John F Welsh

Practice Areas

John Welsh focuses his practice on representing management in all aspects of labor and employment law. A fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, John is well recognized among the top practitioners in his field.

As an experienced litigator and former appellate and trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., and Boston, John has handled significant matters for clients across industry sectors. His experience includes matters involving unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, breach of contract, whistleblowing, ERISA, wage and hour, employee privacy, defamation, noncompetition and trade secret cases. John has acted as lead trial counsel on employment cases in venues nationwide.

John is also an accomplished appellate advocate, having successfully argued appeals before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and various U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.

John provides practical counsel and business-focused advice to employers on a wide variety of employment concerns, including employee discipline and discharge, reductions-in-force, employment and separation agreements, hiring, employment policies and handbooks, internal investigations and compliance. He regularly conducts investigations for employers involving allegations of workplace misconduct, including sexual harassment and unlawful discrimination. He handles collective bargaining negotiations and arbitrations, as well as unfair labor practice and representation cases before the National Labor Relations Board. Further, John advises employers on lawful and effective union avoidance strategies.

Practice areas include:

Employment and Labor

Noncompete and Trade Secrets

Appellate

Litigation

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Financial Services and Banking

Health Care and Life Sciences

Manufacturing and Innovation

Technology

Career

Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, John co-founded Bello Welsh LLP, a boutique employment firm. Before that, he was a partner for 13 years at Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP, a 400-attorney firm in Boston where he held a variety of managerial positions, including chair of the Labor and Employment Practice, Management Committee Member and Chief Operating Officer. Earlier in his career, John was an appellate and trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., and Boston. He is former vice president of the NLRB Professional Association.

Professional Memberships

College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (Fellow)

Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow)

American Bar Association

Massachusetts Bar Association

American Bar Foundation (Fellow)