SUSAN M. COLER
Susan M. Coler is a partner of Sprenger & Lang and works out of its Minneapolis, Minnesota office. Ms. Coler graduated summa cum laude from Mundelein College in Chicago, earned masters degrees in music and pastoral studies, was a college teacher and administrator, and then embarked on her legal career after graduating cum laude and Order of the Coif from Northwestern University School of Law. She has spent her entire legal career representing plaintiffs in class and individual actions in federal and state court. In addition to cases involving employment discrimination and harassment, she has particular expertise representing employees who have been terminated in violation of the federal WARN Act that requires employers to give notice to employees before a mass layoff or business shutdown. Ms. Coler serves on the board of directors for a housing facility for persons disabled with AIDS, has been elected to representative positions in professional and religious organizations, and assisted in the writing of employment rights materials for the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition.


MICHAEL D. LIEDER
Michael Lieder is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Sprenger & Lang. He received his B.A. from Haverford College in 1977 and graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984. After graduation, he was employed as an associate for six years in Madison, Wisconsin in the law firm of Foley & Lardner, and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Toledo College of Law in 1990-91. Since 1991, Mr. Lieder has been with the firm of Sprenger & Lang in Washington, DC and played a leading role in many of the firm’s class action lawsuits. Mr. Lieder co-authored a book, Wild Justice: The People of Geronimo vs. the United States, published by Random House in 1997. He also has written numerous articles published in law reviews and journals concerning issues in constitutional law, contract law, Indian law, and employment discrimination law.

THOMAS W. OSBORNE

Tom Osborne is a Senior Attorney with AARP Foundation Litigation in Washington, DC. Mr. Osborne, a retired Navy JAG Corps officer, is an experienced trial and appellate litigator of both civil and criminal cases. In the Navy, he participated in all phases of court-martial practice, from trial to argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in his capacity as Chief Government Appeals Counsel. As a trial attorney in the Torts Branch of the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and later in the Civil Division of the District of Columbia Office of Corporation Counsel, he tried a wide variety of cases in courts throughout the country as well as arguing appeals. Since joining the AARP Work Force Programs Department in 1992, which became part of AARP Foundation Litigation upon its founding in 1996, Mr. Osborne has concentrated on age discrimination in employment and retiree benefits and has represented plaintiffs in trials and appeals of cases involving such claims. He has also written and filed on behalf of AARP many friend-of-the-court briefs on employment issues in state and federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Osborne received his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.and School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.

 

MARY ELLEN SIGNORILLE
is a staff attorney with AARP Foundation Litigation. Ms. Signorille has prepared numerous amicus curiae briefs on employee benefits issues on behalf of AARP in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and federal and state courts. She provides substantive and technical guidance to individuals, employers and attorneys on complex issues arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code. Ms. Signorille's bar activities includes appointment as Plaintiff's Co-Chair to the American Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law's Employee Benefit Committee. She is a former Co-Chair and Steering Committee member of the District of Columbia Bar's Labor and Employment Law Section. She was chosen as one of the top benefits lawyers in the country by The National Law Journal. Before joining AARP, Ms. Signorille was in private law practice in an international law firm where she represented national and local employee benefit plans. Ms. Signorille received her law degree from Catholic University Law School and is a recipient of a masters in Labor Law from Georgetown University Law Center.


MICHAEL J. WILSON
Michael J. Wilson is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. He received his undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and earned his J.D. from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America. Mr. Wilson previously was associated with Zevnik Horton LLP in Washington, D.C., Breed, Abbott & Morgan in Washington, D.C. and was Of Counsel to Mobil Corporation in Fairfax, Virginia, where his practice was concentrated on environmental litigation. Mr. Wilson currently provides representation in the areas of environmental, insurance, employment, ERISA, antitrust, commercial and other complex civil litigation before federal and state courts throughout the United States.



PAUL ANTON ZEVNIK
Paul Anton Zevnik is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1972 and, after earning an A.M. degree from the Harvard University School of Arts and Sciences, received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1976. Mr. Zevnik has practiced law with leading national firms such as Zevnik Horton LLP, Covington & Burling; Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker; Winston & Strawn; Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, and Hays & Handler. Mr. Zevnik also has taught on a full-time basis at Harvard University. Mr. Zevnik has represented "Fortune 500" clients such as Texaco, ITT Industries, Sara Lee, Conoco, El Paso Corporation, Kraft Foods, Phelps Dodge, Kimberly-Clark and Sunoco in the areas of environmental/toxic tort, insurance, media, acquisitions, complex litigation and taxation. Mr. Zevnik also serves as a director and officer of a public-traded company and various charitable and educational foundations.


 

Copyright © 2002-2008 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, AARP Foundation Litigation and Sprenger & Lang, PLLC.
All Rights Reserved.