A veteran Morgan Lewis & Bockius labor and employment lawyer who spent 20 years with the firm before going to Sidley Austin for just under a year has returned to his old firm in Los Angeles. Jason Mills, who had previously been both an associate and a partner with Morgan Lewis, will resume advising the firm's clients on complex employment litigation matters and occupational safety and health administration proceedings. Mills is a nationally recognized OSHA practitioner and litigates a full spectrum of employment claims across all levels of the workforce, representing clients in state and federal trials, arbitrations and administrative proceedings, according to Morgan Lewis. Mills’ work has included wrongful termination, discrimination and workplace dispute matters, and he regularly defends employers in wage-and-hour putative class actions and represents employers in defending federal and state OSHA citations, including workplace incident investigations and whistleblower matters, the firm stated. “For what I do being an employment trial lawyer and then also an OSHA lawyer, it’s just a really good spot for me to be,” Mills said about his decision to return to the firm. “It’s just a perfect place for me to be and it’s the perfect platform for me to be in. I do feel like I’m kind of returning home, and that’s really what’s going on.” Mills said he had left for Sidley Austin simply because he wanted to explore a new opportunity, but soon learned that his heart was with Morgan Lewis: “I think you realize with the 20 years of history, that means a lot." Firm leadership expressed high hopes for Mills’ return. “As employers across the world navigate evolving national, state and regional guidance and regulations while responding to intensified workplace safety oversight, they rely on trusted advisers with both courtroom experience and practical insight,” Morgan Lewis Chair Jami McKeon said in a statement. “Jason’s return strengthens our already deep bench in labor and employment and reflects growing client demand for trial-tested advocates who can guide them through high-stakes disputes as well as day-to-day compliance challenges.” Mills also has a military background, having served as a judge advocate with the U.S. Marine Corps. before entering private practice, where he defended more than 250 courts martial and trying numerous jury cases, including while he was in the midst of a seven-month tour in Iraq. “Jason is a top-tier trial lawyer whose clear-eyed, business-focused counsel helps clients manage risk and protect their employees,” David McManus, leader of Morgan Lewis’ global labor and employment practice, said in a statement. “With regulators taking a more assertive approach, employers face increasing pressure to maintain compliant, transparent, and effective workplace reporting and safety program.” Mills’ OSHA experience is expected to further strengthen the firm’s ability to defend clients in this landscape, McManus stated. “He’s a tremendous colleague and friend, and we are thrilled to welcome him back to Morgan Lewis,” McManus said in his statement. Mills, who will mostly be based out of the Los Angeles office, but who will spend occasional time in Washington, D.C., said he looks forward to trial work but also expressed pride in the firm’s OSHA practice, saying Morgan Lewis has one of the best OSHA teams in the country. Most of his clients will be Fortune 500 companies and large businesses with “big employment work or big workforces” who are in need of defense work, he said. Sidley Austin did not return a message seeking comment about Mills' departure.