Jeremy V. Farrell

As the deputy chair of Tucker’s litigation department, Jeremy represents businesses in a variety of civil and commercial disputes, with a particular focus on employment law.

Jeremy advocates on employers’ behalf in state and federal courts, private arbitrations, and in administrative investigation and enforcement proceedings before the Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations.  Some of his more recent cases involved:

• Winning dismissal of a claim brought by an installation company’s former manager and salesperson that challenged the validity of his non-competition and non-solicitation agreement.
• Using aggressive preliminary objection strategy to favorably resolve claims by former C-suite executive for wrongful termination and failure to pay incentive compensation and repurchase equity units.
• Securing dismissal of various federal, state, local administrative claims alleging unlawful retaliation, failure to accommodate, as well as discrimination and harassment based on race, sex, religion, and disability.

Jeremy’s litigation experience gives him the background and perspective needed to guide employers and their managers and HR departments through difficult issues in the workplace, with the goal of helping clients comply with the law and minimize risk in a manner consistent with its overall business philosophy.  For example, he frequently counsels clients on how to:

• Strengthen employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, severance agreements, employee handbooks, and workplace policies;
• Comply with family, medical, and sick leave laws and ordinances—including the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Allegheny County Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, and the City of Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act;
• Effectively respond to employee requests for accommodations due to pregnancy, medical, or religious considerations;
• Craft compensation structures complying with state and federal minimum wage and overtime laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act as well as wage payment statutes like the Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law;
• Investigate internal complaints of bullying, discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environments that implicate laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disability Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act;
• Improve non-compete, non-solicit, and non-disclosure agreements;
• Train managers on implementation of practical compliance and risk-minimization strategies, and
• Respond to unemployment compensation claims.

Although he works businesses of many sizes in a variety of industries, Jeremy’s clients tend to be focused in the technology, hospitality, nonprofit, and manufacturing industries.

Jeremy is also a pro bono mediator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Labor and Employment section.

Jeremy’s trial work also entails representing clients in litigation involving contract disputes, public utility service, fair housing and other civil rights laws, fraud and misrepresentation, interference with business relationships, and serious personal injury.  He has significant trial experience, serving as first and second chair in a variety of bench and jury trials.  He stays involved in his cases throughout the appellate process and has co-authored briefs before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court prompting that prompted significant legal developments regarding the scope of the attorney-client privilege in derivative litigation and the appropriate scope of new trials on damages.