Polsinelli

Departments

Phone: 816.360.4149
Fax: 816.374.0509

Judy Yi

Shareholder

In her labor and employment law practice, Judy Yi focuses on how to manage and minimize workplace risks associated with multi-state and federal statutory compliance with employment and human resources issues. Ms. Yi has extensive experience in representing management in agency investigations and litigation in both state and federal courts. She also has experience in handling the employment aspects of complex transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions.

Ms. Yi provides day-to-day counseling on virtually all employment-related laws and regulations involving issues such as employment discrimination and harassment, retaliation, disability accommodations, administration of leave requests, wage and hour issues, breach of contract, whistleblower claims, covenants not to compete, personnel policies, management training, protection of confidential and trade secret information, defamation and unfair labor practices.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Asian American Bar Association of Kansas City
    • President, 2010
    • Treasurer, 2006-2009
    • Director, 2005, 2011
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
  • National Employment Law Council
  • International Association of Korean Lawyers
  • Association for Women Lawyers of Kansas City
  • Asian American Chamber of Commerce
  • Dartmouth Asian Pacific American Association
  • Dartmouth "Heart of America" Alumni Club
    • Executive Board

Distinctions

  • Honored as a 2011 Up and Coming Lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Weekly
  • Selected for inclusion in Kansas & Missouri Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, 2010-2012

Experience

  • Ms. Yi has represented national, regional and local health care facilities in state agency discrimination charges and lawsuits, and has provided advice and counsel on the coordination of national employment policies and issues and day-to-day employment matters.
  • She has assisted multi-national, national, and regional health care entities and corporations in various industries in negotiating the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions.
  • She has conducted comprehensive employment / human resources audits, reviewing employment processes, policies, and documents for legal compliance.
  • Ms. Yi has represented a regional grocery store chain in all employment counseling, discrimination charges and employment litigation matters.

Representative Cases
  • Brown-Schreiner v. United Investors, L.P. d/b/a Life Care Center of Grandview, Case No. 4:05-CV-00556
    Plaintiff, the former Assistant Director of Nursing for defendant, brought a cause of action against defendant alleging wrongful termination of her employment based on her Wiccan religious beliefs in violation of Title VII and the Missouri Human Rights Act. The matter was tried before a jury in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. The jury returned a verdict in favor of defendant on all counts.

  • Parker v. Life Care Centers of America, Case No. 6:04-CV-1206
    Plaintiff, a registered nurse and former employee of defendant, filed suit against Defendant alleging (1) whistle blowing retaliation in violation of the Kansas Risk Management Act; (2) whistle blowing retaliation in violation of Kansas common law; (3) workers' compensation retaliation; (4) defamation; and (5) breach of implied contract. Defendant obtained summary judgment on four of Plaintiff's five claims. Plaintiff's breach of implied contract claim was tried on the merits before a jury in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Obtained jury verdict in favor of defendant.

  • Qualls, et al. v. Sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC
    Jurisdiction in the Western District of Missouri in a FLSA/Collective Action with a favorable settlement resolution.

  • Lee v. Life Care Center of America, Inc.
    Jurisdiction in the District of Kansas in a race discrimination case with a favorable settlement resolution.

  • Young v. University of Kansas Hospital Authority
    Jurisdiction in the District of Kansas in a 42 U.S.C. §1981 race discrimination and retaliation case with a favorable settlement resolution.  

  • Kankam v. University of Kansas Hospital Authority
    Jurisdiction in the District of Kansas in a race discrimination case under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. §1981 with a favorable settlement resolution.

  • Miller v. University of Kansas Hospital Authority
    Jurisdiction in the District of Kansas in an Americans with Disabilities Act discrimination and retaliation case with a favorable settlement resolution.

  • Rieker v. Cunningham Lindsay US, Inc., et al.
    Jurisdiction in Eastern District of Missouri in a tortious interference with a business expectancy, defamation and failure to pay wages case with a favorable settlement resolution.

  • Walker v. Global Ground Support, LLC
    Jurisdiction in the District of Kansas in an Americans with Disabilities Act discrimination and ERISA violation case with a favorable settlement resolution.

Publications & Presentations

2012
Polsinelli Shughart Labor, Employment & Benefits Symposium
February 2012
Association of Corporate Counsel - Chicago Chapter
November 2010
LSN - Human Resources Teleseminar Series
September 2010
International Association of Korean Lawyers Conference
Panelist at the 18th Annual Conference
August 2010
Polsinelli Shughart Labor, Employment & Benefits Symposium
June 2010
Panelist for a program sponsored by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and Kansas City Specialty Bar Associations
2009
ABA Intellectual Property Roundtable
2007
American Health Lawyers Association Labor and Employment