The National Human Resources Association (NHRA), Rochester Affiliate, is proud to partner with Harter Secrest & Emery LLP to offer a one-of-a-kind, interactive learning experience: HR Legal Lab. This program brings HR professionals together with top labor and employment attorneys for a series of dynamic, workshop-style sessions designed to strengthen real-world skills and legal awareness across critical HR functions.
Participants will rank their top two choices from four hands-on sessions, each led by legal experts and designed around real-world case studies, roleplay, and collaborative discussion. While we will do our best to accommodate your preferences, final session assignments will be based on availability.
- Leave & Accommodation: Solving the Puzzle of Compliance – Tackle real-life scenarios involving the ADA, FMLA, and more as you develop compliant, practical leave management strategies with attorneys Luke Wright and Mary Hamilton.
- Investigator’s Workshop: How to Conduct Effective Workplace Investigations – Dive into the full investigation process, from interviews to documentation, with a guided roleplay led by Amy Hemenway and Lindsey Bober.
- Navigating the Tough Talks: Discipline, Termination, and Other Difficult Conversations – Practice handling performance conversations and terminations with professionalism and empathy alongside Jeff Calabrese and Edward Steve.
- When HR Meets Incident Response: Preparing for the Inevitable Data Breach – Walk through a realistic cybersecurity tabletop exercise and learn how HR plays a vital role in breach response with F. Paul Greene.
Whether you're fine-tuning your compliance knowledge, brushing up on investigation skills, or preparing for tough conversations, this HR Legal Lab offers high-impact training led by respected legal professionals. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your HR toolkit in a collaborative and practical environment.
This program is under review for Professional Development Credits (PDCs) by the Society for Human Resource Management and HR (General) recertification credit hours through HR Certification Institute (HRCI).
Itinerary:
7:30 - 8:10AM: Registration / Breakfast
8:10 - 8:30AM: Kickoff
8:30 - 10:00AM: Session One
10:00 - 10:15AM: Network with Sponsors / Break
10:15 - 11:45AM: Session Two
11:45 - 12:00PM: Wrap Up
Meet Our Speakers & Learn More About Their Sessions:
Leave & Accommodation: Solving the Puzzle of Compliance
In this interactive workshop, we will roll up our sleeves and dive into real-world scenarios involving employee leave and accommodation requests. From navigating the complexities of the FMLA, ADA, and state-specific laws to managing overlapping obligations and tricky return-to-work situations, participants will work in small groups to analyze case studies, identify legal risks, and craft compliant, practical solutions. This session is designed to sharpen your instincts, test your knowledge, and leave you with actionable strategies to handle even the most challenging leave and accommodation issues with confidence.
Presenters:
Luke P. Wright
A partner in HSE’s Laber and Employment practice, Luke collaborates with executives, HR officers, and in-house counsel to develop solutions that achieve business goals while minimizing risk. He advises clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including leave management, workplace transitions, and policy development. When litigation arises, Luke represents employers in agency proceedings and in federal and state courts. He also speaks regularly on employment law developments and has contributed to leading legal treatises.
Mary C. Hamilton
An associate in the Labor and Employment group, Mary helps employers navigate the complex landscape of labor and employment law. She counsels clients on both litigation and compliance matters, offering practical legal solutions that align with business needs. Mary defends employers in employment disputes and guides them through administrative proceedings. She also assists with policy development and regulatory compliance, delivering research-driven guidance that helps reduce risk and support a productive workplace.
Investigator’s Workshop: How to Conduct Effective Workplace Investigations
In this interactive session HR professionals will receive practical advice for conducting and managing workplace investigations involving allegations of harassment, discrimination and/or violations of company policy. Attorneys Amy Hemenway and Lindsey Bober will cover the investigation process from start to finish, addressing topics such as: preparing for an investigation, selecting an appropriate investigator, conducting fact-finding interviews, gathering evidence, and documenting findings. Participants should be prepared to don their own investigator caps as the group collectively works through a hands-on roleplay scenario that provides multiple opportunities to practice their skills as the fact pattern unfolds.
