Meredith S. Dante represents employers across industries including life sciences, health care, insurance, consumer products, hospitality, financial services, manufacturing, higher education, technology, and retail in a broad range of labor and employment disputes. She partners with clients to proactively identify issues and devise legal solutions that are specifically tailored to the client's workforce and business needs. She regularly advises clients in matters involving discrimination, harassment, whistleblower complaints and retaliation, wage and hour issues, reductions in force, compliance issues, restrictive covenants, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other leave laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other accessibility issues, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and related state laws, and diversity and inclusion programs.
She has extensive experience conducting audits and internal investigations, as well as defending clients in single plaintiff, class, and collective actions across the spectrum of employment laws. She regularly advises clients in employment and corporate policies and guidelines including the review and development of codes of conduct, handbooks, and other internal policies. She has represented a number of publicly traded companies in enhancing various components of their corporate compliance programs. She also works with her clients to devise training programs that effectively communicate corporate policies and principles to employees and other key stakeholders. She regularly advises on, defends, and prosecutes restrictive covenant matters involving theft of trade secrets and confidential information, as well as other violations of noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements. She frequently works with emerging growth clients to provide practical guidance on the unique issues faced by these companies as they grow and build successful businesses.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represents publicly traded company in matter involving the breach of restrictive covenants and theft of trade secrets and confidential information
- Conducts internal investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, and employee misconduct
- Represents publicly traded companies in enhancing various components of their corporate compliance programs, including drafting and revising Codes of Conduct, sexual harassment programs, and other internal policies
Professional Highlights
Pro Bono Experience
Meredith maintains an active pro bono practice, assisting clients in a variety of matters ranging from child adoption proceedings to internal investigations.
Judicial Internships
Hon. Russell F. Canan, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Professional Activities
Ballard Spahr's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council
Recognition & Accomplishments
Chambers USA, "Up and Coming," Labor & Employment (Pennsylvania), 2024
Legal 500, Labor and employment - Labor-management relations, 2023
Benchmark Litigation, "Future Star," 2019-2025; "Labor & Employment Star," Labor and Employment, 2020-2025
Speaking Engagements
"Labor and Employment Law Trends Impacting the Mortgage Industry," Mortgage Bankers Association May 23, 2022
"Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Conference," Panel, Mortgage Bankers Association, June 30, 2022
"Human Resources Virtual Symposium," Mortgage Bankers Association, September 8, 2021
Publications
Co-author, "Whistle in confidence - US Anti-Money Laundering Act 2020," Money Laundering Bulletin, February 1, 2021
"Contingent Workers and Independent Contractors: Legal Risks in the Health Care Industry," ASHHRA/IRI 49th Labor Activity in Health Care Semi-Annual Report, September 2018
Co-author, "Fate of Public Union Agency Fees in Hands of High Court," Law360, March 6, 2018
Chapter co-author, "Sanctions," Pennsylvania eDiscovery, (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions)
Chapter co-author, "Federal Employment Laws and Benefits, a Primer for ERISA Lawyers" (2012 and 2013 editions), ERISA: A Comprehensive Guide (4th Edition)
Credentials
Education
The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008)
Associate Editor, Catholic University Law Review
University of Michigan (B.A. 2005)
Admissions
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit