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

Employers turn to Doug when employment and labor issues or disputes arise. A seasoned litigator, Doug has been successfully resolving complex employment and labor law disputes at trial in state and federal courts. He also represents clients before the National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and other regulators. His practice spans across a variety of industries. Handling wide-ranging discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, restrictive covenants, wage and hour issues, and other labor and employment claims, Doug excels in early case assessment and swift and efficient dispute resolution. He builds the strongest defense early on, often resolving matters without the need for litigation. However, when unavoidable or in his client’s best interests, Doug is always well-prepared for litigation and will zealously defend those whom he represents.

Fallon Dungan

Fallon represents and advises clients in all areas of labor and employment law, ranging from daily counseling through litigation. She guides employers through issues such as employee discipline and termination, reasonable accommodations, leave entitlements, wage and hour issues, and human resource policies and handbooks, as well as ensures compliance with federal and state employment laws. She has extensive experience with restrictive covenants and trade secret protection. Clients appreciate Fallon’s approachability, thoroughness, and commitment to understanding their unique challenges, needs and goals. She prioritizes clear communication and collaboration, ensuring that clients feel supported and informed throughout the legal process. Fallon values client relationships built on responsiveness and trust, and finds great satisfaction in contributing to their success.

Gregory Palakow

Greg has handled hundreds of highly specialized litigated matters in over 25 years of practice. Greg now focuses this practice by representing the rights and interests of healthcare providers, including licensed nursing home and long-term care facilities, hospital networks, rehabilitation hospitals, adult day care centers, home health agencies, ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, fiduciaries and licensed financial institutions. This unique experience has given Greg the opportunity to successfully resolve hundreds of state and federal appeals related to regulatory enforcement and recovery actions. Prior to our successful representation, some of these matters have threatened the viability of the operation of these licensed facilities due to nursing home survey deficiency citations, sizeable civil money penalties, regulatory threats to facility licensure, or denials of payment by CMS. Greg has also handled complicated state actions related to the oversight of Medicaid funding, and managed care contracting and reimbursement issues.

Kyra Bradley

Kyra assists employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including issues such as employee discipline and termination, reasonable accommodations, leave entitlements, wage and hour issues, and human resource policies and handbooks. She 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. Kyra also assists in defending employers in cases alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), among others.

Meghan Hitch

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.

Simone Adkins

Simone assists employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including issues such as employee discipline and termination, reasonable accommodations, leave entitlements, wage and hour issues, and human resource policies and handbooks. She 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. Simone also assists in defending employers in cases alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), among others.

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.

Tanneika Minott

Tanneika litigates matters involving a variety of legal issues, including labor and employment (Title VII discrimination and retaliation), business torts (breach of contract, tortious interference, fraud, trade secrets, non-compete agreements), and the representation of government entities in state and federal actions involving allegations of civil rights, constitutional, and due process violations. She has represented clients across a wide variety of industries, including, but not limited to, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, media corporations, health care providers, construction companies, technology companies, school districts, and educational institutions. Her practice encompasses all stages of the litigation process, including pretrial (counseling, investigation, negotiations, motion practice), trial preparation, and appellate practice, including oral argument.

Trevor Prince

Trevor is a seasoned litigator focused on complex commercial and civil litigation. He advises companies, C-suite executives, and high-net-worth individuals across a broad array of industries throughout the country, including the financial services sector on matters involving, among others, shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and other business torts, real estate, construction, education, sports, insurance, telecommunications, labor and employment, products liability, automotive, healthcare, civil rights, and religious institutions. Trevor is a creative problem-solver, unflinching advocate for his clients and strategic consultant who focuses on limiting client exposure, while offering efficient, cost-effective and pragmatic solutions to resolve complex matters.

Yvette Cave

Yvette advises and represents employers in a broad range of labor and employment matters from daily counseling through litigation. She 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. Yvette 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.