David F. O'Leary

David O'Leary is the Senior Member of the Firm's employment and labor practice. Prior to joining Rhoads & Sinon LLP, Mr. O'Leary served as an attorney in the General Counsel's Office of the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., and as Assistant Counsel to the Select Committee on Population in the United States House of Representatives. In the area of employment law, Mr. O'Leary has successfully represented clients in employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, trade secrets, covenant-not-to-compete, and unemployment compensation cases. He has also counseled clients concerning drug testing, employee privacy issues, employment contracts, trade secrets, and employment handbooks. In the area of labor law, he has successfully represented management in National Labor Relations Board elections, unfair labor practice cases, labor arbitrations, and collective bargaining negotiations.

Mr. O'Leary has lectured before numerous professional and business organizations about labor and employment-law topics, and has published articles on employment-law issues for the Council on Education in Management and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. He has also written columns on public policy issues as an op-ed columnist for the Harrisburg Patriot News.

EDUCATION

Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1977)

University of Chicago (1972), Graduate Studies in economics and political science

St. Michaels College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1971)

EMPLOYMENT LAW NOTES AND ONLINE PUBLICATIONS

Caution: Employers May Not Disregard Employment Handbook Terms for At-Will Employees

Employment Law Note #1. Firing Employees Under the Employment Discrimination Laws (July 2002)

Employment Law Note #2. Unemployment Compensation Blues: Off Duty Pot Smoking At Home is Not Willful Misconduct! (August 2002)

Employment Law Note #3. Passing the Smell Test. More On Drug & Alcohol Abuse Policies (October 2002)

Employment Law Note #4. Do Employers Have the Legal Duty to “Accommodate” Pregnant Employees? (January 2003)

Employment Law Note #5. Anti Harassment Policies. To Whom in Management Should Employees Report Allegations of “Hostile Environment” Harassment? (March 2003)

Employment Law Note #6. NLRB War Story. How To Defeat A Union Organizing Drive Without Even Having AN NLRB Election (July 2003). Part 1

Employment Law Note #7. NLRB War Story. How To Defeat A Union Organizing Drive Without Even Having an NLRB Election -- Part 2 of 2 (December 2003)

Employment Law Note #8. Firing an Employee Under the Employment Discrimination Laws. Tell the Truth! (June 2004)

Employment Law Note #9 -- Employers Lose Defense In Sexual Harassment Cases Involving Employees Under 16 Years of Age. Judge Posner Strikes Again. (September 2006)

Printer Friendly Version   Phone:      (717) 231-6633 Fax:          (717) 231-6637  doleary@rhoads-sinon.com Practice Groups: Employment & Labor Law

BAR ADMITTANCE

Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Supreme Courts, District of Columbia Courts, Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the United Sates District Court for the Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania