SHRA - Seacoast Human Resources Association - Seacoast Human Resources Assoication

April Monthly Meeting - How to Conduct Internal Investigations

Conducting Internal Investigations with Debra Weiss Ford, Managing Partner, Portsmouth Office of Jackson Lewis LLC

7:30 am Networking and Breakfast Buffet
8:00 am SHRA Business, Legal Update, Sponsor, and Community Spotlight
8:30 am Program
10:00 am Meeting Adjourns and Networking

Biography of Debra Weiss Ford, Esquire

Debra Weiss Ford is a Managing Partner of the Portsmouth, NH office.  Ms. Ford has close to 30 years of experience representing employers in litigation matters before the state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Ms. Ford also represents employers before the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New Hampshire Department of Labor, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and the Massachusetts Department of Employment Training.

Ms. Ford also lectures frequently at seminars in New Hampshire and Massachusetts on issues related to employment law, including discrimination, wrongful discharge, reductions in force, termination issues, personnel issues, and contractual issues.  She regularly advises clients on employment-related matters. 

Ms. Ford received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Drew University in 1979 and her J.D. from Temple University of School of Law in 1982. She is an approved federal and state mediator.  She is a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, Massachusetts Bar Association, Maine Bar Association, American Bar Association, New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association, American Arbitration Association, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the National Association of College and University Attorneys.  She is admitted to practice in the State of New Hampshire, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of Maine, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, United States District Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States Claims Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States.  Ms. Ford was a member of the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners from 1993 to 2005.  She was appointed by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to serve on the Merit Selection Panel to consider the reappointment of the incumbent magistrate.  In 2003, she was appointed to serve on the Federal Court Advisory Committee.

Ms. Ford is listed by Chambers as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.  She is the author of the New Hampshire chapter of Workplace Privacy, a legal reference book for managers and human resource professionals, published by the Thompson Publishing Group, a division of West Publications.  Ms. Ford was elected as a Fellow to The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in June 2006.  She is named as New Hampshire’s Best Labor and Employment Lawyer by Business NH Magazine.  She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White, Inc., and has been recognized by New England Super Lawyers as one of the top 50 women lawyers in New England and one of the top 100 lawyers in New England.  She is listed in Top NH Lawyers in Labor and Employment in New Hampshire Magazine and has been named the Best Lawyers’ Manchester Employment Law – Management Lawyer of the Year.  She is also rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.  Ms. Ford serves as a board member for the Portsmouth Music Hall and Family Service, Inc., and she is an emeritus board member of the New Hampshire SPCA.

SESSION DESCRIPTION:

Conducting proper internal investigations are often the best defense an employer can raise in subsequent litigation and can protect an employer from liability.  Effective internal investigations are becoming more critical as plaintiff’s lawyers are often scrutinizing whether the investigation was reasonable, accurate, and thorough.  This interactive seminar will discuss legal issues surrounding internal investigations and provide practical tips for conducting a thorough investigation.

OUR SPONSOR:

We thank our sponsor, Brian and Quinn McElwee from easyBackgrounds

easyBackgrounds has been providing background screening, drug testing and applicant tracking services to clients of all types and sizes since 2001. As an Internet-based service, their industry-leading turnaround times, custom solutions, and premium-level support makes easyBackgrounds a value-added partner in any organization. All you need is great service for background screening? No problem. How about adding an online employment application and eliminating data entry? Sure – that’s easy. Or go all out and use their Career Center to post jobs, track your applicants and run your screening program …. All from one location? Yup, they do that too.

 For more reasons to choose easyBackgrounds, contact them directly at 800-538-6525 or visit their website at www.easybackgrounds.com

OUR COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:

We thank our Community Spotlight Deanna Strand, ExecutiveDirector, from Dover Adult Learning Center of Strafford County

Located in the McConnell Community Center in Dover, NH and celebrating 40 years of transforming lives through education, the Dover Adult Learning Center of Strafford County helps adults enhance their life-coping skills and improve their lives through basic education, job training, high school completion and enrichment classes. They help their students become more effective lifelong learners, family members, workers and citizens.