Barton LLP is pleased to announce that Joseph H. Harris has joined the firm as a Labor and Employment partner.
“With the rise in employment needs for our clients, we could not be more excited to have someone of Joe’s talent and experience joining us,” said Roger Barton, managing partner of Barton LLP. “He brings a broad range of labor and employment law expertise at the highest level and is certain to be a tremendous asset to the firm.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining Barton,” said Joe. “This firm is changing the paradigm of legal practice and client service, and I’m excited to be a part of it.” He added: “The opportunity to practice in such a dynamic and collaborative environment with a group of former BigLaw attorneys is a tremendous advantage.”
Joe’s litigation practice concentrates on representing employers in state and federal court and before government agencies. He focuses primarily on defending employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and the violation of wage-and-hour laws. He also represents employers in disputes involving the breach of post-employment restrictive covenants, such as non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements.
However, litigation is only one component of Joe’s practice. Joe also works with employers to proactively reduce their risk of employment lawsuits and government investigations, and to put them in the strongest position possible, should an employment dispute arise. He does this by counseling employers on how to respond to internal employee complaints, conducting internal workplace investigations, auditing employers’ employment practices for legal compliance, advising employers on the development and implementation of legally compliant workplace policies, conducting anti-discrimination and harassment training, and by drafting independent contractor agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and other workplace contracts.
Joe works within a broad range including finance, technology, non-profits, start-ups and early-stage companies, retail, real estate, construction, healthcare, automotive, logistics, staffing, professional practices, insurance, health and fitness, education, and more.
Joe is regularly called upon to speak on a broad range of employment law topics. He has lectured at the Strategic Steps for Growth program at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Emory University School of Law, Fordham University School of Law, the Community Business Program of Columbia University, the Human Resources Association of New York, the New York State Society of CPAs, and the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education. He is routinely quoted in employment related articles and publications.
