Jason M. Shinn
Jason Shinn is a Michigan licensed attorney. Since 2001, Mr. Shinn’s legal experience includes representing privately held companies, publicly traded companies, as well as start-up companies in numerous industries, including manufacturing, Internet and e-commerce, finance, health, technology, and telecommunications.
His legal practice and professional interests, however, focuses on the following subjects:
Employment Law
Mr. Shinn’s goal is to provide HR professionals and employers with practical, business-minded guidance on all aspects of the employment relationship.
Mr. Shinn’s employment practice involves representing and advising employers in investigating employee misconduct, including computer and internet misconduct, and employee termination issues. Mr. Shinn’s employment law experience also extends to advising employers on complying with federal and Michigan employment laws covering the workplace, including sexual harassment, discrimination; whistleblower issues; equal employment opportunity; and the Americans with Disabilities Act; Federal Fair Labor Standards Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; veterans’ reemployment rights; drug testing and Medical Marijuana use; evaluating employees; and the use of contingent employees.
He also routinely advises on the challenges presented by advancements in workplace technology. Such matters include drafting technology use policies, electronic monitoring, telecommuting, social media issues, on-line defamation, and investigating employee misconduct and theft involving computers and digital information, and responding to matters under state and federal computer statutes, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Mr. Shinn’s deep knowledge of employment and technology matters has resulted in him being retained by other attorneys to address various technology/employment law issues in state and federal courts. He has also lectured extensively on such topics, including to insurance claims professionals responsible for handling claims filed under Employment Practice Liability policies.
Jason shares his employment law experience and insight through the Michigan Employment Law Advisor.This online employment law publication provides analysis of national and Michigan employment related news and trends. It is read by executives and Hr professionals for its practical advice and insight for responding to human resource challenges facing businesses.
E-commerce & Technology
Mr. Shinn is an experienced Internet lawyer who regularly counsels established business organizations, entrepreneurs, and start-up companies on minimizing the legal risks related conducting business over the Internet, e-commerce issues, creating and protecting website content, including rights under trademark and copyright laws, on-line defamation claims, cybersquatting claims, drafting terms of use that minimize Internet risks and comply with Internet specific statutes and regulations, securing and defending domain name rights, blogging, and social networking. He routinely drafts Terms of Use and Privacy Policies for clients in a range of industries, including law firms, retail, community sites, art and media, medical marijuana and tobacco related sites, and auction sites.
Mr. Shinn also serves as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) agent for various clients to assist them in responding to claims of copyright violations. Mr. Shinn also works with business organizations to navigate the often confusing and even conflicting patch-work of state, federal, regulatory, and international requirements for data security and breach notification. He focuses on providing practical solutions to issues arising from the collection, use, retention, sharing, and security of personal data.
Mr. Shinn earned his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School in 2001 and earned his B.S. in Psychology from Central Michigan University in 1997. Mr. Shinn graduated from Wayne State cum laude and in the top 20% of his class. While at Central Michigan, Mr. Shinn was awarded a research grant relating to replicating the biological effect of Huntington disease in rodents.
Mr. Shinn is admitted to practice in Michigan and Ohio. He is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and the U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio.
- Michigan Bar Association – Labor & Employment Law Section
- Michigan Bar Association – Information Technology Law Section
- Defense Research Institute – Employment Law and E-discovery Committee
- 2012 – E-discovery Tips for Winning Employment Cases, i-Sight Webinar
- 2012 – Helping Business Clients Succeed in the Changing Economy, Cooley Business Law Society
- 2011 – Data Mining: Who’s Mining Your Business? Privacy Infringement and Profits, Thomas M. Cooley Law Review Symposium
- 2010 – The Corporate Playbook: Responding to E-discovery Challenges, Presentation to in-house counsel and C-Level management of various companies
- 2008 – The Impact of the Electronic Revolution on Employment Liability Claims, Continuing Education Presentation to AIG and other insurance claim professionals