Rick Pins is a shareholder in Leonard, Street and Deinard’s Labor and Employment law practice groups. He splits his practice equally between the labor and employment disciplines, and both counsels and litigates on behalf of clients. Rick also has considerable commercial litigation experience. Rick has appeared before numerous state and federal judges and administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Rick has first-chaired multiple trials and countless arbitrations, both labor and otherwise, and has argued before several state and federal district courts, as well as Minnesota and South Dakota courts of appeal.

Rick counsels clients daily in a variety of employment-related areas, including wage and hour, drug and alcohol testing, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), discrimination, hiring, discipline, separation, privacy, background checking, record keeping and workplace violence. Rick also counsels clients on compliance with state and federal prevailing wage laws and transportation regulations. Rick frequently trains supervisors and employees on the basics of employment law, positive employee relations and preventing workplace harassment and discrimination.

An MSBA Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist, Rick has represented management in numerous collective bargaining negotiations, and in strikes and other labor disputes. Rick’s labor counseling and representation involves both the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and Railway Labor Act (RLA). Rick’s labor experience spans numerous industries, including, among others, the manufacturing, service, transportation (trucking and railroad), construction, hospitality, energy, communications, entertainment and health care industries. He has been regularly selected for inclusion in both Super Lawyers® and Top 40 Employment Super Lawyers®.

Professional and Civic Activities

• Federal Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• Hennepin County Bar Association

Publications

“Why tweeting the boss’ salary might not get an employee fired,” Minnesota Business, March 25, 2013

Education

• J.D., cum laude, University of Minnesota Law School, 1995
• B.A., with distinction, Economics and Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992

Admissions

• State of Minnesota
• State of North Dakota
• State of South Dakota
• State of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit