Ropes & Gray Partners With Edelman in Chicago to Discuss #MeToo Sexual Misconduct Allegations in the Workplace

Ropes & Gray’s Chicago office hosted a Jan. 8 panel discussion on how to prevent workplace sexual misconduct or respond to allegations of sexual assault or sexual harassment in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Chicago office managing partner Laura Hoey, co-leader of the firm’s government enforcement and white collar group, moderated the discussion, which featured guest speakers from global communications firm Edelman.

Litigation & enforcement partners Joan McPhee and Jim Dowden, who led the independent investigation—commissioned by a Special Committee of the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic Committee—into the abuse of hundreds of elite and Olympic gymnasts and other children by Larry Nassar, served as panelists, along with labor & employment partner Megan Bisk. They were joined on the panel by Harlan Loeb and Patrick Hillman, practice chair and executive vice president, respectively, in Edelman’s Crisis & Risk department in Chicago.

Designed for business leaders and in-house counsel, the discussion addressed the following critical topics: legal and ethical considerations for companies, ethics of an investigation, issues around settlement of claims, nondisclosure agreements, privacy concerns, and best practices for handling sexual misconduct investigations effectively, ethically and with appropriate sensitivity.