David A. Rapuano

David A. Rapuano concentrates his practice in representing management in all areas of labor and employment law. David’s practice involves client counseling to ensure compliance with all aspects of labor and employment law, including reviewing and drafting employment handbooks, workplace investigations, hiring and termination issues, wage payment issues, exemption and overtime issues, and compliance with state and federal disability and leave laws. David also conducts supervisor and employee training with respect to issues such as sexual and workplace harassment, handling leave issues, and legal compliance for supervisors. David’s practice also involves handling collective bargaining issues, including private and public sector union negotiations and grievance arbitrations.

Douglas Diaz

Douglas Diaz concentrates his practice in labor and employment law matters where he listens to clients to resolve their issues and disputes consistent with their goals. Mr. Diaz is an experienced litigator who has successfully defended employers in both state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies such as the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the EEOC. He routinely defends against a variety of employment-related claims such as those pertaining to discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, restrictive covenants and wage and hour issues. He has also worked with clients in a variety of industries such as healthcare, transportation, insurance, banking, technology, and construction.

Gregory Palakow

Greg has an active and diverse Litigation practice with focus in trust and fiduciary litigation, estate disputes, nursing home and long term care facility representation, and representation of offices of county government. Greg has handled estate litigation in multi-million dollar estates, and is regularly appointed by the court to study Probate Part disputes and make recommendations to the court. In these areas of practice, Greg regularly handles cases in the Law Division, Chancery Division, Probate and General Equity Parts, the Office of Administrative Law, the Appellate Division and the Department of Health and Senior Services Departmental Appeals Board. In these venues, Greg has over 15 years of experience litigating matters to successful resolutions and verdicts. These areas intersect well with Greg’s Elder Law practice. For over ten years, Greg has counseled both families and long term care facilities in the areas of Medicaid planning, applications and appeals. He regularly handles and investigates cases of financial exploitation of the elderly and handles the issues that arise in fiduciary disputes.

Howard A. Rosenthal

With significant expertise and experience in many facets of the law, Howard provides clients with extraordinarily skilled counseling and advocacy. Howard primarily counsels employers in both the public and private sectors on issues ranging from collective bargaining, labor negotiations, personnel consulting and training, labor arbitrations and mediation, to all aspects of administrative and judicial proceedings, including injunctive relief, NLRB unfair labor practice actions and civil rights administrative and judicial actions.

Meghan O'Brien

Meghan is an associate in the Labor & Employment practice group where she advises and represents employers in a broad range of matters from daily counseling through litigation. Before joining Archer, Meghan received her law degree from New York Law School where she was a member of the New York Law School Law Review and the Securities Arbitration Clinic. During law school, Meghan served as a judicial extern in the New York State Supreme Court and worked in the mediation unit of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Meghan represented her school in the 2019 International Chambers of Commerce Mediation Competition in Paris, France. She has a Certificate in alternative dispute resolution and remains committed to the field of conflict avoidance, management and resolution.

Patrick J. Doran

Patrick helps businesses avoid, manage and resolve legal disputes, with a particular emphasis on labor and employment issues. A partner in our Labor & Employment department, Patrick has represented management clients throughout the country in connection with traditional labor matters including union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, unfair labor practice charges and grievance arbitrations. Patrick regularly drafts and reviews employment agreements and various employment policies and manuals, and provides daily support to human resources professionals. He has extensive experience counseling clients regarding compliance with, and litigating disputes involving, federal and state labor and employment laws, including discrimination and civil rights laws, wage and hour laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act and disability laws. Patrick also has litigated numerous restrictive covenant and trade secret disputes involving clients’ former employees and competitors.

Peter L. Frattarelli

Peter L. Frattarelli is the Chair of Archer & Greiner’s Labor & Employment Department. He regularly represents management and employers in labor and employment litigation and proceedings. Peter has extensive experience defending employers and individuals against harassment and discrimination lawsuits, as well as before state and federal administrative agencies. These include claims for race, gender, sex, disability, national origin and age discrimination. His management defense experience has been in a wide variety of contexts, ranging from unlawful discipline through wrongful termination. Peter’s litigation experience also includes an emphasis on defending against retaliation and “whistleblower” claims. He has handled numerous cases defending employers against claims of failure to accommodate the needs of disabled persons, including several cases that sought to extend the disability protection laws against employers and places of public accommodation.

Robert C. Seiger

Robert’s practice surrounds the representation of employers in all aspects of immigration law and compliance. This includes representing employers in matters ranging from assisting employers with their visa and Permanent Resident needs for employees to developing a comprehensive immigration law compliance strategy. Rob additionally has significant specific experience assisting clients in the sports industry. Rob serves as outside immigration counsel to several NHL franchises and additionally represents clients in professional football, baseball, soccer and golf. Rob additionally represents the athletic departments of colleges and universities in immigration and related compliance issues for their foreign athletes.

Shelley R. Smith

Ms. Smith counsels clients in commercial litigation and labor and employment matters. Ms. Smith joined Archer following a distinguished career in public service for the City of Philadelphia, most recently serving eight years as City Solicitor during Michael Nutter’s mayoral tenure. Ms. Smith represented the Mayor, City Council, all City elected officials, all City employees, Agencies, Boards, and Commissions. She is the City of Philadelphia’s longest-serving City Solicitor. As City Solicitor, she managed an office of 325 attorneys and was responsible for an $11-$14 million operating budget and an indemnities budget of $40 million. During her tenure with the City’s Law Department, Ms. Smith handled nearly every facet of the Law Department’s practice in some capacity. As a trial lawyer, Ms. Smith tried more than 60 federal civil jury trials to verdict, as well as hundreds of other litigation and policy matters. Significant matters included the 39th Police District litigation, NAACP v. City of Philadelphia, and the jury trials of Joseph Frazier v. City of Philadelphia, Estate of Shannon Schieber v. City of Philadelphia, and Robert Mitchell v. Mayor John F. Street. She also served as in-house legal counsel for former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Neal.

Scott Sears

Scott advises and represents employers in a broad range of matters from daily counseling through litigation. Scott provides employment advice and counsel to employers on issues such as employee discipline and termination, reasonable accommodations, leave entitlements, wage and hour issues, and human resource policies and handbooks. He conducts internal employment investigations on behalf of clients, makes recommendations, and prepares employer responses to administrative charges, including charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.