John P.R. Oswald

John joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 2024 as an associate in the Labor and Employment practice group. He represents and advises public and private sector employers regarding numerous labor matters. John draws from fifteen years of experience working in labor and employment law with the New York State Department of Labor. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association.

Prior to joining the firm, John was an Assistant Public Defender for the Chenango County Office of the Public Defender. Preceding that, he worked with the Department of Labor, where he had the opportunity to assist families with legal matters, which prompted him to go to law school.

As a law student, John performed over 150 hours of pro-bono legal work through the Minnesota Justice Foundation. John was on the `22 -`23 Jeffrey Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, and the `23 American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trial Advocacy Competition teams. He was the Chapter Justice for the Wahl Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta for the `22-`23 year and was honored as a Society of Scholars Honoree. John also assisted first-year law students in developing their academic skills for two semesters as a Legal Methods Student Leader.

Pro-Bono Activities

• Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout – Scout Leader

Past Positions

• Chenango County Public Defender, Assistant Public Defender, Norwich, NY 11/2023 – 09/2024

• Washington County Public Defender’s Office, Certified Law Student Practitioner, 2022 – 2023

• New York State Department of Labor, Labor Services Representative, Endicott, NY 2008 – 2023

• Experian, Eligibility Specialist, Tax Consulting Solutions, Endicott, NY 05/2023 – 11/2023

• AIGM, Customer Care Specialist /Team Lead / Supervisor’s Assistant, Vestal, NY 2004 – 2008

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association, Member

• New York State Bar Association, Member

• Broome County Bar Association, Member

• Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Member

Published Works

• Articles Editor Vol. 44, Mitchell Hamline Journal of Public Policy & Practice