Alex W. Karasik

Partner

Phone: +1 312 499 6766
Duane Morris LLP
190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3700
Chicago, IL 60603-3433
USA

Alex W. Karasik is a core member of Duane Morris’ Workplace Class Action group. Mr. Karasik defends businesses in employment law matters ranging from bet-the-company class actions to high-stakes single-plaintiff lawsuits and administrative charges. He represents clients in a broad range of industries, including restaurants, hotels, sporting venues, retailers, automotive manufacturers, logistics companies and staffing entities. These clients include Fortune 500 multi-national companies and local Chicagoland businesses. Mr. Karasik’s legal analysis has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Law360, Westlaw Today, SHRM, HR.com, the Cook County Record, the Northern California Record and TechTarget. He was recognized by Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” for 2022 and 2023.

Mr. Karasik relishes the opportunity to learn about clients’ industries, business models and litigation goals. He works with businesses to proactively implement measures to minimize future lawsuits and craft novel solutions for companies that are confronted with litigation. Primarily, Mr. Karasik defends companies in lawsuits involving claims of discrimination, harassment, wage and hour violations and privacy class actions. Mr. Karasik has experience in all phases of litigation, including federal court trial experience. This allows him to see the big picture and tailor his approach to marshal time and cost effective solutions for businesses. When he is not advocating for clients in court or administrative proceedings, Mr. Karasik enjoys giving presentations on employment law developments and writing legal publications. Mr. Karasik is also an emerging thought leader in the area of artificial intelligence and its impact on employment law.

Prior to joining Duane Morris, Mr. Karasik was an associate for seven years at an international law firm. While in law school at Notre Dame, Mr. Karasik served two terms as the President of the Sports, Communication & Entertainment Law Forum. He also served as the symposium editor for the Journal of Legislation, and studied abroad in London.

Mr. Karasik received Master of Communication Management and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Southern California. While studying in Los Angeles, Mr. Karasik spent more than five years working with the USC Trojans football team, where he earned two Rose Bowl rings working under future Super Bowl-winning Coach Pete Carroll. Mr. Karasik also worked at Fox Sports, where he assisted in the production of NFL and MLB highlights.

Admissions

Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Education

Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 2015
- Symposium Editor, Journal of Legislation
- President, Sports, Communication & Entertainment Law Forum
University of Southern California, Master of Communication Management, 2012
University of Southern California, B.A., 2010

Experience

Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2023-present
- Associate, 2022
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Associate, 2015-2022

Professional Activities

American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association

Honors and Awards

Named to Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch," 2022-2024

Selected Publications

Co-author, "Illinois Court Holds Federal Law Pre-empts BIPA Claims," SHRM, March 28, 2023
Co-author, "Illinois Appellate Court Affirms Dismissal of BIPA Class Action Lawsuit," Westlaw Today, January 20, 2023
Co-author, "A Tax Season Cautionary Tale," HR.com, May 30, 2022
Co-author, "EEOC Enforcement Activity Spike Points To A Busy 2022," Law360, October 27, 2021
Co-author, "Employer Takeaways From EEOC's $10.5M Deal With Bass Pro," Law360, August 9, 2017
Co-author, "Clarifying EEOC's Obligation For Presuit Conciliation," Law360, January 20, 2017
Co-author, "Employment Counsel Should Keep An Eye On Rule 23," Law360, October 6, 2015

Media Hits

Quoted, "Lawmakers Seek to Restrict 'Bossware'," TechTarget, August 3, 2023
Quoted, "Class Action Lawsuits Target Corporations' ESG Promotion Strategies, Claim 'Greenwashing'," Northern California Record, June 30, 2023
Quoted, "Dollar General Ruling Strengthens EEOC's Hand to Widen Discrimination Claims into 'Fishing Expeditions'," Cook County Record, October 21, 2022
Quoted, "EEOC Loses Again As It Backs Muslim Women Who Say They Weren't Hired Because Of Hijabs," Forbes, January 29, 2018

Selected Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "Get Smart with AI: Best Practices for Using AI in Business," Duane Morris Webinar, October 17, 2023
Presenter, “Evolving Legal Risks for Marketers: Artificial Intelligence, Social Media, and Web Accessibility,” Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Southeast Regional Conference, November 10, 2023
Panelist, “Discovery Strategies in Wage and Hour Class and Collective Actions Before and After Certification of Putative Class,” Strafford Publications Webinars, July 26, 2023
Presenter, “BIPA and Privacy Litigation In 2023,” Live Presentation to Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) Member Companies, New York City, May 16, 2023
Panelist, "Mid-Year Review of EEOC-Initiated Litigation," Duane Morris Webinar, May 4, 2023
Presenter, “A Town Hall Conversation on Diversity and its Impact on the Legal Profession,” Live Presentation for DuPage County Bar Association, Lisle, Illinois, May 16, 2019