Michael L. Spekter
Michael Spekter was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and graduated Cum Laude from Villanova University in the Honors Program. He spent a year at the University of Arizona studying graduate level English literature and then attended Temple University Law School in Philadelphia where he received his J.D. Degree in 1975. Mr. Spekter then returned to Arizona where he became a member of the state bar where he served as a supervisory attorney in the Pima County Public Defender's Office before being recruited to return to Washington DC where he was one of the first prosecuting attorneys in the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Mr.Spekter traveled widely in the early days of the Office of Special Counsel, prosecuting some of the offices earliest seminal cases. Mr. Spekter then set up his own office in Washington DC where he has successfully represented federal employees for over 25 years in EEO and MSPB cases.
Special Qualifications:
Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Baltimore Law School, 1420 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD
Regular Speaker before employment seminars of the District of Columbia Bar Association and the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA)
As an attorney and an individual I have demonstrated a lifelong dedication to representing individuals who suffer discrimination and reprisal-- with documented results.
Assisted the District of Columbia Council in providing written testimony on the 2001 amendments to the D.C. Whistleblower Protection Act.
Representative Cases and Notes:
Norton v. Veterans Administration, PH-0752-08-0442-I-1 A long term VA GS-14 level employee whose termination had been proposed for allegations of unauthorized absence, AWOL, falsification of statements and other charges was reinstated with full back pay, benefits and attorneys fees and costs following an evidentiary hearing before an MSPB administrative judge.
U.S. v. Y.H.S., 10-M-473 (BPG) In a unique criminal action brought against a federal employee in U.S. District Court, alleging theft of government property based on allegations of time card discrepancies, the defendant was found not guilty of the charges after a full day long trial in U.S. District Court before a federal magistrate judge. This case demonstrates Mr. Spekter's ability to utilize his prior experience as a public defender and criminal defense lawyer to represent federal sector employees who experience criminal charges that are intertwined with employment issues.
Nichol v. Office of Personnel Management
AT-0842-06-0480-I-1
In this case the firm made new law for federal employees who had part time service as part of their federal careers. It resulted in new annuity calculations for part time federal employees.
Dalmas v. Office of Personnel Management
CH-8444E-08-0589-I-1
In this federal disability retirement case, representative of many of the cases that the firm takes on, the Merit Systems Protection Board reversed OPM's denial of disability retirement benefits to a deserving federal employee. The firm has had significant success in obtaining disability retirement benefits for deserving federal employees in appropriate cases.
Zojourner v. Brown O1:CV:02358-GK
650,000 verdict plus 250,000 in back pay awarded to federal psychologist who was retaliated against for making allegations of sexual discrimination.
Killeen v. OPM 832 F.3rd 1316 (2004), 558 F.3rd 1318 (Fed. Cir. 2009)
Areas of Practice
- 80% Federal Employment Law Including EEOC and MSPB Representation
- 10% Private Sector Employment Law -- Representing Primarily Employees
- 9% Appellate Litigation
- 1% Law Practice Management
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Arizona, 1975
- Maryland, 1991
- District of Columbia, 1981
- U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 1975
- U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, 1975
- U.S. District Court District of Maryland, 1975
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1989
Education
- Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Juris Doctor - 1975
- Honors: Deans List
- Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania
- Bachelors of Arts (Cum Laude) - 1971
- Major: Honors Program
Published Works
- "The New Whistleblower Protection Act: Fine Tuning Disclosure Protection" Michael L. Spekter, Esq., Federal Merit Systems Reporter, Volume 89, Number 4E, May, 1989
- "Lawyers Lounge" Stuart Stiller Prize for Creative Writing by a Member of the D.C. Bar, The District Lawyer, 1989
- The Redbook, A Manual on Legal Style, Second Edition, Bryan A. Garner, Editor in Chief Black's Law Dictionary, Thomson-West
Representative Cases
- Raphael v. Okyiri, 740 A.2d 935 (D.C. 1999)
- Zenian v. District of Columbia Office of Employee Appeals, 598 A.2d 1161 (D.C. 1991)
- Berube v. General Services Administration, 820 F.2d 396 (Fed. Cir 1987)
- A.Z. v. Tom Ridge, Director Department of Homeland Security
- $650,000 Jury Verdict Compensatory Damages for Violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 01-2358 GK (District of Columbia District Court 2004)
- John M. Killeen v. Office of Personnel Management
- Reversing OPM Determination of Retirement Benefits due to Federal Air Traffic Controllers who Mix Part Time and Full Time Work During their Federal Careers, 04-3033 (Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 2004)
- Nichol v. Office of Personnel Management, AT-0842-06-0480-I-1
- Dalmas v. Office of Personnel Management, CH-8444E-08-0589-I-1
- Zojourner v. Brown, O1:CV:02358-GK
- Killeen v. OPM, 832 F.3rd 1316 (2004)
- Norton v. Veterans Administration, PH-0752-08-0442-I-1
- U.S. v. Y.H.S., 10-M-473 (BPG)
Classes/Seminars
- Adjunct Professor - University of Baltimore Law School, 2004 - 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association
- MWELA
- NELA
Past Employment Positions
- U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Senior Prosecution Atty, 1979 - 1982
- Pima County Public Defenders Office, Tucson, Arizona, Supervisory Attorney, 1977 - 1979
Languages
- English
Fraternities/Sororities
- Tau Kappa Epsilon
