Overview
John (Jack) Lord Jr. prevents and defends labor and employment claims against employers.
Jack is a partner and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, and is immediate past co-chair (as of June 1, 2023) of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Area. He focuses his practice on employment litigation and arbitration cases, and tries matters ranging from breach of contract, disability, and national-origin discrimination claims to pregnancy and FMLA claims. He works with private and public employers in matters involving labor and employment law compliance. Jack regularly defends employers in class and collective action lawsuits. He has defended numerous entities that operate “public accommodations” against claims under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. His clients operate in a wide range of industries, including many in the health care arena.
Jack negotiates labor contracts and defends employers in union arbitrations. His administrative work includes defending claims before OSHA, the NLRB, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. He also litigates and advises on trade secret, noncompete, and other restrictive covenants as a member of Foley’s Trade Secret Noncompete Litigation Practice Area.
Jack is co-chair of Foley’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allies Affinity Group, and is a member of the National LGBTQ Bar Association.
Community Engagement
- Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children in Miami-Dade County
- Past board president, Orlando Shakespeare Theater
- Past member, board of trustees, Legal Aid Society
- Past president, board of directors, Hope and Help Center, an AIDS resource network
- Past president, nominating board, City of Orlando
Recognition
- Peer review rated as AV Preeminent®, the highest performance rating in the Martindale- Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ system
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Employment Law – Management (2020-2024)
- Litigation – Labor and Employment (2021-2024)
- Lawdragon’s “Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyer” (2022)
- Florida Super Lawyers® (2006-2019)
- One of South Florida Business Journal’s Business of Pride “Outstanding Voices,” which recognizes outstanding LGBTQ individuals who make a difference in advancing equality in the business world (2019)
- Legal Aid Society’s Guardian ad Litem Award of Excellence (2013)
- Orlando Business Journal’s “40 under 40” (2005)
- Foley & Lardner's Lynford Lardner Community Service Award for volunteer work and civic involvement (1997)
Professional Affiliations
- The Florida Bar – Labor & Employment Law Section
- American Bar Association – Labor & Employment Law Section
- Miami Dade Bar Association
- Society for Human Resource Management
- National LGBTQ Bar Association
Education
- Duke University School of Law (J.D., 1994)
- University of Florida (B.A., 1990)
- Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
- Florida