James Patrick Garrity

Hiring a lawyer is like hiring a doctor - you want someone with deep, specific experience in the exact problem you have.  I've helped and represented thousands of employees all over Florida and Georgia.  In fact my practice is limited to employee rights.  (I do not help employers.) My consultations are always free and you only pay me a fee if I recover something for you.  Call me  I can answer most questions over the phone.  Let's talk today.

Why an Employment Lawyer?  And When to Hire One?

Employment laws are complex. Every law is different. So are the deadlines for each. You need guidance to protect your rights.  Employers have an army of experts – human resource officials, EEO managers and lawyers, too – trained to protect the organization. Sometimes those advisors see you as a threat, not a victim.  Many clients have told me they felt their HR and EEO personnel discouraged them from making a complaint, or gave them inaccurate advice, or even slowed their progress while deadlines passed.  Never forget who pays those advisors.  Don’t assume anyone dependent on a paycheck from the organization you’re challenging has your best interests in mind. They might. They may not.

An employment lawyer can guide you from the early stages of your concerns through and including the filing of a lawsuit.   This includes advice about paperwork for leave, for accommodations or for challenging discipline.  It includes advice about seeking unemployment benefits and about noncompete/severance agreements.  It also includes guidance in the filing of claims with the EEOC and in filing a lawsuit, whether before or after termination.

Choosing Your Employee-Rights Lawyer

Deciding when and how to choose your lawyer is a critical first step.  You’ll find many ads on Google, Yahoo and on other sites.  But there are some things you should know about these ads.

First, many ads don’t tell you all you need to know.  Ads for employment lawyers don’t usually say how many cases the lawyer has handled.  Second, the ads often don’t tell you whether the lawyer also represents employers against people like you. Third, ads often don’t reveal that the “employee-rights lawyers” may spend most of their time on other cases: auto accidents, dog bites, real estate, criminal cases and so on.

In my 29-year career I have appeared as counsel in more than 1,500 employment cases in Florida and Georgia, of which almost 800 are federal lawsuits. For comparison purposes, one of my frequent adversaries – a top lawyer who represents employers only, and with 40 years’ experience, has appeared in 262 federal lawsuits in Florida and Georgia. You can verify my federal lawsuit experience by searching for my name in the database, where federal lawsuits are tracked.  State-court cases in Florida and Georgia are harder to track because, unlike federal cases, lawsuits filed in local courthouses across Georgia and Florida are not always searchable.  You can find a professional summary of my background here.

I also write columns for employees, to help them understand their rights.  I write on basic discrimination claims but also on topics like unequal pay for women, on bogus background checks, and onbad references.  I offer practical thoughts on things like becoming a whistleblower, keeping up your online credentials for job recruiters (here and here), and tips for getting pay raises.

I am also a published author on trial strategies and tactics for lawyers. I recently published 10,000 Depositions Later: 33 Tips For Taking Superior Depositions, a book for trial lawyers, and also authored publications on, among other things, Internet use in the workplace and the use of economists in employment cases.  I also maintain several websites for employees, including one on employee privacy rights at .

Need to Talk to Me Now About a Matter of Concern?

Please don’t hesistate to contact me.  It’s better to ask now, and get answers, than to delay and wonder.  You can call me at, or email me at   I’d be glad to talk to you at no cost.

Thank you.

Jim

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide to hire a lawyer, please ask me to send you free written information about my qualifications and experience.