Joe concentrates his practice in the area of labor and employment litigation. He has successfully obtained numerous summary judgments for clients regarding employment discrimination and labor issues. Joe has defended these matters throughout the federal system, including oral arguments in Federal Courts of Appeal. With extensive experience handling class action claims against employers, Joe has focused much of his practice on wage and hour collective class actions under state and federal law across the United States. His class action experience also includes claims based on plant closing laws, WARN Act and claims of gender discrimination, all alleged on a nationwide basis. Joe also has extensive expertise counseling clients on FMLA issues and representing employers in FMLA claims across the country. Joe's traditional labor experience includes regular representation of employers in grievance arbitrations and actions before the National Labor Relations Board, including representation hearings, organizing activities, decertification petitions and unfair labor practice charges. He has represented clients in non-competition and non-solicitation matters and related injunction litigation in federal and state courts, as well as obtained favorable resolutions in cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, and various administrative agencies across the United States.
Joe joined Husch Blackwell as an Associate in 2003, was named Partner in 2010 and became the St. Louis office's Hiring Committee Chair in 2010.
Awards & Recognitions
· Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Employment & Labor Law, 2009
· St. Louis Business Journal, "30 Under 30," 2006
Professional Associations & Memberships
· The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
· Illinois State Bar Association
· The Missouri Bar
Civic Involvement
· Craft Alliance, Former Board of Directors
· Intercommunity Housing Association, Former Board of Directors
· National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Corporate Achiever Honoree, 2006
Experience
· Represented a major home healthcare agency in defeating a motion for conditional certification of a nationwide class of plaintiffs seeking overtime wages in an FLSA collective action.
· Successfully defended injunction litigation filed by the world's largest information management services company seeking more than $1 million in damages for alleged unfair competition and tortious interference in New York federal court.
· Obtained summary judgment for one of the world's largest corrugated box and packaging companies against claims of breach of contract and wrongful discharge, seeking more than $1 million in individual damages.
News & Publications
News
1.5.10, Husch Blackwell Sanders Names 16 Attorneys as Partners
10.22.09, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2009 Names 73 Husch Blackwell Sanders Attorneys
Publications
6.23.10, Supreme Court Cautions on Scope of Employee Privacy Interests in Electronic Communications
3.16.10, Pay Equity Cases-the Next Wave of Major Litigation
3.19.09, DOL Releases Opinions on Reducing Hours for Salaried Employees, The Developing Labor Law, BNA, 1995-present
Events
5.24.12, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
10.5.11, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
5.26.10, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
5.5.10, Labor & Employment Seminar
Peoria, IL
Seminar
10.20.09, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
5.27.09, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
5.29.08, Labor & Employment Seminar
St. Louis, MO
Seminar
9.1.04, FLSA Checklist-Are You in Compliance? Compensation and Benefits Network of Greater St. Louis
Speaking Engagement
7.1.04, Impact of the Revised FLSA, Human Resource Association of Central Missouri
Speaking Engagement
12.1.03, Violence in the Workplace-Are Your Policies Sufficient? Association of Corporate Counsel
Speaking Engagement