Thomas Cunningham

Practice Areas

Tom Cunningham understood the important role of lawyers from an early age by watching and learning from family. His grandfather was a civil defense lawyer for 45 years, and a great-uncle served as a law school dean and counsel at a war crimes tribunal. Their success and passion in helping clients inspired Tom to pursue his own legal career.

Tom practices exclusively in labor and employment law, where he provides counseling on employment issues and tries employment cases. Tom was attracted to this area because workplace issues and the employment relationship are central to people’s lives. “A reliable, skilled workforce is critical to a company’s success. Helping employers address issues and solve problems concerning their most important asset—their employees—is what I do. It’s important work,” he observes.

Tom characterizes the scope of his practice as “across the board.” The matters are as varied as discrimination and wrongful termination litigation, advising employers on employment policies and personnel issues, helping management address union campaigns, representing management in labor arbitrations, NLRB proceedings, OSHA enforcement proceedings, affirmative action compliance, noncompetition actions, and wage-hour disputes.

Tom also has experience representing institutions of higher education in cases involving Title IX, Title VII, the Iowa Civil Rights Act, employment contracts, and personnel issues. He regularly advises colleges and universities on FERPA issues, NCAA matters, student disciplinary procedures, and faculty tenure issues.

Tom’s intelligent, tenacious, and strategic approach and record of success have proved invaluable to his clients. “Employers look to their labor counsel not only for legal answers and effective courtroom defense, but also proactive guidance and strategic planning—all of which is the ‘value added’ I bring to my clients,” Tom says.

At the same time, Tom’s philosophy is that being prepared, unafraid, and experienced at trial are necessary to obtain favorable results for clients named as defendants in employment lawsuits. “I help management determine when litigation is their best option—and then execute that decision to achieve the best result. The objective always is that the company achieves its goals and prospers.”