Tom Harrington has retired from the practice of law, and he no longer works at The Employment Law Group. Please direct any questions about Tom or his cases to Nicholas Woodfield, TELG principal and general counsel.
John Thomas Harrington, known as Tom, retired from the practice of law on April 5, 2024. He was a principal at The Employment Law Group® law firm — the first principal to have joined the firm as a clerk.
Mr. Harrington represented employees in discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblowing cases. He had a special focus on vindicating licensed professionals — doctors, CPAs, and lawyers — whose credentials were unjustly threatened by employer actions.
Among Mr. Harrington’s notable victories was a $2 million jury verdict for two clients whose employer was found to have violated the anti-retaliation provisions of the False Claims Act and the National Defense Authorization Act.
Law was Mr. Harrington’s second full career. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked for 19 years in the financial industry, including at the National Association of Securities Dealers (now known as FINRA) and the NASDAQ Stock Market.
After years of considering law school, Mr. Harrington finally decided to take the plunge. He joined The Employment Law Group as a litigation law clerk, working during the day while he attended the George Mason University School of Law at night. After receiving his license, Mr. Harrington was named as a TELG associate attorney. In 2013 he became the first former law clerk to ascend to ownership at the firm.
Mr. Harrington represented TELG clients in federal courts nationwide, and before state and federal administrative bodies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and various arms of the U.S. Department of Labor.
For five years in a row, Mr. Harrington was honored by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” a title given to only 2.5% of practicing lawyers in each state. He continued to receive professional recognition every year until his retirement, including from The Best Lawyers in America and Lawdragon.
Articles
How to Avoid or Dispute an Unfair NPDB Report, , Jan-1970
25 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act, , Jan-1970
Bring On the Babysitters: Testing the Boundaries of Lawson V. FMR LLC, , Jan-1970
The Front Burner: Mandatory Vaccinations for Workers? No: Companies shouldn’t serve as surrogate parents, , Jan-1970
Don’t Just ‘Walk it Off’: Protections in the Workplace for Employees With HIV, , Jan-1970
Corporate Knowledge Doctrine And The ‘Cat’s Paw’ Theory, , Jan-1970
Doctors and Lawyers—Employers That Incentivize Good Health May Need to Consult Both, , Jan-1970
Dismissiveness of Mental Illness in the Workplace and Protections for Employees, , Jan-1970
Transcending the Workplace: Sexual Harassment in the 21st Century, , Jan-1970
Incentivizing good health: The legal issues presented by health-contingent wellness plans, , Jan-1970
Even Without Passage, Legislation Could Encourage Unionization, , Jan-1970
Moving on? The top 5 steps to take when your company loses a contract, , Jan-1970
With All Due Deference: Following the ARB’s Lead in Defining Protected Activity, , Jan-1970
When Employers Must Pay Leave Benefits on Employees’ Separation, , Jan-1970
Defining Protected Activity Under SOX, , Jan-1970
With All Due Deference: Following the ARB’s Lead in Defining Protected Activity under SOX, , Jan-1970
Extraterritoriality And Whistleblower Retaliation: Crossing the Line, , Jan-1970
Temporary impairments under the ADAAA and the impact on government contractors, , Jan-1970
Leaving with what you brought: Non-compete agreements when you bring your book with you, , Jan-1970
The Best Defense is a Good Offense – Invalidating Non-Competition Agreements when Departing from a Company, , Jan-1970
Workplace Rights and Discrimination Laws, , Jan-1970
Company liability and employee protections for FCC whistleblowers, , Jan-1970
Where do employee rights start, and how far do they go?, , Jan-1970
Current trends in EEOC enforcement: Trends that suggest creative and progressive legal arguments, , Jan-1970
The Rebranding Of “But-For” Causation In Title VII Cases, , Jan-1970
Whistleblowers in the Intelligence Community, , Jan-1970
HR Is Employer’s First Line of Defense Against Lawsuits, , Jan-1970
Acquiring More Than Just Assets: The Impact of Teed v. Thomas & Betts Power Solutions, LLC, , Jan-1970
Media Mentions
The Long, Hard Road of Fighting Age Bias in the Workplace, Kiplinger, May 2022
VERIFY: Yes, if you are fired for not getting a required vaccine, you can be denied unemployment benefits, WUSA9, August 2021
What companies can and can’t do when trying to increase diversity, Washington Business Journal, June 2021
ManTech to pay $2M in damages to former employees alleging retaliation, Washington Business Journal, November 2016
Bellmorite sues Capitol Police for sex discrimination, Bellmore Herald, December 2016
Hate Speech, Fresh Outlook, January 2016
Providers Must Tread Carefully if Patient Objects to Caregiver, Healthcare Risk Management, September 2015
Moves To Protect Workers From Financial Loss But May Cost Some Thousands, Mainstreet.com, May 2015
Breaking Down Employment Barriers, CAREERS & the disABLED, January 1970
3 Tips For Keeping Noncompetes in Check, Law360, October 2014
On the anniversary of the ADA, some say barriers still remain, Monster.com, July 2014
People on the Move: Tom Harrington, Washington Business Journal, January 1970
The Employment Law Group practices what it preaches as first night-student law clerk is named firm principal, Employment Law Daily, March 2014
Speaking Engagements
The ADA and FMLA: Protections, Recent Developments, and Interaction between Two Statutes, Bloomberg BNA, May-2015
The ADA and FMLA: Protections, Recent Developments, and Interaction between Two Statutes, American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, May-2015
Accommodating Workers with Disabilities: Best Practices for Employers and Employees, American Bar Association, Mar-2015
Finding Talent & Labor Laws, Washington, DC Economic Partnership, Jun-2014
Testimonials
Client:
"He was very thorough and his understanding of my situation made me comfortable with the experience"
Also worked with this client:
R. Scott Oswald
Tom Harrington (Ret.)
Former Principal
Tom Harrington has retired from the practice of law, and he no longer works at The Employment Law Group. Please direct any questions about Tom or his cases to Nicholas Woodfield, TELG principal and general counsel.
John Thomas Harrington, known as Tom, retired from the practice of law on April 5, 2024. He was a principal at The Employment Law Group® law firm — the first principal to have joined the firm as a clerk.
Mr. Harrington represented employees in discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblowing cases. He had a special focus on vindicating licensed professionals — doctors, CPAs, and lawyers — whose credentials were unjustly threatened by employer actions.
Among Mr. Harrington’s notable victories was a $2 million jury verdict for two clients whose employer was found to have violated the anti-retaliation provisions of the False Claims Act and the National Defense Authorization Act.
Law was Mr. Harrington’s second full career. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked for 19 years in the financial industry, including at the National Association of Securities Dealers (now known as FINRA) and the NASDAQ Stock Market.
After years of considering law school, Mr. Harrington finally decided to take the plunge. He joined The Employment Law Group as a litigation law clerk, working during the day while he attended the George Mason University School of Law at night. After receiving his license, Mr. Harrington was named as a TELG associate attorney. In 2013 he became the first former law clerk to ascend to ownership at the firm.
Mr. Harrington represented TELG clients in federal courts nationwide, and before state and federal administrative bodies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and various arms of the U.S. Department of Labor.
For five years in a row, Mr. Harrington was honored by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” a title given to only 2.5% of practicing lawyers in each state. He continued to receive professional recognition every year until his retirement, including from The Best Lawyers in America and Lawdragon.
