Shannon Farmer

Shannon D. Farmer

Partner She / Her / Hers
Philadelphia

Shannon D. Farmer represents public and private employers in a broad range of labor and employment matters. She conducts collective bargaining negotiations and interest arbitrations, defends employers in all types of employment and civil rights claims, and provides advice and training related to employment policies and other HR needs.

Experience 

Representative Matters

Labor/Union Matters

  • Represents employers in organizing campaigns in front of state and federal labor boards and under private election agreements; cases include representation petitions involving graduate students, faculty, police officers, truck drivers, manufacturing employees, personal care workers for individuals with disabilities, and health care workers
  • Handles collective bargaining negotiations and interest arbitrations for health care professionals, school employees, personal care workers, and contracts covering more than 10,000 public safety 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 employees were fired in retaliation for union activities, allegations that work was unilaterally moved out of a bargaining unit, allegations of changes in employment terms, and allegations of failure to implement an arbitration award

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

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

Shannon serves on the team representing Daniel Dougherty, a former death-row inmate, since 2004. The team obtained a new trial in 2013 and another new trial in 2018.

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

Judicial Clerkships

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

Professional Activities

Fellows of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers

Recognition & Accomplishments

The Best Lawyers in America, employment law - management, 2012-2020, 2022-2025

Chambers USA, labor and employment law (Pennsylvania), 2009-2024

Legal 500, Labor and employment - Labor-management relations, 2022-2024

Benchmark Litigation, "Labor & Employment Star," Labor and Employment, 2019, 2021-2024

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "Regulate or De-Regulate? The HR Regulatory Environment and Impact of Loper Bright," 2024 Ballard Spahr SEPA SHRM HR Legal Summit, September 19, 2024

"Scaling a Workforce and Company Culture: Being a Boss," BASE presentation, December 18, 2020

"Vaccines in the Workplace: To Mandate or Not to Mandate," Ballard Spahr podcast, December 4, 2020

Board Memberships & Community Service

ACHIEVEability, Board Member

Support Center for Child Advocates, Board Member

Temple Sholom, Member-at-large, Executive Committee

Upper Darby Police Pension Board, Member

Publications

Co-author, "Piecing Together the Gig Economy Puzzle," Bloomberg Law, February 2020

Co-author, "Interesting Times in Glass Houses: Internal Investigations for the Media Employer," Media Law Resource Center, Committee Report, December 2019

Co-author, "INSIGHT: The Labor Flexibility and Legal Flux of the Gig Economy," Bloomberg Daily Labor Report, October 12, 2018

Co-author, "Contingent Workers and Independent Contractors: Legal Risks in the Health Care Industry," ASHHRA/IRI 49th Labor Activity in Health Care Report, September 2018

Co-author, "Fate of Public Union Agency Fees In Hands of High Court," Law360, March 6, 2018

Credentials 

Education

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

Stanford University (B.A. 1993)

Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania