Senior Counsel

Sweeny, Bethany S.

Profile & Practice Areas

Bethany Sweeny brings twenty years of labor and employment law experience to Kotz Sangster. She focuses her practice on advising employers on a wide range of employment-related issues, including employee handbooks and employment policies, independent contractor agreements, disciplinary matters, discrimination and harassment issues, disability accommodation and litigation avoidance. In the course of providing legal advice, Bethany conducts training seminars on employment law to employers and supervisors on a variety of topics, as well as conducting workplace investigations.

In the event of a claim or litigation of an employment matter, Bethany leverages her extensive management-side experience to defend employment-related claims, such as employment litigation involving claims of harassment, retaliation and discrimination, as well as FMLA, wage and hour and whistleblower claims. Bethany has practiced extensively in both state and federal courts and before various administrative agencies.

As a result of her experience, Bethany has developed an expertise in working with a diverse group of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, health care, retail, and computer gaming, as well as multiple nonprofit organizations.

Prior to entering the private practice of law, Bethany had an extensive career in higher education, working for both the University of Michigan and Yale University. She has advised higher education clients on a variety of student and faculty issues including breach of contract, due process violations, FERPA, the Clery Act, discrimination and disability accommodation.

Practice Areas

Honors & Awards

  • Best Lawyers, Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2024
  • DBusiness Top Lawyers, Labor and Employment Law, 2024

Professional Associations

  • State Bar of Michigan, Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Federal Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Washtenaw County Bar Association
  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
  • American Society of Employers (ASE)

Community Involvement

  • Safe House Center, Personnel Committee