Click to view our statement on Accessibility

Popular Searches

A man wearing glasses, a dark suit, a white shirt, and a red patterned tie stands in a modern office setting, embodying the professionalism of top Chicago lawyers.

John R. FitzGerald

Associate

Back

John R. FitzGerald

Associate

Milwaukee 414.297.5079

Sectors

Practice Areas

Education

  • Notre Dame Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2019)
    • Editor-in-Chief, Notre Dame Law Review
    • Dean’s Circle Fellow (top 10% of class)
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (B.A., summa cum laude, 2016)
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

  • Wisconsin
  • The Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • The Western District of Wisconsin
  • The Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

John (Jack) R. FitzGerald is an associate and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, based in the firm’s Milwaukee office, where he is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. Jack represents employers in state and federal court, and before administrative bodies, in a wide range of labor and employment matters, including those involving discrimination and retaliation, non-compete/unfair competition and trade secrets, and wage & hour class actions. Jack’s practice also involves defending and advising employers on safety and health-related matters under the Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) and counseling clients on non-compete issues.

Presentations and Publications

  • Sane, Manipulative Self-Harm: When Hostage and Hostage Taker Become One, 123 W. Va. L. Rev. 583 (2021)
  • Non-Merit-Based Tests Have No Merit: Restoring District Court Discretion Under § 1915(e)(1), 93 Notre Dame L. Rev. 2169 (2018), cited by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Watts v. Kidman, 42 F.4th 755 (7th Cir. 2022)

Clerkships

Prior to joining Foley, Jack clerked for the Honorable Gerald Bard Tjoflat of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  He also clerked for the Honorable Michael P. Mills of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. While in law school, Jack interned for the Honorable William C. Griesbach of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

A person sits at a cluttered desk reviewing documents, using a calculator, with a smartphone, eyeglasses, and a calendar nearby—typical of busy law offices specializing in intellectual property law.
November 10, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Minnesota’s New Paid Leave Law Is Here: What Employers Need to Do Before January 1, 2026

In 2023, Minnesota enacted legislation creating a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave program (the “Program”), which is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. The law established a publicly administered insurance program that is funded through employer and employee payroll contributions.
Colorado Capitol, in Denver, Colorado at sunset. The Colorado State Capitol Building is the home of the General Assembly and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the State Treasurer.
September 29, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Colorado Tightens Restrictions on Noncompete Agreements: New Restrictions for Health Care Workers and Sale-of-Business

In the latest round of Colorado’s annual updates to its noncompete statute, C.R.S. § 8-2-113, Colorado enacted Senate Bill 25-083 this...
October 1, 2025 Events

From the White House to the Workplace: Employment Law in the Second Trump Era
featured image
July 14, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Delaware Court Confronts Issue of First Impression: When a Company Attempts to Enforce a Noncompete Seeking Only Damages, Does the Same Reasonableness Analysis Apply?

In Fortiline, Inc. v. McCall, the plaintiffs sought to enforce a noncompetition agreement against its former employees through a...
Non-compete agreement document for filling and signing on desk, business competition concept
July 7, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Florida Bucks Trend, Enacts New Employer-Friendly Noncompete Statute

While the recent trend across the country has been to restrict noncompete agreements, Florida has just made it easier for employers to...
A medical professional in a white coat uses a tablet in a clinical setting, providing expertise that can aid law offices with litigation support, surrounded by lab equipment and a stethoscope around the neck.
June 30, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Physician Noncompetes: Texas Restrictions Apply to Dentists, Physicians’ Assistants, and Nurses 

On June 20, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 1318 (SB 1318), which will further restrict noncompete agreements for health care professionals in Texas, starting September 1, 2025.
View All Insights