Joni Thome,
Founding Partner
Recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Labor and Employment Litigation since 2018. Top 50 Minnesota Women Super Lawyers. Twenty-five-plus years representing professionals and managers in discrimination, harassment, and retaliation matters.
Admitted in MN
“Joni and her team were first class all the way! They kept me well informed on the progress of my case. Joni would often call just to check on me and my family. I will definitely recommend them to others.”
Joni represents employees in cases involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and whistleblower issues. Her practice is focused on giving workers a voice when they’ve been treated unfairly.
She takes the time to understand each client’s situation and objectives, then builds a legal strategy around their specific goals. Her work has included wins that protected the rights of marginalized communities in the workplace.
For Joni, the most rewarding part of employment law is empowering clients — helping them stand up for themselves, sometimes for the first time, and watching them come out of the process feeling validated and clearer about their own worth.
Her advocacy extends beyond the courtroom. She has served on boards or volunteered with Gender Justice, the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, OutFront MN, Minnesota AIDS Project, Cancer Legal Care, Seward Childcare Center, and the Minnesota chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.
Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, MN, J.D.;
Journal of Law and Policy, Associate
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, B.A.
Minnesota Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
Minnesota Lavender Bar Association,
Founder, Past Chair and Board Member Emeritus
National Gay and Lesbian Law Association,
Past Chair and Board Member
Minnesota State Bar Association, Labor & E...
Practice areas
So I got discriminated because I’m... Mexican
Discrimination
Standing up for workers treated unfairly because of who they are
At work, I have to deal with... being called slurs
Harassment
Holding employers accountable when the workplace becomes hostile or unsafe
I got fired after I... asked for medical leave
Wrongful Termination
When a firing crosses the line from unfair into illegal
My employer... didn’t pay me overtime
Unpaid Wages
Recovering pay that employers owe but haven’t paid
After I spoke up, my employer... fired me
Retaliation
When speaking up costs you your job, your hours, or your standing
I’m not the only one who... worked off the clock
Class Action
When one worker’s problem turns out to be many workers’ problem
Honors & Awards
The Best Lawyers in America®, 2026
Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers®, 2025
Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Super Lawyers®, 2025
Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Super Lawyers®, 2024
Litigation – Labor & Employment Law, Best Lawyers in America©, 2024
Top 50: Women Minnesota Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers®, 2024
Publications & Presentations
- Anti-Harassment Policies and Complaint Procedures – Best Practices, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, Panelist with Leonard B. Segal, May 24, 2022
- Remote and Hybrid Workplaces, Minnesota CLE, Aug. 11, 2022
- Employment Claims Arising Out of Workers’ Compensation Claims, Minnesota CLE Workers’ Compensation Institute, Panelist with Tom Atkinson, Apr. 22, 2022
- Who Will Work Remotely, How Often, and Who Decides, Chapter 5, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute Handbook (2022), Author with Megan Anderson
- LGBTQ+ Employee Rights – 17 Common Questions and Their Answers, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, Co-panelist with Megan Anderson, 2021
Case results
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Ritter v. Auntie Ruth’s Furry Friends, No. A14-1044
(Minn. Ct. App. Feb. 9, 2015) (reversing dismissal of MHRA age discrimination case wherein just 45 days after new owners of the business took control, plaintiff’s manager made derogatory comments about plaintiff’s age, including complaining to plaintiff that “you cost a lot” (referencing her insurance premiums) and “we can’t afford to keep you,” criticizing plaintiff’s clothing as being “from the 70s,” and being told by the manager repeatedly that plaintiff was not close enough in age to the rest of the staff to relate to them and that there were “generational things” or “generation gaps” between plaintiff and the younger employees)
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Adamson v. Mattamy Homes, No. 27-CV-13-2612
(Dist. Ct. Minn. Oct. 17, 2013) (denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim for age discrimination under the MHRA because genuine issues of material fact existed as to whether defendant’s reasons for termination were pretext where two younger employees replaced plaintiff after she was terminated)
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Harnan v. Univ. of St. Thomas, 776 F.Supp. 2d 938
(D. Minn. 2011) (denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s FMLA interference claim where genuine issues of material fact existed as to whether plaintiff suffered from a serious health condition and whether plaintiff was entitled to the benefits of the FMLA; and denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment for plaintiff’s FMLA retaliation claim where genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether defendant’s proffered reason for termination was pretext for plaintiff’s termination)
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Get free case reviewWho else on the team
Shawn Wanta
Founding Partner
Recognized among the nation’s Top 100 Civil Plaintiff and Top 10 Wage and Hour attorneys, a determined litigator fighting for workers in class and collective actions.
Admitted in MN · IL
Kristan Burgess
Attorney
Leveraging over 25 years of experience and bilingual fluency, a compassionate ally dedicated to empowering everyday wage earners and dismantling workplace inequities.
Admitted in IL
Kate Long
Attorney
Drawing on deep empathy from her time as a registered nurse, a fierce litigator committed to helping dedicated employees reclaim their power and find true justice on the job.
Admitted in MN
Suzanne Heywood
Attorney
Driven by her own encounters with corporate unfairness, a tenacious champion focused on protecting the rights, livelihoods, and futures of hardworking professionals.
Admitted in IN · IL · MI
Common questions
Who will I actually work with on my case?
A team. An attorney leads the strategy, a paralegal stays with your case from the first call through resolution, and a case manager keeps everything moving. You won’t be handed off to junior staff and forgotten — the people you meet early are the people working your case.
Will I work with one attorney or a team?
A team, with one attorney leading. Plenty of firms assign a single lawyer who then disappears into a caseload. We run cases with an attorney, a paralegal, and a case manager, so there’s always someone who knows your file and can pick up the phone.
What if I prefer to work with someone who speaks Spanish?
That’s available. Our intake team speaks Spanish natively and several of our attorneys are bilingual, so your case can be handled in Spanish from the first call through resolution. Tell us when you reach out and we’ll staff it accordingly.
Can I choose my attorney?
You can tell us who you’d prefer, and we’ll take it seriously. Assignments also depend on the type of case and who has capacity, so we can’t always guarantee a specific attorney — but we’ll explain the match and make sure it’s the right fit for your situation.
Will I have to keep re-explaining my situation to different people?
No. Your team shares notes, and everyone working your case knows your story. You tell it once. If someone new joins later, they read the file before they talk to you — not the other way around.