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John S. Snelling
Partner
Duane Morris LLP
Atlantic Center Plaza, Suite 700
1180 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30309-3448
USA

Phone: +1 404 253 6927
Fax: +1 404 745 0971
Email: JSSnelling@duanemorris.com

John S. Snelling practices in the areas of employment litigation, employee relations counseling, human resources policy development and management training. Mr. Snelling's focus on employment litigation includes employment discrimination and harassment, contract disputes, wrongful discharge and other employment torts. He has experience representing management before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, in labor arbitrations and in private mediations. He also has experience providing daily counsel to clients on compliance with employment laws and regulations, conducting and advising clients on investigations of harassment complaints, conducting management training on employment laws and fair employment practices, developing personnel policies and procedures, advising clients on union avoidance issues and handling union election campaigns. In addition, Mr. Snelling is experienced in settlement negotiation, alternative dispute resolution and negotiation of severance benefits, employment contracts and executive compensation agreements.

Mr. Snelling is a member of the Labor and Employment Law and Litigation sections of the American Bar Association and the Labor and Employment Law and Litigation sections of the State Bar of Georgia. In 2009, Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business included Mr. Snelling in its listing of leading labor and employment lawyers in Georgia.

He is a 1990 graduate of Emory University School of Law and a graduate of Vanderbilt University.

Areas of Practice

• Employment Litigation
• Employee Relations Counseling
• Human Resources Policy Development
• Management Training

Representative Matters

• Represented international staffing solutions company on employment litigation in federal and state courts in 37 states.
• Represented the world's largest telecommunications company on employment litigation throughout the southeastern United States.
• Represented a preeminent private University and its healthcare network on employment litigation and advice and counsel on all aspects of employment law compliance.
• Provided daily employment counseling to three of the country's largest hospital networks. Wrote employee handbooks, advised on discipline, discharge and wage/hour issues, and investigated discrimination and harassment complaints.
• Represented auto dealers and dealership groups in responding to union election campaigns, wage and hour complaints, and employment discrimination claims. Appeared in state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies, including the EEOC.
• Conducted employment audits for automotive dealer groups with more than 80 dealerships across the country to identify potential employment law problems and solutions to reduce exposure.
• Represented international telecommunications company in defense of 100 separate claims alleging failure to promote because of racial and sexual discrimination. Obtained summary judgment on 96 claims and dismissal at trial of the remaining 4 claims. Appellate courts affirmed, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari, resulting in a complete victory for our client.
• Successfully defended against union certification campaigns and provided union avoidance counseling for a network of 25 local television stations.
• Drafted and implemented drug testing programs for major companies and small businesses in various health care, automotive and manufacturing industries.
• Conducted nationwide sensitivity training and education programs on discrimination and harassment for publicly traded construction company.
• Handled defense of large wage and hour class action for international staffing company involving thousands of individual plaintiffs.
• Represented senior-level executives in drafting and negotiating various employment agreements relating to compensation, severance, benefits, non-compete covenants and other issues.
• Represented worldwide staffing company in case alleging that senior management took inadequate action in response to claims of sexual discrimination of a male plaintiff by a female supervisor. Obtained summary judgment in federal court that was affirmed in the 11th Circuit, which refused to expand the scope of investigation obligations of employers.
• Handled numerous internal investigations into allegations of sexual harassment or other wrongdoing by senior executives, including factual findings, assessment of potential exposure and recommended remedial actions and settlement solutions.

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association
  - Labor and Employment Law Section
  - Section of Litigation
• State Bar of Georgia
  - Labor and Employment Law Section
  - Litigation Section

Admissions

• Georgia
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of Georgia
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• Superior and State Courts of Georgia

Education

• Emory University School of Law, J.D., 1990
• Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1987

Experience

• Duane Morris LLP
  - Partner, 2003-present
• Troutman Sanders, Atlanta, Georgia
  - Partner, 1999-2003
  - Associate, 1995-1998
• Ford & Harrison, Atlanta, Georgia
  - Associate, 1990-1994

Honors and Awards

• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2009 edition