially comprising McGuiness & Yager includes Timothy J. Bartl, a former House Republican staff employment counsel with a heavy concentration in benefit and executive compensation matters. Serving as a special advisor to the firm is one of the nation's preeminent executive compensation experts,
Dr. Charles G. Tharp, previously the senior HR executive at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Saks, a professor of human resource management at Rutgers University, and currently President of the National Academy of Human Resources. Marisa L. Milton, formerly a health care policy expert with Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), is the head of the firm's health care policy practice. Serving as senior benefits consultant is
Stephen L. Wetzell, a nationally recognized health care expert who for seven years directed one of the nation's leading health care coalitions, the Business Health Care Action Group located in the Twin Cities.   

Managing the firm's labor relations and strategy practice is John V. Harvey whose experience includes Vice President of Labor Relations at Raytheon and senior executive positions at Owens Corning and GE as well as serving as Chief Labor Counsel for the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee.   His team includes Dennis W. Rocheleau, previously the manager of labor relations at GE,
James R. Bavis, formerly an HR vice president with Sprint, Duke Power and National Gypsum where he was responsible for their national labor relations strategies, and Richard A. Schmidt, formerly a senior executive with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Corporate Director of Labor Relations for Coca Cola Enterprises.

Recognizing that communications has become a critical element of contemporary HR practice, Cynthia S. Hudson, formerly Global Public Affairs Practice leader at Burson-Marsteller and one of the nation's top communications consultants, brings to the firm her years of experience dealing at the highest levels of corporations on executive compensation, human resource matters, labor relations and corporate campaigns.   Her practice supports the public relations and communications work associated with these issues. 

Litigation matters are handled by Ellen R. Lokker, an experienced trial attorney who has more than 20 years of experience handling defense work for employers.  Backing up the benefits, labor and litigation teams is Michael D. Peterson, previously with Baker & McKenzie, who is an experienced practitioner in the fields of executive compensation, benefits, ERISA, and labor law.

The past two decades have also witnessed the globalization of large American corporations and with it a global HR focus by senior vice presidents. To address this broadened agenda, McGuiness & Yager has created an affiliation of HR attorneys and consultants skilled in dealing with employment matters in Canada, the European Union and Asia.

Further announcements regarding firm staffing will be forthcoming in the fall of 2007 as additional individuals sharing our vision of a contemporary, and unique, HR practice at the senior corporate executive and director levels officially join the firm.

A complete listing of these individuals and the biographies of all the firm's talent can be found on our People page.