G. Thomas Harper
Harper Gerlach
4110 Southpoint Blvd.,
Suite 228
Jacksonville, FL 32216

Website:
www.HarperGerlach.com
Phone: 904-296-7000
Fax: 904-296-7303
E-mail:

Areas of Practice
Labor & Employment

G. Thomas Harper

Education

• J.D., University of Georgia
  School of Law, 1973
• B.A., Furman University, 1970

Memberships

• Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by The Florida Bar
• The Florida Bar, Labor and Employment Law Section
• South Carolina Bar
• District of Columbia Bar
• Jacksonville Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
• Asst. Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America, Troop 522
• Westside Business Leaders Association
• Volusia County Manufacturers Association

Publications

• Author:
  Hiring in Florida: A Guide For Persons Who Interview And Hire, published in 1991 by the Florida Chamber of Commerce:
  Avoiding Legal Problems In Hiring And Firing in Florida, published in 1992 by M. Lee Smith Publishers:
• Editor:
  Florida Employment Law Letter (Monthly, since 1989):
  Florida Workers' Compensation Drug Testing Compliance Kit, Third Edition, 1996
  The Florida Employment Law Manual, 1983-2001, published by the American Chamber of Commerce Publishers for the Florida Chamber of Commerce
• Instruction
  Teaching Instructor, 2006, Honghe University, Mengzi, Yunan Province, Republic of China.

Mr. Harper has practiced since 1973 in Labor Relations and Employment Law. He is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Labor and Employment Law. Mr. Harper represents a diverse group of companies and organizations in a broad range of employment and labor issues. He counsels clients concerning the FMLA, the ADA, the ADEA, and sexual harassment. He has litigation experience in a wide variety and large number of cases, including numerous jury and non-jury trials before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Mr. Harper has been selected in The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward/White for the past 12 years (1995-2006). In July, 2005, Mr. Harper was listed in Florida Monthly magazine as one of the top lawyers in Florida in Labor and Employment Law. In June of 2008 Florida Super Lawyers Magazine named Mr. Harper as one of the top 100 lawyers in Florida. Mr. Harper has also served as an expert witness on employment law issues in federal court in Florida.

Mr. Harper has been involved in over 200 union-organizing attempts, union elections, de-certifications, contract negotiations, and strikes. He presents seminars for clients and employer associations on all aspects of labor and employment law.

Mr. Harper has conducted supervisor training on such diverse topics as National Labor Relations Act Compliance, sexual harassment, the ADA, and the FMLA. Mr. Harper has:

•  Won jury verdicts in age discrimination trials for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; K-Mart; and Gold Kist, Inc.
•  Successfully enforced an arbitration agreement resulting in the dismissal of a wrongful termination lawsuit.
•  Worked with a large orange juice processing facility under attack by the Teamster's Union resulting in an overwhelming vote against union representation.
•  Won summary judgment in an age discrimination case resulting from a company-wide restructuring.
•  Defended a trucking company in a race discrimination lawsuit resulting in the Plaintiff dismissing the lawsuit at the close of discovery.