Ernest Walker Esq.
Legal Counsel
Ernest Walker, Esq. is the owner of Saint Harbor Homes. He was educated at St. Leo University were he received a Bachelors in Management and at Detroit Mercy where he acquired his JD and MBA.
Ernest began his military career with the US Navy where he exceeded as a Nuclear Mechanical Operator/Machinist Mate First Class June, reactor power plant instructor at a D1G prototype in Ballston Spa, NY, the reactor plant supervisor on the U.S.S. South Carolina.
After his work with the US Navy, Ernest practiced in business/employment litigation with Giarmarco Mullins & Horton PC concentrating in commercial contract disputes, trade secret violations, employment disputes, competition lawsuits, shareholder actions and asbestos defense litigation. He engaged in all aspects of trial practice including legal research, drafting pleadings, discovery and depositions, motion practice, trial preparation, witness examination, and trial proceedings.
Ernest served our country as the Special Assistant to the General Council of the US Army at the Pentagon immediately after the attacks of September 11th, 2001. Ernest directly negotiated the establishment and operation of seven multi-billion dollar public/private joint ventures for the construction and financing of real estate development projects on military bases.
After working for the US Army General Council, Ernest practiced with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. Here he developed the firm’s Tribal Sovereignty and Economic Development practice group. He served as primary counsel to Tribes on all aspects of Tribal governmental and business enterprise operations, including legislative and regulatory development, human resources and employee relations, tribal government services, law enforcement, housing and medical services. Ernest then launched a specialized boutique practice to counsel Tribes and businesses working with Tribes through sophisticated federal, state, and Tribal regulatory environments. Ernest successfully counseled Tribes to achieve federal government contracts, negotiate multi-year alternative energy sales agreements, partner with private enterprise, and finance development.
Recently, he worked with the Southwestern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Employment and Labor Law Unit Attorney from October 2010 – May 2020. He also acted as primary counsel to senior management regarding labor matters and other employment related issues for Dept. of Interior bureaus and agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation, US Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Office of Natural Resources Revenue, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service.
There Ernest provided training to senior management and emerging leaders regarding evolving labor and employment matters and identification and management of labor and employment issues, employment and labor/management relations, negotiation strategies, federal labor laws and regulations, and other specific labor and employment related matters. Ernest developed defense strategies and represented Dept. of Interior bureaus and agencies in litigation involving appeals involving whistleblower claims, veterans’ hiring preferences, disciplinary actions, and terminations before the MSPB, and claims of retaliation, harassment, and discrimination before the EEOC. Assists with investigations by OSC into allegations of violations of prohibited personnel practices by agency management.