Rick Grimaldi is a partner in the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. offices. He gets results with an understanding of the practical business needs of his clients. Rick is the Chair of the Fisher Phillips Government Solutions practice group. Click here to view the Government Solutions blog.

His national practice spans all aspects of labor and employment law including regularly representing employers in litigation matters involving discrimination claims and wrongful termination claims.

He provides advice, counsel and training on such topics as interviewing and hiring, performance management, creating a respectful workplace and drafting of employment handbooks and policies.

In addition, he assists businesses in traditional labor matters such as formulating comprehensive and strategic union avoidance practices, protecting employers in union election campaigns, negotiating collective bargaining agreements and defending grievance and unfair labor practice claims.

Rick also assists employers with regulatory and government administrative issues at the local, state and federal levels. Rick has been selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers every year since 2007.

Experience

• Winning dismissal of age and disability claims brought against a large retail client.
• Counseling a large gaming client to victory in a union campaign.
• Successful defense of a major law firm against a disability discrimination claim by the EEOC.
• Obtaining successful trial result for a large financial industry client.
• Developing strategy for major retail and hospitality clients resulting in decertification of the unions representing their employees.
• Achieving a favorable contract for a major health care client who had been at impasse with the union representing its staff.
• Co-counsel in successful defense of Unfair Labor Practice Charges alleging multiple violations of the National Labor Relations Act in which the NLRB sought injunctive relief against the employer.

Representative Work

Honors & Awards

• Listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, (2007-2017)

Professional Activities

• Board of Directors, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
• Board of Directors, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (2007-2013)
• Member, Lawyers Club of Philadelphia
• Member, Pennsylvania Society
• Lifetime Member, Continental Who’s Who of National Business Leaders
• Member National Advisory Board of the Moyer Foundation, Co-Chairman of the Development Committee
• Former Chief Counsel, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
• Former Deputy General Counsel, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

• "Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations" - DELVACCA 5th Annual In-House Counsel Conference, Philadelphia, PA
  4.23.13
• "Ethical Hotspots for In-House Lawyers" - DELVACCA Ethics & Compliance CLE Institute, Philadelphia, PA 
  8.9.12
• "Family and Medical Leave Act 101" - 17th Annual Pennsylvania Employment Law Institute, Philadelphia, PA
  April 2011
• "What's Up Doc? Employee Medical Information: What an Employer Can Ask For, When and How" - 12th Annual Pennsylvania Employment Law Institute, Philadelphia, PA
  April 2006
• "Disaster or Opportunity? The Role of Employment Professionals in Global Offshoring" - 11th Annual Pennsylvania Employment Law Institute, Philadelphia, PA
  April 2005
• "Privacy and Screening in Employment - A Corporate Perspective" - Delaware Valley Corporate Counsel Association
  February 2006
• "Restrictive Covenants and Non-Competition Agreements" - Unisys Worldwide Recruiting & Staffing 
  July 2002
• "Exporting Knowledge, Hiring Practices Consistent with the Deemed Export Rule" - Latin American Export Compliance Officers Conference, Ace Conference Center 
  June 2002
• "HIPAA & Privacy, It's Your Business; European Privacy - Blueprint for Cross-Border Data Transfers" - Unisys Security Practice, McLean, VA 
  May 2002
• Participant, "Privacy & Security in the New American Workplace," Conference, TeaNeck, New Jersey 
  May 2002
• Guest Speaker, Corporate Crisis Management, ABA Minority Counsel Program, Tampa, FL 
  April 2001
• Instructor, "Maintaining Successful Client Relationships," Continuing Legal Education 
  April 2000
• Presenter, "Developing a Sexual Harassment Policy Consistent with Recent Supreme Court Decisions," Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Labor Management Conference 
  September 1999

Articles

• "The Future of the American Workplace" - Philly Biz Magazine,
  October 2015
• "Fantasy Football Costs $6.5 Billion in Workplace Productivity" - Philadelphia Business Journal, 
  9.11.13
• "An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure - The Top 3 Things You Can Do to Avoid Workplace Liability" - Greater Philadelphia of Chamber Newsletter, 
  July 2013
• "Supreme Court Answers the Question of Who Qualifies as a Supervisor" - The Legal Intelligencer, 
  7.15.13
• "Questions Raised Regarding Who Qualifies as a Supervisor" - The Legal Intelligencer, 
  6.11.13
• "Performance Leadership" (Things Your Company Needs to Know) - Philadelphia Smart CEO Magazine, 
  December 2012
• "Managing Employee Relations" - Smart Business, 
  October 2006

Appearances

• Regular guest on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT Philadelphia
• Interviewed on KYW News Radio, regarding unpaid internships
  June 2013
• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce 9th Annual Read to Me Early Literacy Program,
  April 2013
• Executive Leaders Radio,
  3.2.12
• Executive Leaders Radio,
  5.4.10
• Appearance Employee Free Choice Act, Michael Smerconish Program, 1210, WPHT (Nationally Syndicated)
  April 2009
• Moderator - EFCA and Employee Choice, 2 Hour Broadcast Live Program on Location at Philadelphia Doubletree, 1210 WPHT,
  March 2009
• Appearance/Panelist School Privacy in the Wake of Virginia Tech, Its Your Turn with Lynn Doyle, Comcast,
  April 2008

Blog Posts