Mary E Funk

Practice Areas

Working exclusively with labor and employment issues, Mary Funk focuses on client preparation. In a word, Mary’s approach is proactive. “I work with clients to make smart personnel decisions that will reduce their exposure to liability,” she says.

Mary regularly works with human resources professionals, counseling them on employment policies, hiring and firing, harassment and discrimination investigations, drug testing polices, noncompete agreements, and employee leave issues. She reviews and drafts corporate documents and employee handbooks and conducts employer training sessions to educate clients about changing and ongoing employment issues.

To Mary, helping employers make the right decisions up-front is paramount. “Being proactive typically results in a better and more productive workplace, which, in the end, is good for business,” she says.

When cases do go to court, Mary defends employers in matters concerning the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII and any other employment statute or common law.

Clients view Mary as responsive, responsible, and practical. “My job isn’t to make decisions for my clients, but rather to give them the information they need to make business decisions without being fearful of litigation.”

Mary, who grew up on a farm in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, believes her small-town values translate into how she views the world now. After high school, she remained in the Hawkeye State, graduating with distinction from both Drake University and the University of Iowa College of Law.