ATTORNEY SPOTLIGHT: Ruth A. Horvatich
Ruth A. Horvatich is the recently appointed chair of McGrath North’s Recruiting Committee which is responsible for the firm’s regional recruiting efforts. She is joined by other shareholders and associates in these important efforts.
Ruth’s Work
As a shareholder of McGrath North’s labor and employment practice group, Ruth represents and counsels employers in a broad range of labor and employment law matters. Ruth maintains a national labor and employment practice assisting her clients in all types of employment disputes, including discrimination/harassment litigation, employment-related contract disputes, and labor negotiations. From day-to-day issues to litigation, Ruth offers her clients a full range of services.
Growing up on a farm in rural Nebraska taught her the value of hard work and integrity, which shows in her practice. She gives each client personal attention and cost-effective solutions that are driven by her experience, expertise, and values.
Ruth has experience in all aspects of litigation including trial work, arbitration, and mediation in federal and state courts along with administrative agencies. Her practice includes defending corporate clients in litigation brought by employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), and several other federal and state employment laws.
Ruth earned her law degree from Creighton University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and her Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State College, with Summa Cum Laude honors. During law school, she served as Lead Articles Editor for the Creighton Law Review and participated in the National Trial Advocacy Competition. Her strong interest in working with businesses to support their workforces was crystalized during her two summers clerking at McGrath North.
Ruth’s decade of litigation success has earned her recognition, and she has been selected as a Great Plains Super Lawyers Rising Star in Employment and Labor for the last several years. Ruth enjoys helping businesses stay up to speed on the developing challenges in workplace management through her stream of constant article writing and speaking to clients, professional HR groups, and professional colleagues.
Ruth is excited to lead the firm’s recruiting efforts. She strongly believes that she is in a position with her other committee members to creatively map out ways to create double-wins — a win for law students looking for a firm to support them in building a career, and a win for the firm in assembling a strong, client-connective diverse team to effectively serve its clients. “We look at the whole person, and not just their grades and their law school of choice. We focus on their goals, and the candidate’s perspective of why McGrath North is a platform for them to build success.” Ruth firmly added, “And we value differences and not sameness; our team doesn’t focus on “fitting in”, it values “adding to.”
Outside the Firm
Beyond her day-to-day client counseling and trial work, Ruth is committed to improving herself and the legal profession through her active involvement in the American Inns of Court. This organization has the focused mission of inspiring and educating lawyers to practice with the highest levels of professionalism and ethics. Ruth enjoys both learning from other successful attorneys and judges, in addition to helping to mentor newer members of the profession.
At the same time, family plays an important role in her life. In between fun family trips, and shuffling between her children’s sports and other activities, Ruth and her husband also try to carve out some time for friendly competition on the golf course. “I greatly value working at a firm where we all support one another and make it possible to prioritize family while still providing unmatched service to our clients and having incredible career opportunities.”
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