Tom Harrington
Principal

Tom Harrington

Education

George Mason University School of Law
JD

University of California at Los Angeles
BA, English Literature

John “Tom” Harrington is a principal at The Employment Law Group® law firm with experience representing employees in discrimination cases as well as other matters involving retaliation, whistleblowing, contract disputes, wage violations, and other violations of employment and civil rights laws. He specializes in representing licensed professionals, such as doctors, CPAs, and lawyers, whose cases have the added complexity of protecting their licenses and privileges.

Among his notable victories is a $1.36 million jury verdict for violation of the anti-retaliation provision of the False Claims Act.

Not only does Mr. Harrington represent clients under the FCA, but he also helps those who have suffered from violations of a wide variety of laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; the Whistleblower Protection Act; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX); and state and local laws such as the D.C. Human Rights Act and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act.

“We’re always looking for ways in which we can help our clients,” Mr. Harrington says. “To me, it’s not only important to advocate for them efficiently but also to be conscious of our clients’ limits and resources. Our goal is for every case to end with our clients in a better place than when it started. Peoples’ lives — sometimes more than just their professional lives — are on the line.”

Law is Mr. Harrington’s second full career. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked for 19 years in the financial industry, managing data and systems at the National Association of Securities Dealers (now known as FINRA) and the NASDAQ Stock Market. In addition to helping him represent employees who report breaches of SOX, his various positions have given him a different perspective and allow him to better understand employment issues more personally. Mr. Harrington’s experience resulted in a strong commitment to addressing the imbalance of power between corporations and workers.

After years of considering law school, Mr. Harrington decided to take the plunge at what turned out to be the perfect time. His career at NASDAQ ended just as an opportunity with TELG opened up. Mr. Harrington joined the firm as a litigation law clerk while attending the George Mason University School of Law in the evening. Following his graduation, he was named an associate — and in 2013, Mr. Harrington became the first former law clerk to ascend to ownership.

“I went to law school to make a positive difference for people whose civil rights have been violated — especially people who have been wronged despite working hard and playing by the rules,” he says. “Employment law was a perfect fit, particularly with the way we practice employment law at TELG, where we focus on achieving outcomes that are chosen by each individual client.”

Mr. Harrington is admitted to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. He has represented clients in federal courts nationwide and also has experience 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.

Mr. Harrington is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association. For five years in a row, he was honored by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” a title given to only 2.5% of practicing lawyers in each state. He continues to be recognized by the publication every year. Since 2020, Mr. Harrington has also placed on Lawdragon’s list of top 500 plaintiff-side employment lawyers. In its most recent edition, The Best Lawyers in America honored Mr. Harrington for his expertise in employment law and litigation.

A lifelong interest in literature contributed to Mr. Harrington’s success as an attorney. After receiving an undergraduate degree in English Literature, he became a Writing Fellow at George Mason Law, where he also served as a senior staff member of the Federal Circuit Bar Journal. At TELG, Mr. Harrington frequently works with new law clerks on their legal writing skills. He’s skilled at analyzing information and communicating the most relevant details in a way that works best for the client.

In his free time, Mr. Harrington loves to read and always enjoys a good detective novel or history book. He takes pleasure in learning about people and the world through stories, including those in movies and TV shows. When not reading, Mr. Harrington might be found listening to the Beatles or playing tennis.


Phone: (202) 331-3911

E-mail: tharrington@employmentlawgroup.com