Kerry Cahill has over 20 years of experience representing employers in a wide range of industries in employment and contract disputes.
Her extensive experience in employment law includes wrongful and retaliatory termination, discrimination and harassment, internal workplace investigations, wage-and-hour claims, Whistleblowers’ Protection Act claims, severance agreement negotiations, Family Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disabilities Act claims, civil rights litigation, and Title IX internal processes related to college sexual discrimination and misconduct investigations. Her experience also includes numerous cases involving noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, including obtaining and defending against injunctive relief. Her clients have included steel companies, automotive suppliers, municipalities, academic institutions, and manufacturing companies.
Kerry has developed state-of-the-art policies and employee handbooks and conducted harassment training for a variety of professional organizations, executive leadership teams, and human resources professionals.
Before joining Bodman, Kerry was a Partner in a highly regarded Michigan-based employment law boutique where she worked directly with employers and employees on all aspects of employment law, including compliance, litigation/ADR strategies, and risk mitigation. She also previously served as a senior attorney at national law firm where she was responsible for a broad range of cases, including employment matters, commercial transactions, contract disputes, real estate litigation, vendor/supplier disputes, product and premises liability claims, condemnation actions, and insurance coverage cases.
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly Go-To Lawyers for Employment, 2021
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly Influential Women in the Law, 2016
Civic, Cultural, and Community Activities
- Operation Give Foundation – Member, Board of Directors (2009-2015)
- Girl Scout Leader, Troop 77704
- Friends of Historical Hamtramck, Member
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Michigan
- Litigation and Labor & Employment Law sections
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Oakland County Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE)
- Labor and Employment Law Advisory Board
- Incorporated Society of Irish-American Lawyers
- Member, Board of Directors (2014-2017)
- Oakland County Inns of Court
Publications
- “Executive Employment Agreement Checklist,” ICLE (June 2023)
- “Simple and Momentous” – Bostock v. Clayton County is a Landmark Victory for LGBTQ+ Equality, State Bar of Michigan Labor and Employment Lawnotes Vol. 30, No. 2 (Summer 2020)
- “Exhaustion and Agency Investigation Under Federal Law,” Bloomberg BNA Workplace Harassment Law, 2nd Edition
- “Ten Commandments for an Effective Neutral Investigation,” State Bar of Michigan Labor and Employment Lawnotes (Spring 2018)
- Conducting Effective Transgender Education and Anti-Harassment Training, ICLE (December 2017)
Speaking Engagements
- Presenter, “Business Boot Camp: Effective Employment Agreements and Employment Law Primer,” State Bar of Michigan Business Law Section (January 2024 and November 2023)
- Presenter, “Negotiating Agreements on Behalf of Workers,” National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention (June 2023)
- Moderator, “Psychological Issues in the Workplace,” ICLE (February 2018)
- Wayne State University Law School, J.D., cum laude
- University of Michigan, B.A., with distinction
- Michigan