Presenters:
Amy Hemenway
Amy is a Partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group at Harter Secrest & Emery. She brings equal measures of experience and creativity as she counsels non-union and union employers and management in all aspects of employment and labor law, including developing and administering workplace policies, providing advice regarding discrimination and harassment, ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws, managing leaves of absence and requests for accommodation, implementing discipline and termination decisions, and conducting workplace investigations. In addition to providing day-to-day counsel, Amy represents clients in civil litigation in federal and state courts, as well as administrative proceedings and audits before federal and state agencies.
Lindsey Bober
Lindsey is a senior associate in both the Labor and Employment and Higher Education practice groups. She concentrates her practice on counseling clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including employment policies, criminal background checks, protected leaves of absences, reasonable accommodations, discipline and termination decisions, contract review, wage and hour issues, and labor relations. Lindsey is a fully trained civil rights investigator and advises institutions of higher education and private employers on investigating complaints of discrimination and harassment, as well as responding to complaints filed with administrative agencies such as the New York State Division of Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Navigating the Tough Talks: Discipline, Termination, and Other Difficult Conversations
Managing employee performance and behavior often requires HR professionals to engage in some of the most challenging conversations in the workplace. This session will provide practical strategies for handling disciplinary actions, navigating terminations with empathy and legal awareness, and approaching sensitive topics with clarity and confidence. Attendees will work through scenarios that will help them gain tools to reduce risk, maintain professionalism, and foster a respectful workplace culture—even in the most difficult moments.
Presenters:
Jeffery Calabrese
Jeff is a partner in HSE’s Labor and Employment group and a trial attorney with 28 years of experience handling hearings, trials, appeals, and arbitrations across New York and other jurisdictions. His practice includes restrictive covenant negotiation and litigation, employment litigation defense, labor and employment compliance counseling, and representation of management in collective bargaining and grievance resolution. He also advises on internal investigations, commercial litigation, and employment issues in corporate transactions. Jeff served for 10 years as HSE’s Labor & Employment practice group leader and frequently lectures on labor, employment, and litigation topics.
Benjamin Mudrick
Ben is a seasoned employment law attorney known for his adeptness in navigating complex workplace challenges. Partnering closely with executives and HR management, he fosters strong, collaborative relationships to provide nuanced guidance that not only addresses immediate concerns but also advances organizational culture and mission. During his time with Harter Secrest & Emery, Ben has served as de facto in-house employment counsel for international corporations, honing his understanding that effective legal guidance hinges on a deep understanding of business objectives. His expertise spans advising on employment issues in M&A, advocating for clients before administrative bodies like the DOL, EEOC and NLRB, and conducting investigations and management/employee trainings.
Session Title: When HR Meets Incident Response: Preparing for the Inevitable Data Breach
In today’s digital workplace, HR professionals have an important role to play when a data breach or cybersecurity incident occurs. In this interactive session, F. Paul Greene, Chair of HSE’s Privacy and Data Security Group, will walk attendees through a real-world-inspired tabletop exercise designed to test and strengthen your organization’s incident response readiness. From handling employee data exposure to coordinating internal communications and legal obligations, this session will highlight the critical role HR plays in managing the human side of a workplace cyber incident.
Presenters:
F. Paul Greene , AIGP, CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, FIP
F. Paul Greene is a partner at HSE and serves as chair of the firm’s Privacy and Data Security Practice. Paul counsels clients of all sizes in a wide range of industries concerning all aspects of pre-breach preparation and risk management, including security and vulnerability assessments, policy and procedure review, breach response planning and drills, as well as board and management education on cyber risk issues. After the breach, Paul, his team, and the team’s professional consultants provide a full array of breach coach and response services, including breach response and remediation, crisis management and communication, internal and governmental investigations, breach notification, and potential litigation or regulatory action. Paul has been honored with the title of Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), has been a Distinguished Fellow of the Ponemon Institute since 2017, and publishes and speaks internationally on data protection issues.
Thank you to our Primary Sponsor: Brown & Brown!
Thank you to our Exhibit Sponsor: Summit Federal Credit Union!
Thank you to our Breakfast Sponsor: Paylocity!
