John K. Henning is a Shareholder with the Indianapolis office of Ogletree Deakins. Named one of Indiana’s Rising Stars for 2009, 2010 and 2011, he helps employers navigate the complex federal and state regulatory framework that governs the employer-employee relationship. He represents employers and companies in both federal and state courts, concentrating his practice in restrictive covenants and employment litigation, including all types of civil rights and employment related claims.
To better serve his clients and ensure that he understands what keeps them awake at night, John speaks and writes often on employment/legal issues that affect HR professionals and the companies they serve. The topics covered in these presentations and/or white papers include diversity-related issues in the workplace, the amendments to the ADA and FMLA, religious discrimination claims, the interplay between the ADA, FMLA and workers’ compensation laws, and work leave issues. Twice a year, John also teaches an introductory-level two-day course at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on legal issues facing HR professionals.
John also devotes significant time working with various community service-related organizations. He represented a young Guatemalan girl seeking asylum from familial abuse, participated in the Indianapolis Protective Order Pro Bono Project, and represented pro bono a criminal defendant before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also active in the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Ask-A-Lawyer program.
Experience
John represents employers in both federal and state courts, concentrating his practice in employment litigation, including all types of civil rights and employment-related claims. John also has significant experience in business and product liability litigation, having represented numerous Fortune 500 companies in numerous federal and state courts across the country. He has substantial experience handling cases involving insurance coverage and bad faith, construction defects, premises liability, and personal injury/wrongful death. He has represented several major life, health, and disability insurance companies in cases involving allegations of bad faith and breach of contract.
He has significant experience litigating cases in trial courts, the Indiana Court of Appeals, the Indiana Supreme Court, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Representative cases include:
- Obtained summary judgment from an arbitrator against former manager of client’s Russian operations
- Obtained summary judgment on age discrimination claims filed by former second-in-command manager of plant facility, who had worked for company for over 20 years
- Obtained summary judgment on Frampton claims where plaintiff sought permanent disability benefits and damages for wrongful termination
- Defended lawsuits seeking class certification for claims alleging willful violations of Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, settling each case with alleged damages of hundreds of millions for nominal amounts
- Received summary judgment in multiple product liability cases, including claims of failure to warn, strict liability, negligence, and breach of express and implied warranties
Arizona
Indiana
U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
Education and Honors
- Super Lawyers, Indiana Rising Star in 2009, 2010, and 2011
- University of Virginia School of Law, Ritter Award for Honor, Character, and Integrity
- University of Virginia School of Law, Lile Moot Court Competition, Semi-finalist
- University of Virginia School of Law, Raven Society
Professional Activities
- Kids Voice of Indiana, Secretary (Board of Directors, 2009-Current)
- Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana (Board of Directors, 2010-Current)
- Blue River SHRM (Board of Directors, 2010-Current)
- Indianapolis Bar Association (2010 Bar Leader Series, Class VII Graduate)
- Indianapolis Bar Association (Ask A Lawyer Program)
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association
- Giving+Sum (Founding Member)
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Pro Bono Criminal Assistance, Appointed Counsel)
- Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (Pro Bono Counsel)
- Indiana Chamber of Commerce FMLA Conference - "FMLA Case Studies: Test Your Knowledge" - Indianapolis - June 16, 2011
- Mays Chemical - "Training Programs For Managers, Supervisors, And Non-Supervisors" - Indianapolis - May 17, 2011 - June 23, 2011
- FUSION Alliance - "Effective Training & Discipline For Managers, i.e., I’m Not Your Friend, I’m Your Boss" - Indianapolis - May 16, 2011
- IUPUI Law School - "Overview of HR Law" - Indianapolis - April 30, 2011 - May 7, 2011
- YMCA 2011 HR Forum - "HR Legal Trends" - Indianapolis - March 29, 2011
- YMCA 2011 HR Forum - "Employment and Labor Law Workshop" - Indianapolis - March 28, 2011
- Johnson County HR Association - "2010 Legislative Updates" - Greenwood - February 16, 2011
- Wabash Valley Human Resources Association - "DOL Audits: Is Your Company Prepared?" - Terre Haute - January 12, 2011
- Blue River SHRM - "2010 11 Legislative Developments: What Has Come To Pass, and What Is On The Horizon" - Shelbyville - November 24, 2010
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "Conducting Successful Work Investigations" - Indianapolis - October 5, 2010
- IUPUI Law School - "Personnel Law: Legal Issues Affecting HR" - Indianapolis - October 2010
- Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana - "Religious Diversity In The Workplace" - Indianapolis - August 10, 2010
- JCERRA and Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce - "2010 Legislative Developments" - Greenwood - July 13, 2010
- Group of Owners for Independent Enterprise - "2010 Legislative Developments" - Greenwood - July 9, 2010
- IUPUI Law School - "Personnel Law: Legal Issues Affecting HR" - Indianapolis - March 2010
In The News
- June 1, 2009 - SHRM - "To Hire or Not to Hire, This is the (Legal) Question"
- June 1, 2009 - SHRM - "When Johnny’s Family Goes Marching Off . . . Military Leave under the FMLA"
