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.
Articles
How to Avoid or Dispute an Unfair NPDB Report, , May-2022
25 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Corporate Counsel, Aug-2015
Bring On the Babysitters: Testing the Boundaries of Lawson V. FMR LLC, Connecticut Lawyer, Jun-2015
The Front Burner: Mandatory Vaccinations for Workers? No: Companies shouldn’t serve as surrogate parents, The Orlando Sentinel, Jul-2015
Don’t Just ‘Walk it Off’: Protections in the Workplace for Employees With HIV, HIV Plus, May-2015
Corporate Knowledge Doctrine And The ‘Cat’s Paw’ Theory, Westlaw Journal Employment, May-2015
Doctors and Lawyers—Employers That Incentivize Good Health May Need to Consult Both, Corporate Law Advisory, Apr-2015
Dismissiveness of Mental Illness in the Workplace and Protections for Employees, HealthNewsDigest.com, Apr-2015
Transcending the Workplace: Sexual Harassment in the 21st Century, Occupational Health & Safety, Apr-2015
Incentivizing good health: The legal issues presented by health-contingent wellness plans, Westlaw Journal Employment, Feb-2015
Even Without Passage, Legislation Could Encourage Unionization, Hospitality Law Magazine , Jan-2015
Moving on? The top 5 steps to take when your company loses a contract, Westlaw Journal Government Contract, Jan-2015
With All Due Deference: Following the ARB’s Lead in Defining Protected Activity, Employment Law Strategist, Dec-2014
When Employers Must Pay Leave Benefits on Employees’ Separation, SHRM.org, Dec-2014
Defining Protected Activity Under SOX, Corporate Counsel, Dec-2014
With All Due Deference: Following the ARB’s Lead in Defining Protected Activity under SOX, The Corporate Counselor, Nov-2014
Extraterritoriality And Whistleblower Retaliation: Crossing the Line, The Corporate Counselor, Oct-2014
Temporary impairments under the ADAAA and the impact on government contractors, Westlaw Government Contractor, Sep-2014
Leaving with what you brought: Non-compete agreements when you bring your book with you, The Government Contract Litigation Reporter , Sep-2014
The Best Defense is a Good Offense – Invalidating Non-Competition Agreements when Departing from a Company, The Government Contract Litigation Reporter, Aug-2014
Workplace Rights and Discrimination Laws, Small Business Opportunities, Jul-2014
Company liability and employee protections for FCC whistleblowers, Compliance & Ethics Professional, Jul-2014
Where do employee rights start, and how far do they go?, Employee Benefit News, Jun-2014
Current trends in EEOC enforcement: Trends that suggest creative and progressive legal arguments, Plaintiff, Jun-2014
The Rebranding Of “But-For” Causation In Title VII Cases, Law360, Jun-2014
Whistleblowers in the Intelligence Community, Corporate Compliance Insights, Apr-2014
HR Is Employer’s First Line of Defense Against Lawsuits, SHRM.com (Society for Human Resource Management), Apr-2014
Acquiring More Than Just Assets: The Impact of Teed v. Thomas & Betts Power Solutions, LLC, The Corporate Counselor, Mar-2014
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
Principal
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.