Basics of Employment Law 2026

Valerie Brown is an experienced litigation attorney with concentrations in commercial business and employment disputes. She treats her practice as a partnership with clients aimed at achieving their business goals through informed and strategic legal decisions. In addition to serving as an adviser for her clients, Valerie also regularly represents clients in state and federal courts nationwide, as well as before administrative agencies, arbitration tribunals and mediators. Her practice includes handling complex litigation disputes, including high-stakes employment claims, collective and class action claims, restrictive covenant cases and single-plaintiff employment litigation. She also represents companies in traditional labor matters and has an accomplished track record of representing companies during labor disputes, including strikes. In addition to being a skilled litigator, Valerie’s practice also includes conducting investigations into internal business or employment complaints. She counsels companies and their management teams on their obligations during such investigations and their public and private responses to the complaints. As part of her advice and counsel practice, Valerie regularly provides training on and review of business and workplace policies, executive employment agreements, hiring and termination processes, leave policies and practices, drug testing policies and employee discipline policies and practices.

Ms. Dambreville serves as Employment Counsel for Burlington Stores, Inc., a Fortune 500 company of more than 50,000 employees, with locations throughout the continental United States. In her role as in-house employment counsel, she manages Burlington’s employment litigation portfolio, including administrative proceedings,Teleicia J.R. Dambreville, Esq. serves as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel – Employment for Burlington Stores, Inc., a Fortune 500 company of more than 80,000 employees, with over 1,300 locations throughout the continental United States. In her role as in-house employment counsel, she manages Burlington’s employment litigation portfolio, including administrative proceedings, federal and state litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Dambreville develops litigation strategy, oversees outside counsel and handles all aspects of the arbitral process under Burlington’s early dispute resolution program. Dambreville is also responsible for leading cross-functional teams and providing rapid, practical, business-oriented legal advice regarding all areas of employment and labor law, employee relations, and sustainable culture and belonging strategies to internal clients enterprise-wide. Dambreville also chairs Burlington’s Corporate Impact Council, where she leverages her employment law experience to develop and implement engagement initiatives impacting corporate employees. Prior to joining Burlington’s in-house legal team, Dambreville was a member of the Labor, Employment, Benefits, and Immigration Section at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC’s Philadelphia Office. Dambreville’s national employment law practice encompassed various aspects of litigation and proactive counseling. She has extensive experience representing management in employment litigation matters, including single-plaintiff discrimination cases, class and collective actions and traditional labor disputes. federal and state litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Ms. Dambreville develops litigation strategy, oversees outside counsel and handles all aspects of the arbitral process under Burlington’s early dispute resolution program. She is also responsible for providing rapid, practical, business-oriented legal advice regarding all areas of employment law and employee relations to internal clients, including executive team members, Human Resources and Operations. Prior to joining Burlington’s in-house legal team, Ms. Dambreville was a member of the Labor, Employment, Benefits, and Immigration Section at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC’s Philadelphia Office. Her national employment law practice encompassed various aspects of litigation and proactive counseling. Ms. Dambreville has extensive experience representing management in employment litigation matters, including single-Plaintiff discrimination cases, class and collective actions and traditional labor disputes. Ms. Dambreville earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, and her law degree from The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law in University Park where she was among 13 young professionals awarded the 2019 Penn State Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award. She is a member of the bar in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Dambreville serves on the board of directors for the Philadelphia Diversity Legal Group Alumni Association, Penn State Law Alumni Society, Providence Center and the Academy Planning Committee for the National Employment Law Council. 

Mr. Ruxton is Corporate Counsel for Dick’s Sporting Goods. At Dick’s Sporting Goods, he advises the company on all labor and employment issues, including litigation, counseling, and compliance. He also provides counsel on immigration matters. Mr. Ruxton graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013 and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2016. After law school, Mr. Ruxton practiced a large firm law (Clark Hill PLC) for nearly 9 years focusing exclusively on employment law. His practice included counseling clients through complex and day-to-day employment issues and litigating individual and class action cases involving trade secrets, non-competes, wage payment, and discrimination. Andrew also conducted due diligence and negotiations related to corporate transactions, and lead and counselled clients on workplace investigations.

Cheri focuses her practice on employment and appellate litigation, primarily representing for-profit and nonprofit corporations, health care entities, educational institutions, and municipal entities before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Cheri has represented employers in appeals to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Cheri also counsels employers to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Cheri was named to the 2024 Pennsylvania Rising Stars® list in 2024. Before joining Buchanan, Cheri began her legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. President Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt at the Commonwealth Court, and later, as a member of the Court’s Office of Chief Legal Counsel. She also served as a judicial intern to the Hon. P. Kevin Brobson during his tenure at the Commonwealth Court, and to the Hon. Susan E. Schwab of the Middle District of Pennsylvania during law school. Cheri’s past experience in the judiciary informs her unique insight and approach to cases. In addition to her unique perspective, Cheri is a diligent, detail-oriented advocate with a commitment to excellence. Originally from State College, Cheri relocated to the Harrisburg area for law school. Cheri enjoys spending time with friends and family (and her dog Bella), reading, painting and watching true crime documentaries. She also enjoys blowing off some steam at Title Boxing Club in Camp Hill.

