Through a focus on labor and employment, Dave has been and continues to be a trusted advisor to employers, executives, and human resources (HR) professionals from businesses in multiple industries, including construction, energy, financial services, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, manufacturing, oil and gas, and retail. He has successfully overseen hundreds of cases and claims and has litigated nearly every facet of labor and employment law. Dave has extensive expertise defending Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state enforcement actions, employment class actions, Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions, and restrictive covenant matters.

Because of his close collaboration with HR and the professionals who lead human capital services for his clients, Dave obtained a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification from the HR Certification Institute. The SPHR Certification equips Dave to uniquely assist and partner with his clients in strategic planning and policymaking aspects of HR management. It also provides his HR clients with confidence that he understands and respects their specialty. In turn, Dave appreciates the trust his HR clientele has in him as their partner.

Every day, clients depend on Dave for guidance across various matters, spanning from preventive counsel and proactive strategizing to policy formulation, all delivered in a cost-efficient manner. A notable portion of his work focuses on ensuring compliance and handling litigation related to wage and hour regulations under FLSA and relevant state laws governing compensation practices. This encompasses both individual cases and class/collective litigation.

While Dave relishes it when his clients proactively seek his counsel to prevent prickly HR compliance issues before they become larger problems, he is skilled in the courtroom as a zealous advocate when matters escalate to litigation. Moreover, Dave has significant experience litigating and counseling clients on restrictive covenant matters, including hiring and separation issues, and enforcement of non-competes, post-employment customer and employee solicitation agreements, and confidentiality agreements. He also advises executives, physicians, and employers on employment agreements and change-in-control agreements.

Active with professional organizations, Dave serves on the steering committees for the Labor and Employment Section and Young Lawyers Section of DRI, an international association of attorneys defending the interests of business in civil litigation. He also is the Membership Vice-Chair and Program Chair to the Employment and Labor Law Committee.

Related to his passion for giving back, Dave co-founded the Tri-Rivers Heritage Foundation, a charitable organization providing children in the Pittsburgh metro area with resources to foster their success. Since founding the organization as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, Tri-Rivers raised more than $225,000. Every dollar goes directly to other nonprofits that assist children in need. Additionally, an annual golf outing organized by Tri-Rivers offers mentoring and networking opportunities for aspiring students pursuing degrees in finance, accounting, or law. Through this event, students are paired with professionals in a foursome, leading to countless students securing interviews, internships, and employment opportunities.

Additionally, Dave is a sought-after national presenter at conferences for continuing education programs in law and HR, including for the National Business Institute (NBI). When speaking, his primary objective is to enhance the performance of defense attorneys and HR professionals when representing and advising their clients on employment and HR matters.

From 2016 to 2023, Dave was recognized by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star in the categories of Employment and Labor and Employment Litigation. He earned his juris doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated summa cum laude from both institutions.

Examples of the services clients rely on Dave to provide include:

• Wage and hour audits and class/collective actions

• Agency investigations alleging overtime and other payroll violations

• Administrative charges of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation

• Whistleblower and retaliation claims and lawsuits

• Employee theft of trade secrets

• Violations of restrictive covenants

• WARN Act compliance, layoff planning, and severance agreements

• Advice for disciplinary and termination decisions

• Guidance during harassment investigations

• Anti-discrimination, harassment, and retaliation training for supervisors, HR professionals, and employees

• Responses to wage claims and unemployment benefit disputes and hearings

• Executive and retention agreements

• Labor relations and grievance defense

• Government contracting, including Executive Order 11246, VEVRAA, and Rehab Act counseling and compliance

• EEO, AAP, and HR policy development

• OFCCP audits and investigations

• FMLA leave management and ADA accommodations

• Employment due diligence consultation for mergers and acquisitions

• Public accommodations under the ADA