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John L. Gierak

Member
fax +1 248.988.2510

John Gierak represents public and private employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including contract negotiations. He also acts as general counsel to public school districts. During his lengthy career, John has negotiated contracts on behalf of numerous employers and has worked with most of the major unions, including the MEA, MFT, UAW, Teamsters, Steelworkers, AFSCME, SEIU, and IUOE.

John has been a frequent presenter on issues of labor and employment and education law. In the public sector, he has spoken on behalf of the National Council of School Attorneys, Michigan Council of School Attorneys, Michigan Association of School Boards, Metropolitan Detroit Bureau of School Studies, Michigan Negotiators Association, Michigan Association of School Personnel Administrators, Michigan Public Employment Labor Relations Association, and Michigan Business Officials Association. In addition, he has also been a presenter for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

John has been a contributing author to the treatises Michigan Wrongful Discharge and Employment Discrimination Law (ICLE, Second Edition, 1994 and revisions to 2012), and Employment Law in Michigan (ICLE, 1997 and revisions to 2016).

John’s commitment to education is reflected in his continuing active association with his university and high school, having acted as a Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) Regional Director, HAA Awards Committee Member, HAA At-Large Committee Member, President of the Harvard Club of Detroit (HCD), HCD Schools and Scholarships Chair, and President of the Detroit Catholic Central Alumni Association. In 2019, he was admitted to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, a professional association consisting of the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of labor and employment law.

John serves as Chair for the firm’s Education and Municipal Practice Group.

Education

J.D., cum laude, University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1976
A.B., cum laude, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1974

Recognitions

Named a Leading Lawyer in Birmingham by Leading Lawyers℠ (2014-2025)

Named among The Best Lawyers in America® for Education Law (2013-2024); Employment Law-Management (2022-2025); Labor Law-Management (2011-2025)

Elected to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (2019)

Selected to the Michigan Super Lawyers list (2007-2020)

Selected to the Michigan Super Lawyers Top 100 List

Memberships

State Bar of Michigan, Labor Relations Section, Litigation Section and Computer Section

Michigan Council of School Attorneys, Charter Member and past President (1993-1994)

Oakland County Bar Association, Labor Relations Section

State Bar Licenses

Michigan

Court Admissions

U.S. District Ct., E.D. of Michigan
U.S. District Ct., W.D. of Michigan
U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
Presentations

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