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  • May 11, 2021Norris McLaughlin Appoints David Roberts as Chair and Elects David Harmon and Graham Simmons to Management Committee

    The law firm of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is pleased to announce its 2021 Management Committee.

    David C. Roberts, a Member of the firm and Co-Chair of its Litigation Practice Group, has been appointed Chair of the firm, succeeding John N. Vanarthos, also a Member of the firm, who has served since 2018.

    David T. Harmon, Co-Chair of the firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group, and S. Graham Simmons, III, Co-Chair of the firm’s Business Law Practice Group, have been elected to the firm’s Management Committee, joining Roberts, David S. Blatteis, Bruce S. Londa, Robert Mahoney, and Melissa A. Peña. With Simmons on the Management Committee, Theodore J. Zeller, III, Chair of the firm’s Liquor Law, Licensing, Manufacturing, and Distribution Practice Group, will succeed his current role as the Pennsylvania office’s Administrative Partner.

    Dolores A. Laputka is stepping down after three years on the Management Committee and will continue to serve on the Norris McLaughlin Finance Committee. Both Vanarthos and Laputka continue as equity members of the firm.

    About the Norris McLaughlin Management Committee

    The Management Committee collaborates on and oversees the day-to-day operations of Norris McLaughlin with the goal of preserving the firm’s values, mission, and culture, as well as implementing strategic growth plans for the firm’s future success.

    “First, I want to thank John for his exceptional leadership and Dolores for her invaluable contributions to the committee and the firm,” said Roberts. “I am humbled and honored that the firm has selected me for this role, and I am excited to work with our broad and collaborative team of creative and talented colleagues.”

    Vanarthos added, “It has been an absolute honor and privilege to serve as the Chairperson of the firm and I thank the Management Committee for all of their hard work. I know that the management and leadership of the firm is in excellent and capable hands with Dave at the helm. I have full confidence in their ability to lead the firm into the future, and I will do all that I can to help with those efforts.”

    “It remains an honor to contribute to the leadership of the firm as a member of the Management Committee,” said Mahoney, who has served since 2012, “I offer my congratulations to Dave and know that the firm is well-positioned to deliver outstanding client service through our diverse practices and capabilities.”

    Peña, who was elected to the Committee in June 2020, commented, “Dave and the entire committee are deeply committed to the firm’s core values and to supporting the Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s mentoring programs for women and minority attorneys throughout their careers.”

    About the Attorneys

    Dave Roberts

    Roberts devotes his practice to handling complex commercial litigation matters such as fraud, fraudulent transfers, trade secrets, and restrictive covenant litigation, with particular emphasis on business partnership and shareholder disputes in New Jersey. He aims to resolve matters through mediation, if that approach fits the client’s goals and objectives, but is an experienced trial attorney prepared to litigate matters that cannot otherwise be resolved. In 2007, Roberts launched the firm’s Shareholder Disputes in New Jersey Law Blog, “Business Divorce in NJ,” which addresses minority shareholder disputes in New Jersey.

    David Harmon

    Harmon focuses his practice on the areas of executive compensation, employment, and business law. He represents senior-level employees of both public and private companies in the negotiation of their employment packages and all associated agreements, whether at the commencement of the employment relationship through offer letters and employment agreements or at termination through severance agreements. Harmon’s representation also includes providing advice and counsel to employers in the preparation and negotiation of employment and severance packages with their employees, the design of human resources compliance programs, and counseling and training concerning the implementation of those policies. He authors the firm’s Employment Transitions Law Blog, “Transitions in Employment.”

    Graham Simmons

    Simmons is a business and real estate lawyer. He has served both public and private sector clients on all types of merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions, commercial and syndicated credit facilities, economic development projects, real estate transactions, leases, and land use and zoning matters. Simmons has represented clients across a diverse spectrum of industries and is deeply experienced in the banking and financial services, health care, real estate development, economic development, and automobile dealership industries.

    Posted in: Bruce S. Londa, Business Law, David C. Roberts, David S. Blatteis, David T. Harmon, Dolores A. Laputka, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits, John N. Vanarthos, Liquor Law, Licensing, Manufacturing and Distribution, Litigation, Melissa A. Peña, News, Robert Mahoney, S. Graham Simmons, III, Theodore J. Zeller III | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • May 17, 2017David T. Harmon Quoted in Ladders Article

    David T. Harmon, a Member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A. and Co-Chair of the firm’s Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group, was recently quoted in an article entitled “New case shows you have to check your LinkedIn contacts after leaving a job,” by Monica Torres on the website Ladders, a media publication on the workforce.

    The article discusses how a former employee of a global recruiting and staffing company was forced to remove thousands of her LinkedIn contacts because the company claimed the relationships didn’t belong to her, but the company. As the details of the employee’s employment contract or any confidentiality or non solicit agreement that may have been signed are unknown, one can only speculate whether she had the right to do so.

    The article continues to offer advice to the reader to avoid such a situation. Harmon offers a key point, stating, “If there’s one message to give to people, it’s really a matter of going in with your eyes and ears open, knowing what the policies and procedures are, asking what they are, so there’s clarification at the outset and really understanding what the agreement says within the restrictions.”

