Navigating Legal Shifts - Preparing for AI's Impact

NOVEMBER EVENT DETAILS

UPHRA is excited to present " Navigating Legal Shifts / Preparing for AI’s Impact." Join us at Northern Michigan University's Northern Center on the morning of Wednesday, November 12th, 2025, for our annual legal update and learn how AI has started to impact the workplace.  Lunch is provided. 

Agenda:

Session Information:

Session I: Legal update - As the legal landscape surrounding employment continues to evolve, it’s essential for organizations to stay informed about new federal and state employment laws. This session will provide participants with the knowledge to identify recent legislative changes, assess their applicability to their workplace, and implement best practices for compliance.

Learning Outcomes: Identify new federal and state employment laws.  Learn whether and how these new laws apply to your workplace. Understand best practices to comply with the new laws.

Session II: Preparing for AI's Impact - This Session will provide an overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the modern workforce and what it means for HR professionals. We will discuss how HR can play a strategic role in workforce planning, reskilling initiatives, and change management. Ethical considerations, such as bias in AI tools and employee data privacy, were also highlighted. The session emphasizes the importance of a proactive, people-centered approach to integrating AI in the workplace to ensure a smooth and inclusive transition.

About the Speakers:

Laura Katers Reilly 

Laura counsels employers in labor and employment law and business transactions. Now in her 25th year of practice, many clients consider her part of their HR team and would not make a tough disciplinary decision without her. Laura is hired to investigate employment matters, draft policies, and respond to regulatory complaints. She advises clients in all aspects of employment law. Laura is also among the only attorneys in the U.P. with a traditional labor practice. She has bargained private and public sector labor contracts, arbitrated grievances, guided employers through union organization efforts, and handled NLRB and MERC complaints.

Laura is a sought-after speaker on labor and employment law matters, and a regular contributor to U.P. @ Work, a blog of the U.P. Human Resources Association.

Business clients of the firm work with Laura because she has experience with every part of the corporate life cycle, from startups to succession planning to sales and breakups. Laura also advises clients on contract, real estate, and licensing matters. In addition to her legal knowledge, Laura has deep insight into what it takes to run a business, having been raised by an entrepreneur, where every detail was a nightly dinner conversation. Laura believes this background adds real-world perspective to her application of the law.

In addition to her main practice areas, Laura collaborates with other attorneys in the firm as needed. Commonly, she works on prenuptial agreements, property tax appeals, municipal issues, and probate court matters.

We look forward to seeing you in November.