Jesse L. Young
Associate
jyoung@sommerspc.com
toll free: 1-800-967-1234
phone: (248) 746-4027
fax: (248) 936-2138
Mr. Young's practice primarily focuses on business litigation, employment litigation, and collective actions. He has experience representing employees in need of help with severance negotiations, wage and hour disputes, discrimination, and retaliation. Additionally, Mr. Young has experience representing persons and businesses experiencing contractual disputes and/or business torts. Mr. Young has briefed and/or argued cases in Michigan state courts, the Michigan Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Courts of Michigan, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Prior to attending law school, Mr. Young owned and operated a residential construction business for nearly four years. He learned the business through many years of working for and with his father. Mr. Young remains a licensed builder and volunteers his time with Habitat for Humanity of Western Wayne County as a site supervisor. He was recently named as its 2011 Volunteer of the Year.
Areas of Practice:
- Business Litigation
- Employment Litigation
- Wage and Hour Collective Actions
- Severance Negotiations
- Construction Law
Bar Admissions:
- State of Michigan
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- Pro hac vice admissions: State of Kentucky; U.S. District Court, New Jersey; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi; U.S. District Court, Nevada; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
Representative Matters:
- April 2012: Defeated defendants' summary disposition motion on behalf of his client in a wrongful termination action brought under Michigan's Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). Holt v. City of Detroit, et al
- March 2012: Obtained conditional class certification in favor of hourly employees in an action brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for non-payment of overtime. Shipes, et al. v. Amurcon Corporation, 2012 WL 995362.
- March 2012: Successfully defeated defendant's motion to dismiss plaintiff's foreign (Michigan) judgment on behalf of his client in a post-judgment collection action filed in Illinois. Tut's International Export & Import Co. v. El Tapatio, Inc.
- November 2011: Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of plaintiff to recover long-term disability benefits on behalf of his client in an action brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Fura v. Federal Express Corp. Long Term Disability Plan, et al 2011 WL 5599710.
- July 2011: $11.3 million Collective Action Settlement. Jesse Young assisted Jason Thompson in obtaining an $11.3 million settlement on behalf of exotic dancers working at a Déjà Vu gentleman's club. Plaintiffs argued that the clubs did not pay the dancers a minimum wage as required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Instead, the dancers were misclassified as independent contractors and were forced to pay the clubs rent out of the dance fees paid by customers.
Doe v. Cin-Lan, Inc., et al.
- April 2011: Successfully defeated defendant's motion to dismiss on behalf of client in a collective action brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Knight v. Quicken Loans, Inc.
- March 2010: $3.6 million Equal Protection Verdict. Jesse Young assisted Andrew Kochanowski in obtaining a jury verdict in favor of a Michigan family that was discriminated against by the exclusionary zoning actions of a city. The jury found that the city violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection clause. Loesel v. City of Frankenmuth.
Honors and Awards:
- 2011 Volunteer of the Year: Habitat for Humanity
- American Jurisprudence Award: Construction Law
- Member of Law Review
Education:
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Cum Laude, Lansing, Michigan,
- Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Experience:
- Sommers Schwartz, P.C., Southfield, Michigan
- Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Other Licenses:
- Residential Builders License, Michigan
Professional Affiliations:
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Michigan Association for Justice
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
Testimonials:
-Client, a long time public high school principal, was falsely accused of inappropriate conduct relative to school financial matters. After being placed on administrative leave, she was subsequently forced to resign her employment. The Client retained the firm to address issues regarding outstanding contractual and compensation issues. After an administrative hearing the matter was successfully resolved and the client commented on the services of her attorneys, Mr. Dan Swanson and Mr. Jesse Young:
“You and your entire staff were very professional and sincere in your handling and solving of my issues. You were committed to customer satisfaction and it showed through your leadership. Your insightfulness, experience and performance, provided me with much support and confidence. Thank you!”
-Client, the former Chief Executive Officer of an company which provided employee vision insurance and operated retail stores offering eyewear and related services, fired after she was falsely accused of embezzling company funds. At the time of her firing, she was on an FMLA medical leave. The firm filed suit on the client’s behalf and engaged in extensive discovery. The disputed was subsequently resolved at a mediation hearing. Client later commented on the services of her attorneys, Mr. Dan Swanson and Mr. Jesse Young:
“I felt your service was great; Jesse did a wonderful job and followed through with all my requests. I was very satisfied with Sommers Schwartz and will always remember you when a friend needs legal help. Thanks for a good job it could not have successful without you both.”
-Client, the former Chief Financial Officer of a large automotive supplier, was wrongfully discharged after he "blew the whistle" on his employer for entering into a fraudulent loan transaction with another supplier. The firm filed suit on the client’s behalf and the complaint alleged that the loan violated statutory lending laws. After extensive discovery, the case was successfully resolved at mediation. The Client later commented on the services of his attorneys, Mr. Dan Swanson and Mr. Jesse Young:
“I was very happy with the service you, Jesse and the firm provided. You guys handled yourself in a very professional manner and were true advocates for me during this entire process. I am sure you know better than I, but you guys are not only attorneys but also psychologists. You talked me in off the ledge at various times throughout the process when I had to hear first hand and see in writing the ludicrous statements made by the defendant. You, Jesse and your firm will always be in my good graces and I will certainly refer anyone that needs your help.
Client, the Director of Sales for an business intelligence software company, was retaliated against after he complained to his employer about its unauthorized and unlawful disclosures of highly sensitive security information. After complaining about his employer’s unlawful actions, his sales accounts were taken from him and his responsibilities and role within the company were dramatically reduced. Before commencing litigation, the firm negotiated a favorable severance package on the client’s behalf and resolved other non-economic issues. The client later commented on the services of his attorney, Mr. Jesse Young:
"I had never been involved in any type of legal action before, and was in a difficult and delicate situation with an employer. Jesse was extremely accommodating, obviously very informed in his craft, and reassuring to work with. He listened to my situation, asked the right probing questions to quickly get to the core issues. After discussion, he suggested a fair and viable way forward, and was able to drive the situation to an agreeable out of court settlement. Throughout the entire process he consistently projected competence, integrity and professionalism and subsequently backed it up with a resolution to a complex and involved legal situation. Jesse is a credit to the company Sommers PC, and the industry at large. Since then, I have highly recommended him to associates in my business"