Samantha focuses her practice on various labor and employment-related matters, including FLSA, EEOC, PHRA, Title VII and regulation and compliance. She works with companies to identify issues and discuss strategies to resolve them effectively and efficiently. Samantha brings a unique and varied background to her clients. Prior to joining Buchanan, she worked for a local firm practicing in a variety of practice areas, such as business formation and governance, liquor law, bankruptcy and tax. With a background in such a variety of practice areas, Samantha is able to take a more proactive and thorough approach to matters. In law school, Samantha worked for the York County District Attorney’s Office prosecuting crimes at various levels, from summary offenses to felonies allowing her to gain invaluable experience in the courtroom. Samantha was also a member of Widener Commonwealth Law School’s Trial Advocacy Board and served as the Board President. She was a finalist in the Hugh B. Pearce trial competition and competed at the American College of Trial Lawyers National Trial Competition in Philadelphia. Upon graduation, Samantha received the Outstanding Executive Member award and was selected for membership in the Order of Barristers. Samantha provides practical advice, effective communication and a direct approach to tackling issues. When not in the office, Samantha enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on Penn State Football and playing any kind of sport, especially, soccer, basketball and pickleball. She also spends her time as a volunteer assistant coach for the Millersville University Women’s Soccer team and lives in Harrisburg.

Janine focuses her practice on assisting corporations and businesses, including those in the healthcare industry, in labor and employment related matters. Specifically, Janine handles cases involving FLSA, EEOC, PHRA, ADA, FMLA, and Title VII. Before joining Buchanan, Janine began her legal career as law clerk to the Hon. President Judge Nancy L. Butts at the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas. While there, Janine’s primary focus was to draft judicial opinions on a wide range of criminal law issues. In law school, Janine served as a judicial intern to the Hon. Martin C. Carlson of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Janine interned with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, the Pennsylvania Department of State, and a local family law firm. Janine is a detail-oriented advocate and provides clients with practical advice and effective communication. When not in the office, Janine enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing volleyball, traveling, reading, and baking. Janine and her husband, Matt, love to cook new recipes together and value getting outdoors, particularly to hike and kayak. Janine and Matt relocated from Lewisburg, PA to Lancaster County.

Ms. Ford is a Partner at The Gold Law Firm, P.C., an employment law and civil rights litigation firm based in Philadelphia. For more than a decade, she has handled exclusively employment litigation matters, with a focus on discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation claims under both federal and state anti-discrimination statutes. She dedicates her practice to representing plaintiffs, which allows her to directly help those who are going through difficult work situations in a real way. She has represented thousands of clients, achieved innumerable favorable settlements, and successfully tried several cases. Ms. Ford earned a Bachelors of Science in Business, cum laude, from West Chester University and a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. She gained experience advocating for employees while working as a clerk at the Gold Law Firm, P.C. during her years in law school. When Ms. Ford is not working, you can find her traveling, at a Phillies or Eagles game, or spending time with her four rescue dogs.

Mr. Farrell returns to the firm as a Partner after spending six years working for a prominent Philadelphia employment firm as a litigation associate. He is an experienced litigator and represents employees and employers in a wide range of employment law matters. As a highlight of his career, Mr. Farrell spearheaded the first-ever constitutional challenge to the Americans with Disabilities Act on behalf of a transgender client in the matter of Blatt v. Cabela’s Retail. In Blatt, a federal court ruled for the first time that transgender people are not categorically barred from seeking relief from discrimination under the ADA. Blatt marked the beginning of a new way forward toward securing legal protections for transgender people through disability rights law. Mr. Farrell’s success earned him Pennsylvania Rising Star designations in the area of Employment Litigation from 2018 to 2023. Mr. Farrell obtained his B.A. from Wake Forest University in 2010, and then his J.D.cum laude, from the Villanova University School of Law in 2014. While in law school, Mr. Farrell was a member of the National Trial Team and was awarded the ABA-Bloomberg BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law upon graduation. He has dedicated his career to all aspects of employment-related litigation, including claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws and civil rights laws. Mr. Farrell has significant experience in representing both private sector and public sector employees and employers in employment and civil rights matters, and is experienced in complex litigation cases before various federal and state courts. Mr. Farrell was born and raised in Suffolk County, New York. He has lived in the Philadelphia area with his family for almost 10 years.

Klair Fitzpatrick helps employers navigate a wide range of employment issues. Klair skillfully handles sensitive internal investigations involving alleged claims regarding executives, control functions , sexual harassment, workplace misconduct, and whistleblowing under federal, state, and local laws and advises on appropriate responses and remediation. When litigation occurs, Klair defends employers in complex employment disputes, such as whistleblower complaints, class and collective actions involving systemic discrimination, multi-plaintiff matters, and harassment and discrimination cases. She is deputy leader of the labor and employment practice for the Philadelphia office and a co-leader of the labor and employment practice’s pharmaceutical industry team. Klair’s practice also involves developing compliance strategies for clients addressing US state and federal labor and employment laws across the pharmaceutical, financial services, and legal sectors. She helps clients respond to issues relating to adverse employment actions, harassment, retaliation, and compliance with state and federal laws, and designs mitigation strategies to avoid whistleblower, termination, and discrimination claims, including by advising on employment policies, pay equity, and training and audits. In connection with her work on internal investigations, counseling, and class actions, Klair regularly works with statisticians and other experts to analyze large data sets. She also partners with clients to create crisis management plans to have before harassment allegations are brought, and advises on workplace culture assessments to evaluate companies’ policies, practices, and processes for handling sexual harassment and other workplace complaints. A strong pro bono proponent, Klair sits on the board of Legacy Youth Tennis and Education Center. Klair frequently presents on issues relating to retaliation, investigation best practices, the attorney-client privilege, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.