Overview

Dean represents the interest of management in all areas of labor and employment law. Dean is responsible for representing management interests in state and federal court and before state, local, and federal administrative agencies.

Dean’s passion is assisting employers build the systems, cultures, and procedures to create an environment that allows employees to perform at their best while being their authentic selves in the workplace. He leverages his unique background as a Labor and Employment Attorney, a community advocate, and personal life experiences to address conflicts from all angles and create relationships that lead to lasting organizational change.

For nearly a decade, Dean has devoted his practice to representing employers in traditional labor matters, including providing labor guidance, defending unfair labor practice charges in front of the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), and defending alleged violations of collective bargaining agreements. Dean also has extensive experience providing supervisor training and representing employers in representation proceedings before the NLRB.

Dean is also an experienced employment defense litigator attorney who has handled cases in front of state and federal trial courts, the federal court of appeals, the Missouri Court of Appeals, and the Missouri Supreme Court. Dean successfully litigated an issue of first impression in front of the Missouri Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court. While always willing to zealously advocate for his clients in litigation, Dean also devotes his practice to providing counseling and training to employers concerning topics such as implicit bias and microaggressions, anti-harassment, workplace investigations, anti-discrimination, and positive employee-supervisor relations training to prevent disputes.

Honors & Recognitions

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law – Management (2024)
  • “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Black Lawyers (2016)
  • Who's Who Diversity in Color, Bold & Brightest Inductee (2017)
  • The Power 100 Most Influential Black Professionals in St. Louis by Delux Magazine (2017)
  • Rising Star, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers® (2018-2021) 

Professional & Civic Associations

  • Member, the Missouri Bar
  • President of the Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Labor & Employment Division
  • Member, Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis
  • Member, Society for Human Resource Management
  • American Bar Association, Employment and Labor Law Litigation Sections
  • Board of Directors, Epworth Children & Family Services
  • Board Member, Governing Board for Safe Connections
  • Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Representative Matters

Representative Matters

  • Representing a large auto repair retailer against age discrimination and retaliation claims, successfully briefed and argued an issue of first impression in front of the Missouri Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court regarding whether the Missouri Human Rights Act applies extraterritorially to a Plaintiff who worked outside the State of Missouri.
  • Representing and advising a large school bus company, successfully oversaw and managed dozens of union organizing campaigns and elections all across the country.
  • Representing a large non-profit organization obtained the dismissal of numerous unfair labor practice charges filed with the NLRB, including allegations that the organization engaged in bad-faith bargaining by unlawfully withholding a wage increase from union employees because of their union activity.
  • Representing a large non-profit organization, and successfully litigated whether a group of employees were 2(11) supervisors under the Act in front of the NLRB.
  • Representing a large fixed-route bus transportation entity, successfully obtained dismissals of a single plaintiff’s claims of disability discrimination claims under both the MHRA and the ADA in Missouri Circuit Court as well as the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri.
  • Representing a large fixed-route transportation company, successfully argued a motion to compel arbitration in front of the United States District Court of the Western District of Missouri. Additionally, successfully briefed before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the validity of arbitration agreements mandating arbitration between the employer and employees and the District Court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s action due to his failure and/or refusal to arbitrate pursuant to the District Court’s Order.
  • Representing a large fixed-route transportation company, successfully assisted in collective bargaining negotiations to resolve large work stoppage.
  • Representing a large transportation company operating a large school bus operation, assisted in the investigation of a wild cat strike.

Blogs, Videos & Podcasts

Blog Posts

Practice Emphasis

  • Defense of NLRB and EEOC Charges
  • Employment Policy Formulation and Advice
  • Defense of Grievances and Arbitrations
  • Management Training
  • Policy Analysis and Employment Law Training

Education

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

  • J.D., 2010
  • Symposium Editor, Law Review

University of Missouri-Columbia

  • B.A., 2007

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
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