Robert M. Shea

Robert (Bob) Shea is a Shareholder in the Boston office of Ogletree Deakins. Bob’s practice includes working closely with clients to develop best practices, and providing advice on discipline and discharge, discrimination, harassment, worker misclassification, wage-hour compliance, disability, non-competition, and workforce reductions.

He also focuses on drafting employment agreements, independent contractor agreements and separation agreements, and he regularly conducts workplace training for clients, including anti-harassment training and performs worker wage-hour classification analyses.

Bob has an enviable record of success in defending claims of employment discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful discharge, breach of employment and non-competition agreements, and wage-hour violations.

Bob regularly represents clients before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and the US Department of Labor. He has handled employment litigation matters before courts in ten states nationwide.

Bob also serves as an arbitrator and mediator, engaged by businesses and individuals to resolve employment contract disputes and statutory claims. He has served since 1995 on the American Arbitration Association’s panel of employment arbitrators and mediators.

Education:

• J.D., with honors, George Washington University National Law Center, 1984
• B.A. magna cum laude, Boston College, 1981

Admitted to Practice:

• Massachusetts
• District of Columbia

Professional Activities:

• New England Business Association (Vice Chair, Past Chair of the Board of Directors, 2013-2016)
• National Small Business Association (Member, Board of Trustees; Chair, Health and Human Resources Policy Group)
• Boston Bar Association (Past Co-Chair, Labor and Employment Law Section)
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), Chair, Employment & Labor Law Curriculum Advisory Board