Mike Jackson serves as Director & Employee Relations Counsel at Target’s headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In his role, Mike is the lead employment counsel for and leads a team that supports all of Target’s stores in Target’s Central U.S. region (over 23 states and over 500 stores). Prior to his current role at Target, Mike helped to support Target’s stores on the West Coast along with Target’s asset protection/loss prevention team, and he supported several other key internal projects and initiatives. Mike is actively involved in Target’s Legal Affairs Diversity Action Committee (“DAC”) and, specifically, involved with the DAC’s efforts to build a diverse team. Mike is Target’s liaison to both the National LGBT Bar and MN Lavender Bar and, also, frequently speaks on topics relating to employment law and diversity and inclusion. Mike is also a 2019 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow, and is also on the regional host committee for the First Chair Awards, an annual awards celebration and conference held in Chicago recognizing contributions by outstanding in-house counsel. Mike has also been recognized this year by the National LGBT Bar as one of its Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers under 40. Prior to Target, Mike held in-house employment counsel roles first with McDonald’s Corporation and, then, The J.M. Smucker Company where he supported the field HR teams at both companies, after several years in private practice at Fisher & Phillips, LLP. Mike and his husband reside in Minneapolis.