Julie T. Bittner

Julie Bittner is the employment law attorney and litigator clients want on their teams — intelligent, responsive, practical, confident, cost-conscious, and thorough. Her years of experience investigating and defending claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination and handling Family and Medical Leave Act violations, wage disputes, employment-related torts, contract disputes, and more make Julie a sought-after resource and legal counselor. She is a steady hand in all employment law matters for any organization with employees — insurers, corporations, independent business owners, and others. Julie provides calm, straightforward, pro-active counsel and diligent representation in hearings and dispute resolutions.

Early Case Evaluations

With the precision of a surgeon, Julie skillfully undertakes initial case evaluations. She has perfected her methods to resolve conflict with the least reputational damage and cost to the employer. She completes a robust initial fact investigation, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, honing in on the critical issues to determine the optimal treatment or cure.

Whether she sees a lane for settlement to avoid litigation and unnecessary expense, or evidence that justifies more legal spend, she’s frank with her clients. And although some attorneys skip the thoroughness she employs — by not putting in the time or effort up front to obtain as much information as they can to do that initial reporting — her approach serves her clients well. When she meets with decision-makers after the early evaluation, she is confident in her assessment of where a case stands.

Cost Efficiencies

Unlike many employment defense attorneys, Julie has developed a case management system that gives her and her team a running start on every aspect of an investigation or case, creating significant cost efficiencies. Everything about a case is neatly organized and immediately available for document production, deposition exhibits, motion practice, and client reports. This system is just one of the ways that Julie provides efficiencies that produce less client liability and cost.

Common Sense

MWH attorneys bring their authentic selves to whatever they do, and Julie is no exception. Her passion for her work is real. Clients who value hard work, common sense advice, meticulous case organization, and timely reporting find her contributions to their organizations exceptional.

I know that time is money. I never waste either. I won’t sacrifice a common-sense approach just to bill more hours.

This common-sense approach helps her clients today, but is also the backbone of Julie’s upbringing and the source of her moxie — courage and determination. The daughter of an Iowa nurse and a farmer, and a product of the 80s’ farm crisis, against the odds, Julie became a successful, self-made attorney. A career day experience in the seventh grade was the catalyst.

On shadow day, I spent the day with the county attorney, who had a scheduled lunch with the governor, and I was invited, too. From then on, I thought attorney was the coolest job in my 13-year-old existence. I never deviated from that dream.

Collaboration

Julie trusts her team to shake things up — make work more efficient and find new ways to give clients the exceptional service and results they deserve. All MWH attorneys in the employment law and litigation sections support one another when needed. With the firm’s excellent infrastructure and case-management systems, everyone can be on the same page at a moment’s notice without skipping a beat.

Additionally, Julie has access to a trusted network of employment experts, including employability and disability consultants and sociologists, economists, and psychologists, and collaborates with them as needed.

Training Programs

Like many of her clients, Julie knows that the key to reducing employer liability is building a solid foundation of best practices. As such, she offers defensive training for clients and their employees. A central theme of her training is accountability. She gives supervisors, managers, and employees the tools they need to be accountable and to secure and maintain their reputations — to guard against false accusations and help c-suite and small business owners walk the talk.

For example, if somebody accuses you of harassment or discrimination, you want the first thought of your peers to be, I know her, and she would never be like that. She would never do that.