The Fine Print That Matters: Building Legally Sound Employee Handbooks 2026

Nicholas Franos is an Associate in the Pittsburgh office of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP. He is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment and Commercial Litigation practice sections. Nicholas is a graduate of John Carroll University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While in law school, he was a Senior Development Editor for the University of Pittsburgh Law Review.

Lisa M. Grandner is Senior Counselin Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Philadelphia office. Ms. Grandner concentrates her practice on complex civil litigation defense, primality defending businesses, professionals, and employers in the areas of employment law, professional liability, transportation, and tort and catastrophic loss. Ms. Grandner’s employment practice includes the defense of claims involving civil rights, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, contractual issues, defense of non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and wrongful terminations. Ms. Grandner regularly represents clients in both state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies, including the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. She advises clients on the development of best practices, policies and procedures, employment handbooks, internal investigations, employment contracts, and disciplinary measures. In Ms. Grandner’s Tort and Catastrophic Loss practice, she defends individuals, businesses, and insurance companies in claims involving premises liability, transportation, insurance coverage disputes, and construction accidents. She has more than a decade of experience with claims involving wrongful death, disfigurement, and serious injuries. In the transportation area, she has litigated cases involving personal and commercial vehicles and represented insurers with respect to disputes over the existence and extent of coverage. She also represents clients in lawsuits involving contract disputes, and construction defects litigation on behalf of general contractors and subcontractors. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and received her law degree at Villanova University School of Law (J.D.). She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of New Jersey, and the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Middle District of Pennsylvania. Her professional activities involve the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS).

Courtney M. Knight is a Partner at Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP and is located in the Cherry Hill office. She is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Law, Tort & Catastrophic Loss and Data Security, Privacy & Technology practice sections. Ms. Knight serves as Vice-Chair of the FMG Cares and Charity Committee. She handles labor and employment matters, data security and privacy claims, technology-related disputes, and tort actions. She is a frequent speaker on employment law and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining FMG, Ms. Knight represented private and public entities in employment, contract and tort litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. She also assisted cannabis businesses throughout New Jersey’s legalization process and has since guided New Jersey employers through policy implementation and litigation related to employee use of medical and recreational cannabis.

Joseph McGuire is an Associateat Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP and is located in the Pittsburgh office. He is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Law national practice section. Joe focuses primarily on defending businesses in employment related litigation, including discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage and hour, whistleblower, and wrongful discharge claims in both federal and state courts. Joe represents employers in administrative investigations and proceedings before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He advises businesses on internal operations and legal compliance and has represented businesses in commercial, trade secret, product liability and data privacy disputes. Joe also has experience in traditional labor matters, including defending businesses against unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board and representing employers in labor negotiations during the collective bargaining process. Before joining FMG, Joe was an associate in the Pittsburgh office of a national labor and employment law firm and clerked for the Honorable Max Baer of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Joe is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Pennsylvania. He has authored many articles on employment law developments. Joe earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated cum laude with a B.A. from the University of Alabama.

Morgan M.J. Randle is an Associate at Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP and is located in the Pittsburgh office. She is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment practice section and actively participates in the Wage and Hour Interdisciplinary Team. Morgan brings a dynamic and globally informed perspective to her practice, shaped by her diverse heritage, extensive litigation experience, and ties to Japan, England, and China. Morgan represents private employers and public entities in employment litigation, guiding clients from pre-suit investigations and administrative proceedings (EEOC/PHRC) through trial. Her practice includes defending claims involving discrimination, retaliation, constructive discharge, leave interference, ERISA and FMLA violations, wrongful discharge, and whistleblower allegations. She has experience in both bench and jury trials and is skilled in responsive pleadings, discovery, depositions, dispositive motions, and trial advocacy. Morgan also advises companies on employment policies, manuals, contracts, and regulatory compliance. Morgan has both bench and jury trial experience. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, all United States District Courts within Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Morgan is an Arbitrator
and Mediator with the Allegheny County Housing Court Program and serves as a mentor in Penn State Law’s Mentor/Mentee Overview Program. She has spoken on labor policy changes, mental health leave, and judicial clerkships at FMG webinars and Penn State Law panels. Morgan earned her J.D. from Penn State Law, where she was a Jessup Moot Court Advocate and a coach for the National Criminal Procedure Moot Court. As part of her time at Penn State Law, Morgan was also admitted to the Order of Barristers for demonstrating exceptional trial and oral advocacy skills. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with an additional major in Japanese from Michigan State University.