Samuel M. First serves as Labor and Employment Chair at the Jacobs Law Group. He has over 20 years experience representing private and public sector employers in all aspects of labor and employment law. He represents and advises clients, both large and small, in employment discrimination matters, non-compete, non-solicitation and trade secret disputes, executive employment agreements, employee termination and disciplinary matters, reductions in force, severance arrangements, wage and hour laws, personnel policies and practices, issues affecting unionized workforces, and the complex web of federal, state and local laws governing the workplace. In addition, Mr. First regularly represents clients in business/shareholder disputes and other business transactions.
Legal and Civic Activities:
Chair of the Board JEVS Foundation, (2013-Present)
Chair of the Board of JEVS Human Services, a human services and job training agency that serves up to 23,000 consumers each year, (2011-2014)
Board Member JEVS Human Services, (2003-present)
Member, Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, (2011-2014)
VP Legal, Philadelphia Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (“SHRM”), (2004-2014)
Member, Business Executive Advisory Board to the Business School at Holy Family University, (2010-2012)
Recent Lectures & Publications:
Publication: 2014, “Pennsylvania Employment Law Deskbook” (2nd Edition), Statutory Discrimination (EEO) Protections, PBI Press, Pennsylvania Bar Institute.
Publication: 2012, “Pennsylvania Employment Law Deskbook”, Statutory Discrimination (EEO) Protections, PBI Press, Pennsylvania Bar Institute.
Lecture: April, 2012, PBI Employment Law Institute, “Preventing and Winning Retaliation Lawsuits”.
Moderator:March, 2012, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter Symposium, “Power-Packed Legal Platform”.
Lecture: February, 2012, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter, Legal Webcast, “Avoiding Employee Retaliation Lawsuits: Advice for Employers”.
Lecture:November, 2011, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, “Navigating the Rising Tide of Retaliation Claims” (Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg).
Lecture: October, 2011, NJICLE - Business Divorce: The Privately Held Business and Shareholder Relations, “Protecting Business Assets with Restrictive Covenants”.
Lecture: May, 2011, Trends & Terms: The Outlook for Accounting Firm M & A in 2011, “Hot Buttons from an Attorney’s Perspective: Don’t Ignore the Employment Issues in a Merger”.
Lecture: April, 2011, PBI Employment Law Institute, “Winning Retaliation Lawsuits”.
Lecture: March, 2011, PBI Business Divorce Seminar, “Protecting Business Assets with Restrictive Covenants” (Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, PA).
Lecture: February, 2011, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter, Legal Webcast, “Employers Beware! Aggressive EEOC and OFCCP Enforcement is Here!”
Lecture:July, 2010, Delaware Valley Human Resources Partnership Annual Summit – “Lost in MySpace: Legal Pitfalls in the Electronic Workplace – Monitoring, Discipline, and Recruiting Issues”.
Lecture: March, 2010, PBI Employment Law Institute, “Surviving (and Outlasting) the Economic Downturn.”
Lecture: January, 2010, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI), “Layoff Litigation: Issues to Know in a Tough Economy” (Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, PA).
Lecture: December, 2009, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter, Legal Webcast, “Hot off the Press: GINA and the Supreme Court”.
Lecture: April, 2009, PBI Employment Law Institute, “Do’s and Don’ts for Companies in the Economic Downturn”.
Lecture: March, 2009, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter, Legal Webcast, “Reductions in Force: Navigating the Legal and Business Minefield”.
Lecture: December, 2008, PBI Business Divorce Seminar, “Restrictive Covenants and Employee Issues in Shareholder Disputes” (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Mechanicsburg, PA).
Lecture: November, 2008, SHRM, Philadelphia Regional Chapter, Legal Webcast, “Understanding the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) and Its Impact on the Workforce”.
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