Mark W. Bennett

Mark joined Laner Muchin in 1997 as an associate and has been a partner at the Firm since 2003. He regularly negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of employers for bargaining units ranging from four (4) to approximately 37,000 employees. Mark also regularly represents employers in Union election and representation cases and unfair labor practice cases before the National Labor Relations Board, the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. 

Mark also represents employers in charges of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Illinois Department of Human Rights. In addition, he provides advice to employers on nearly a daily basis on labor and employment law issues, as well as representing employers in labor matters before independent arbitrators. 

Mark has taught courses on labor relations at Benedictine University, is a regular speaker on labor issues at the Chicago-Kent School of Law Public Sector Labor Law Forum as well as other labor law-related programs, has conducted seminars for management personnel on legal and practical employment relations matters, and has testified before the Illinois General Assembly as a subject matter expert on Illinois public sector labor law. Mark also served as an Extern with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board handling traditional labor law issues while in law school.

In 2021, Mark was recognized as a Notable LGBTQ Executive in Crain’s Chicago Business.

HONORS, MEMBERSHIPS AND PUBLICATIONS

• Notable LGBTQ Executive 2021, Crain’s Chicago Business
• Co-Author, Interest Arbitration During Economic and Social Crisis, Illinois Public Employee Relations Report, University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations at Urbana-Champaign and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Volume 38, Issue 3, December 2021
• Illinois Super Lawyers honoree

Below are representative samples of the types of matters Mark handles on behalf of Laner Muchin clients:

Negotiating collective bargaining agreements for bargaining units from four (4) to approximately 37,000 employees under the framework of the National Labor Relations Board, the Illinois Labor Relations Board, and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.

Defending employers before various labor relations boards in complex unfair labor practice and representation cases.

Providing labor and employment-related advice to a wide range of clients from small private sector entities to large public entities; advising on matters of collective bargaining; compliance with FMLA, ADA and other employment statutes; advising on matters of employee discipline and termination, employment contracts, policies, handbooks, and related matters.

Defending employers in employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation cases before administrative agencies.

Representing employers in the Appellate Court on matters originating in various labor relations boards.

Providing training to executives and managers on a range of labor and employment-related topics including collective bargaining, union avoidance, discrimination and harassment, hiring, effective documentation and discipline practices and a variety of other labor and employment-related topics.