Douglas A. Hass

Doug Hass’ clients can’t help but repeat themselves when explaining what makes this employment and labor law attorney such a valuable partner.

They say he is mature beyond his years, and that he focuses on even the tiniest of details when arguing for his clients. Others say that no Chicago attorney knows more about labor law.

It’s little surprise, then, that this attorney with DLA Piper’s Chicago office has earned a long list of repeat clients who turn to him for their most important employment issues.

“Of all the attorneys I work with, Doug is the best one in terms of knowledge, professionalism and correspondence,” said one of his clients.

Another client gives an example of how Hass helped his company resolve a potentially difficult employment matter.The human resources manager working for that client had been suffering emotional issues. Before taking time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the manager made inappropriate and unwanted advances toward another employee.

As the client says, Hass faced a formidable challenge: He had to make sure that his client’s firm met all Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements while still holding the employee accountable for her actions.

Hass accomplished this goal. He helped the company reach a settlement that his client says was fair and compassionate toward the former human resources manager while also protecting the company and its other employees. Best of all? The company and the former manager parted ways amicably, thanks largely to Hass’ work.

“It was a tricky, sensitive situation,” the client said. “And Doug guided us to a satisfactory solution.”

Hass has created a large following among professionals in the telecommunications and Internet Service Provider industries. This is partly because Hass ran a telecommunications company and a hardware supplier for the industry before leaving to earn his law degree. But it’s also because Hass has devoted himself to understanding the issues that most impact this growing industry.

One client active in the Internet service space, said his company frequently turns to Hass for employment and labor help. Hass has helped this client work through complex HIPAA/HITECH Act compliance issues and provided the firm with guidance when the company had the opportunity to acquire another business. Perhaps most importantly, Hass created a much-needed New York state-compliant employee handbook for the company.

“Doug impressed me from the beginning as an exceptionally articulate lawyer with significant first-hand experience in the Internet-based service provision industry,” the client said. “Doug is always willing to explain, patiently and in great detail and depth, the reasons for the legal opinions he offers, in a very timely fashion and with a sensitivity to budget. Finding all of these qualities in a single person is rather rare.”

Like the most successful of young attorneys, Hass doesn’t hesitate to share his knowledge with others. One client points to him as a frequent speaker at company conferences, where Hass explains the ins and outs of telecom and Internet law to attendees. Hass also maintains his own wage and hour blog for employers and management attorneys, www.dayshift.com.