Robert M. "Bob" Shea

Robert Shea advises and represents clients in all areas of labor and employment law. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to alternative dispute resolution, both as an advocate and a neutral.

Advice

Bob has advised and counseled employers, executives, professionals and entrepreneurs on labor and employment law matters for more than thirty years. His practice includes counseling clients on discipline and discharge, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage-hour, pay equity, traditional labor, and restrictive covenant matters. This work also includes drafting and negotiating employment agreements, noncompete, nonsolicitation and nondisclosure agreements, independent contractor agreements, and separation agreements.

Bob helps businesses develop workplace best practices, including drafting and reviewing employer policies and handbooks, and preparing other critical documents establishing employer/employee rights and obligations. He also works closely with in-house counsel and HR professionals to address difficult workplace matters.

Bob’s employment law advice practice includes conducting workplace training, including anti-harassment and diversity training, and performing legal audits of workplace policies and practices. He also conducts workplace investigations in response to complaints of harassment and other matters arising in the workplace.

Advocacy

Bob represents clients before federal and state courts and administrative agencies in cases involving claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, breach of employment/restrictive covenant agreements, worker misclassification, and wage-hour violations. A significant part of his practice includes handling cases before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board. Bob has served as an advocate for clients in employment disputes before courts and agencies in over ten states across the United States.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Bob has extensive experience, both as an advocate and as a neutral, in alternative dispute resolution. As a neutral, he regularly serves as an arbitrator and a mediator, engaged by employers and employees to resolve disputes arising in the workplace, including claims involving contractual disputes under executive employment agreements, partnership agreements, change of control agreements, independent contractor agreements, and separation agreements. He also serves as an arbitrator or mediator in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour disputes.