Conn Maciel Carey LLP (CMC), a Washington, D.C.-based boutique law firm with national practices in workplace safety (OSHA and MSHA), labor and employment, and litigation, is pleased to announce the opening of a Detroit Metro Area, Michigan office and the addition of Senior Counsel, Valerie Butera.

Ms. Butera is among a group of only twenty-five Occupational Safety and Health Law defense attorneys rated by Chambers USA, and the only Michigan-based OSHA attorney rated by Chambers.  She has extensive experience representing employers and trade associations in the full range of workplace safety and health law regulatory and enforcement matters across a wide range of industries, from chemical and petrochemical manufacturing, to petroleum refining, and automotive, electric utility, manufacturing, construction, railway, grain, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and food services.

“I’m overjoyed not only to be a part of the Firm’s expansion among the Midwest, but especially to be to be joining such an exceptional, dedicated and creative group of attorneys,” says Ms. Butera. “The firm has such deep expertise in workplace safety and employment law, and I am looking forward to further focusing my practice on cutting edge process safety management matters and other complex workplace safety challenges.”

Prior to joining Conn Maciel Carey LLP, Valerie served as the lead in-house workplace safety counsel for a Fortune 10 auto manufacturing company. She also spent more than a decade as outside OSHA counsel at some of the largest and most sophisticated law firms in the nation, where she advised and directed all aspects of compliance and litigation with state and federal OSHA, with a particular focus on representing companies during inspections and enforcement actions involving OSHA’s Process Safety Management Standard. In addition, Valerie brings years of litigation experience including first-chair roles in all aspects of litigation and appeals of OSHA citations, including drafting numerous successful petitions and briefs before Administrative Law Judges, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), and federal courts.

Co-Managing Partner, Aaron Gelb says, “I am elated to add another outstanding OSHA defense lawyer to the Midwest OSHA practice, giving us 7 lawyers spread out across 3 offices (Chicago, Columbus, and Detroit) who can be anywhere that our clients need us on short notice to handle any type of matter, whether it be an industrial accident, a grain engulfment, construction, mining, healthcare, transportation or logistics.”

Valerie joins forces with Tony Casaletta, a former eighteen-year veteran of Michigan OSHA who joined Conn Maciel Carey as Of Counsel last year, to launch the firm’s new Michigan Office.

Eric Conn, Chair of the firm’s national OSHA Practice group says, “Valerie is a superstar in the OSHA space.  With her years of experience leading an OSHA practice at a national employment law firm and then as in-house OSHA counsel for one of the most sophisticated manufacturers in the world, Valerie adds invaluable perspective and capability for our clients in the Midwest and across the country.  But what I am most excited about is what Valerie and Tony, two of the most admired OSHA-specialist attorneys in Michigan, can do together for employers in the manufacturing-dense market in and around Michigan.”

Ms. Butera minimizes client risks effectively and efficiently, providing comprehensive counsel for issues ranging from how best to navigate an OSHA inspection to the implementation of process safety management programs.  Valerie also conducts or directs attorney-client privileged general safety and process safety management audits.

Here is a link to a press release about this exciting development.