    Harmon focuses his practice on the areas of executive compensation, employment and business law.  He represents senior-level employees of both public and private companies in the negotiation of their employment packages and all associated agreements, whether at the commencement of the employment relationship or at termination.  Harmon’s successful negotiation of employment and severance packages for clients includes employment and post-employment compensation, confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation, and garden leave covenants, the Protocol for Broker Recruiting, change of control provisions, and benefits and protections within the structures and strategies for those packages. His representation also includes providing advice and counsel to employers in the negotiation of employment and severance packages with their employees, the design of human resources compliance programs, including employee policy manuals, and counseling and training concerning implementation of those policies. Harmon also provides neutral investigative services in employment matters. In 2012, he launched his blog Transitions in Employment, www.transitionsinemployment.com, which focuses on developments in executive compensation and employment law.

    Harmon is a member of the Business Law and Labor & Employment Sections of the New York State and American Bar Associations, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Wall Street Technology Association.  He received his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law and his B.A. from Tufts University.

    Posted in: David T. Harmon, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits, News | Tags:

  • Mar 02, 2017Charles Bruder & David Harmon To Present Webinar on Settlement and Severance Packages

    Charles A. Bruder and David T. Harmon, Members of the  law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Co-Chairs of the firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Group, will present the webinar “Utilizing Settlement and Severance Packages” in conjunction with Lorman Education Services on Tuesday, March 21, from 1-2:30pm.

    Since employers, large and small, are dealing with more frequent changes in their employee populations than ever before, this webinar will help them understand key issues to address in a settlement or severance agreement to avoid litigation and that will benefit both the employer and the departing employee.  To learn more and to register, click here.  CLE, CPE, SHRM, HRCI, and NASBA credits are available.

    Bruder is experienced in all aspects of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, deferred compensation arrangements, stock option plans, employee stock ownership plans, and other incentive and equity-based compensation arrangements. He frequently counsels clients on plan qualification and administration issues, ERISA fiduciary matters, plan compliance issues, and employee benefits matters in the context of business reorganizations.  In addition, Bruder is knowledgeable in the handling of group health plans, cafeteria plans, and other health and welfare benefits arrangements. He is a frequent lecturer on employee benefits and has published articles in The Exempt Organizations Tax Review and New Jersey Law Journal and has been quoted in The Hedge Fund Law Report. Bruder received his LL.M., with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center, his J.D. from Widener University School of Law, and his B.A. from LaSalle University.

    Harmon represents senior-level employees of both public and private companies in the negotiation of their employment packages and all associated agreements, whether at the commencement of the employment relationship or at termination.  His successful negotiation of employment and severance packages for clients includes employment and post-employment compensation, confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation, and garden leave covenants, the Protocol for Broker Recruiting, change of control provisions, and benefits and protections within the structures and strategies for those packages. Harmon’s representation also includes providing advice and counsel to employers in the negotiation of employment and severance packages with their employees, the design of human resources compliance programs, including employee policy manuals, and counseling and training concerning implementation of those policies. In 2012, Harmon launched his blog Transitions in Employment, which focuses on developments in executive compensation and employment law. Harmon is a member of the Business Law and Labor & Employment Sections of the New York State and American Bar Associations, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Wall Street Technology Association.  He received his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law, where he was an editor of the Law Review, and his B.A. from Tufts University.

    Posted in: Charles A. Bruder, David T. Harmon, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits, News | Tags: , , ,

  • Nov 14, 2016David T. Harmon Quoted in FundFire

    David T. Harmon, a Member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A. and Co-Chair of the firm’s Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits Group, was recently quoted in an article entitled “JPM Sues Advisors Who Left to Launch Indie Shop” by Danielle Verbrigghe in the November 9 issue of FundFire, a leading news service for professionals in the institutional and high-net-worth asset management industry.

    The article discusses yet another case involving the protections of the industry’s agreement called the Protocol for Broker Recruiting. J.P. Morgan was recently granted a temporary restraining order as it pursues an arbitration case against seven advisors who left to launch an independent shop with LPL Financial. J.P. Morgan claims the advisors violated their agreements and obligations by their conduct before and after resigning claiming breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of loyalty, conversion and unfair competition, and other claims.

    J.P. Morgan is no stranger to pursuing claims against advisors who have left its private bank and other division not covered under the Protocol for Broker Recruiting. Harmon told FundFire that advisors leaving a firm, or a division of a firm, that isn’t a signatory to the Protocol, can’t avail themselves of its protections. He notes “If you don’t have Protocol protection, you have to take it up a couple notches in terms of how careful you’re going to be.” Harmon also says in order to avoid legal trouble when leaving a non-protocol signatory firm, advisors must adhere to their prior agreements, and work with the company they are joining, and legal counsel, to determine what’s permissible and what’s impermissible.

    Harmon focuses his practice on the areas of executive compensation, employment and business law.  He represents senior-level employees of both public and private companies in the negotiation of their employment packages and all associated agreements, whether at the commencement of the employment relationship or at termination.  Harmon’s successful negotiation of employment and severance packages for clients includes employment and post-employment compensation, confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation, and garden leave covenants, the Protocol for Broker Recruiting, change of control provisions, and benefits and protections within the structures and strategies for those packages. His representation also includes providing advice and counsel to employers in the negotiation of employment and severance packages with their employees, the design of human resources compliance programs, including employee policy manuals, and counseling and training concerning implementation of those policies. In 2012, Harmon launched his blog Transitions in Employment, which focuses on developments in executive compensation and employment law.

    Harmon is a member of the Business Law and Labor & Employment Sections of the New York State and American Bar Associations, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Wall Street Technology Association.  He received his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law and his B.A. from Tufts University.

    Posted in: David T. Harmon, News |

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