Shannon D. Farmer

Litigation, Labor and Employment

Shannon D. Farmer is a partner in the Litigation Department and a member of the Labor and Employment Group.

Representative Matters

Labor/Union Matters

• Handles collective bargaining negotiations and interest arbitrations for a unit of health care professionals and drivers for a large nationwide nonprofit, a unit of drivers for that same nonprofit, and six contracts covering nearly 25,000 employees of a large municipality
• Defends companies before state and federal labor boards against unfair labor practice charges in a wide variety of contexts; cases include allegations that a major telecommunications company fired employees in retaliation for union organizing activities, allegations that work was unilaterally moved out of a bargaining unit, and allegations of failure to implement an arbitration award
• Represents companies in an array of grievance arbitrations involving discipline and contract interpretation matters
• Appeals awards of labor arbitrators who have exceeded their authority or imposed awards in violation of public policy

Wage and Hour Matters

• Defends employers against a wide variety of wage and hour claims, including claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, state minimum wage laws and state wage payment and collection laws, before the Department of Labor, state administrative agencies and federal courts; recent cases include a federal collective action for a large entertainment company alleging minimum wage and overtime violations brought by employees of its now-defunct janitorial contractor
• Assists companies in conducting their own compliance audits and taking proactive steps to avoid litigation and limit liability

Employment Discrimination and Civil Rights Matters

• Defends companies and their employees against all forms of civil rights claims, including all forms of employment discrimination, civil rights violations, and defamation claims in state and federal courts; recent cases include a suit by more than 20 police officers alleging that their civil rights were violated through state-required certification examinations, a reverse discrimination suit by five white public safety officials claiming race discrimination in a promotional examination, a defamation suit by a police officer based on a news report after he was caught on cell phone video beating a suspect, a disability and race discrimination suit by a fired maintenance supervisor, and a disability discrimination suit alleging the improper failure to give an athletic scholarship

Advice, Agreements, Policies, and Training

• Assists employers with all of their human resources, advice ,and training needs, including FMLA policies, electronic use policies, drug and alcohol use and testing and other needs
• Advises on questions about the FMLA, wage and hour, employee terminations, harassment investigations, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Drafts agreements, including employment agreements, separation agreements, and confidentiality and/or noncompete agreements
• Trains human resources staff, supervisors and employees on the FMLA, employment discrimination and harassment, good employment practices, and wage and hour compliance

Pro Bono Experience

Since 2004, Ms. Farmer has served as a child advocate for children who have been or have been adjudicated dependent through the Philadelphia Family Court. In addition, she has represented parents and other caregivers in child custody matters.

Ms. Farmer served on the team representing Daniel Dougherty, a death-row inmate, in its quest for a new trial based on newly developed scientific evidence.

Ms. Farmer assists several nonprofit organizations with their employment needs on a pro bono basis, including drafting employment policies, drafting agreements, and providing advice and support.

Judicial Clerkships

Hon. Raymond J. Broderick, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1998-2000

Recognition & Accomplishments

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, labor and employment law, 2009-2011

The Best Lawyers in America, employment law, 2012

Publications

Co-author, "Employee Benefits and the Unionized Workforce," chapter in ERISA: A Comprehensive Guide, 2011 edition

Co-author, "The ADA Amendments Act: A Real Older Workers Protection Act?" The Legal Intelligencer, February 22, 2010

"Top 5 Wage and Hour Pitfalls," The Legal Intelligencer, December 2007

Speaking Engagements

"Wage and Hour Payouts," Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, PELRAS Annual Training Conference, March 22, 2012

"Wage and Hour Payouts: Learn from Others' Mistakes," Ballard Spahr Briefing, September 21, 2011

"Employment Law for Everyone," Ballard Spahr CLE for Free, March 22, 2011, and June 28, 2011

"An Ounce of Prevention: Steps To Avoid Becoming the Next Wage and Hour Headline," Southeastern Pennsylvania Society for Human Resource Management, May 17, 2011

"Hot Issues in Public Sector Law," Pennsylvania Bar Institute Labor Law Symposium, December 7, 2010

"Public Sector EEO and Employment Law Conference, Comprehensive Analyses of Major Developments and Their Impact on Public Sector Employment Practices," National Employment Law Institute, August 20-21, 2009

"An Overview of the Final FMLA Regulations, the New ADA, and Philadelphia's Domestic Violence Leave Ordinance," City of Philadelphia CLE, July 15, 2009

"State and Federal Law Developments: What Will Legislators Think of Next?" Ballard Spahr Webinar, May 6, 2009

"Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, April 16, 2009

"Charting a Change of Course: Labor, Employment and Benefits Law in the New Administration," Public Employer Labor Relations Advisory Service Annual Conference, March 26, 2009

"Watch Your Step: Auditing Your Way Through Wage and Hour Mine Fields," Public Employer Labor Relations Advisory Service Annual Conference, March 25, 2009

"Planning for a Change of Course: Labor and Employment Law in the New Administration," Ballard Briefing and Webinar by the Labor, Employment and Immigration Group, January 14, 2009

"Facing the Economic Downturn," Ballard Spahr Teleconference, November 19, 2008

"Labor Law Issues in Shopping Centers & New Construction," ICSC 2008 U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference, October 2008

"Watch Your Step: Auditing Your Way Through the Wage and Hour Minefield,"  Ballard Spahr Briefing, October 2008

"Working 9 to 5? Deciding What's Working Time in a 24/7 World," Pennsylvania Bar Institute Employment Law Institute, April 2008

"Disability Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodation Issues: Exploring the ADA Through the Mock Deposition of an HR Manager," PELRAS Conference, April 2008

"Pregnancy, Motherhood and Family Care Issues,"  PELRAS Conference, April 2008

Community Activities 

The Birth Center, Immediate Past President; current member, Personnel Committee

University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D. 1998, cum laude)

Stanford University (B.A. 1993)

Pennsylvania