Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Ian Carleton Schaefer has joined the firm as a partner in the Labor & Employment practice group. Based in New York, Schaefer previously was a partner and Chair of the New York Employment & Labor practice at Loeb & Loeb.
Schaefer is the latest partner to join the growing New York office. Over the last two years, New York has expanded to nearly 150 attorneys, including adding 15 lateral partners in the firm’s Corporate, Real Estate and Governmental practices.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ian to Sheppard Mullin and our growing New York office,” said New York partner and Labor & Employment co-practice group leader Jonathan Stoler. “He brings a practical and results-driven approach to the cutting-edge business issues of today as well as a wealth of training and management experience. The firm and our clients will greatly benefit from his experience and approach.”
Of his move to Sheppard Mullin, Schaefer said, “I am thrilled to be joining such an innovative and energetic practice and firm. I look forward to partnering with our clients to create and maintain best-in-class workplaces and to expanding the scope of services for existing clients on this global, full-service platform.”
Over the course of his career, Schaefer has represented Fortune 100 companies, professional sports leagues and member clubs, media giants, performing arts organizations, healthcare companies, financial and professional services institutions and emerging companies in a variety of human capital and global workforce management issues, shepherding organizations through reputation management, investigating public and private allegations of misconduct at all levels of the organization, serving as strategic advisor on corporate restructurings and reorganizations, and facilitating complex C-suite transitions through executive compensation and employee relations strategies. He is a thought leader on existential matters impacting the modern workplace, from post-pandemic strategies, artificial intelligence, pay equity, pay transparency and diversity, equity and inclusion best practices.
Schaefer also brings salient in-house, human capital expertise to bear, having served for a decade as outside-inside counsel as the head of employment law for BT Americas Inc., a subsidiary of British Telecommunications plc, where he managed and oversaw all litigation and workforce management matters in the United States and Canada.
“Ian will provide our clients with invaluable, business-focused experience that focuses on current labor and employment and workplace issues,” said Luca Salvi, Chair of Sheppard Mullin. “He is attuned to how businesses must adapt to the changing commercial landscape, whether it is workplace trainings covering anti-harassment, bystander intervention or post-pandemic return to office. We are truly fortunate to have him join our world-class labor and employment practice.”
Schaefer is also a classically trained musician and a staunch advocate for arts education, particularly in underserved communities. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Jazz at Lincoln Center and a Trustee and alumnus of the Grammy-Award winning New York Youth Symphony. Schaefer received his J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law and his B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
