Denise Greathouse Photo

Denise Greathouse

Partner
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Head of Best Workplace Solutions
Michael Best Strategies LLC
Washington, D.C.
The Wharf
1000 Maine Avenue SW
Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20024

Overview

Denise is an experienced attorney who represents management-side clients in a wide range of complex employment legal matters. Denise also leads the firm’s Best Workplace Solutions consulting team in providing people-focused solutions to help businesses achieve their organizational goals.

Denise works collaboratively with the Best Workplace Solutions team to understand clients’ needs and challenges, and align appropriate human capital strategies and support to help them thrive. Harnessing her decades of experience counseling employers, and the deep knowledge she has developed advising HR leaders throughout her career, she identifies how services such as human resources strategy development, risk management strategy development, transitional leadership support, training and development programs, or a variety of other solutions can best meet a client’s short-and long-term goals. Alongside the Best Workplace Solutions team, Denise helps clients implement custom-tailored HR solutions for their organizations.

In her law practice, Denise assists employers with matters including the following:

  • Employee safety and health
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issues, including investigating, defending citations, and assisting with abatement
  • Workplace investigations, including defending claims regarding matters including discrimination, Title IX, harassment, theft, suspicion of drugs at the workplace, and whistleblower complaints
  • Labor arbitration, employment tort and breach of contract lawsuits, unemployment insurance appeals, employee separation/termination matters, unemployment compensation matters, and workmen’s compensation matters

Experience

Clients spanning many industries, including manufacturing, food and beverage, healthcare, education, transportation, and more, turn to Denise for her expertise and thoughtful counsel.

Honors & Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers®, Women in the Law (Milwaukee, WI), Labor and Employment Law, 2022-Present
  • Most Influential Black Lawyers, Savoy Magazine, 2022
  • Notable Women in Law, BizTimes Media, 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2021-present
  • The Midwest’s Best Lawyers©, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2021
  • Woman of the Year, Wisconsin Law Journal, 2019
  • Black Excellence Awards Recipient, The Milwaukee Times, 2018
  • Recognized as one of the "40 under 40" by the Milwaukee Business Journal, 2017
  • Emerging Lawyers, Law Bulletin Publishing, 2015-2018
  • Lawyers of Color Hot List, Lawyers of Color Inc. (LOC), 2013

Professional Activities

  • Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2019
  • Member, State Bar of Illinois Association
  • Member, State Bar of Wisconsin Association
  • Member, Waukesha Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association

Education

Bar Admissions

Court Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Past Board Member, Waukesha Dental Clinic
  • Past Board Member, American Black Holocaust Museum
  • Past Board Member, Pearls for Teen Girls
  • Founder & Member, 3-D Fellowship: Determination, Dedication, and Devotion
  • Volunteer, Catered the Homeless
  • Volunteer, Mentor at City of Milwaukee Catholic schools
  • Volunteer Coordinator, Food, Body, and Soul, North Shore Church of Christ Food Pantry
  • Previous Mentor to a Milwaukee inner city Hurricane Katrina Survivor
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