PRACTICE FOCUS
Neil A. Morris is Chair of the firm's Philadelphia Labor and Employment Group. Neil has passionately represented employers for over 35 years. He concentrates in the areas of labor and employment, municipal labor law, employment discrimination, defamation defense, commercial litigation, and business litigation. He has served as Special/ Labor Counsel for more than 35 Pennsylvania Townships and Boroughs, the County of Bucks, and many private employers. He is often brought into municipalities to handle "crisis" situations involving employees and management.
Neil handles cases throughout the country including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, and West Virginia. In 1999, he achieved one of the highest defamation jury awards ever in Pennsylvania for a business client. Neil also has extensive appellate experience arguing appellate cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court, and Commonwealth Court as well as various Federal District Courts and before the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, and Tenth Circuits. He has also argued successfully before the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Additionally, Neil practices before many federal and state administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, the United States Department of Labor, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Representing management in collective bargaining negotiations, including binding arbitration, non-binding mediation, and in all aspects of union contract negotiations, grievances involving contract interpretation, suspension, and discharge
- Defending employers from unfair labor practice charges, civil rights, and other claims, including Title VII, Section 1983, Constitutional claims, ADA, FMLA, and ADEA among other matters
- Counsel and draft employment policies, practices, and handbooks
- Counsel management on opposing union elections successfully
- Defending employers and officials in court
- All elements of trial and appellate work
- Drafting and applying Civil Service Regulations and interpretations
- Litigating Civil Service Issues
- Representing and defending individuals and businesses and individuals in all disputes, including defamation
Key Appellate Decisions
- Robb v. City of Philadelphia, 733 F.3d. 286 (3d Cir. 1984)
- A seminal case on Federal Constitutional Law involving the 1st and 14th Amendments
- Sidkoff, Pincus, Greenberg & Green, P.C. v. Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company, 555 A.2d 1284 (Pa. 1989)
- Moore v. Bensalem Township, 620 A.2d 76 (Pa. Cmwlth.1989)
- Bensalem Township v. International Surplus Lines Insurance Company, 38 F.3d 1303 (3d Cir. 1994) rehearing den. 1994.
- A seminal case on insurance law
- Salmons v. Dollar General Corporation, No. 96-2837, Slip. Op., (4th Cir. 1998)
- Gamble v. Dollar General Corporation, 852 So.2d 5 (Miss.2003)
- Keck v. Bensalem Township, 862 A.2d675 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2003)
- Ernest E. Mize v. Borough of Kennett Square, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4386 (E.D. Pa., 1997); denied, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8214 (E.D. Pa., 1997) Affirmed, 142 F.3d 428; 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 5145 (3d. Cir., 1998)
- Project Management Institute, Inc. v. Ireland, 144 Fed. App. 935 (3d Cir. 2005) cert den. 546 U.S. 1167 (2006)
- Smith v. ABC Insert Co. Inc., No. 26 E.D.A. 2011 Slip, Op., March 30, 2012 (Pa. Super.) cert. den. No. 342 MAL 2012 (Pa. 2012)
- Bensalem Township v. Samuel Karley, No 1053 C.D. 2021 (PA Cmwlth. 2023)
Representative Municipal & Governmental Clients
- Bensalem Township, Bucks Co., PA (35 years)
- Bedminster Township, Bucks Co., PA
- Bristol Borough, Bucks Co., PA
- Bristol Township, Bucks Co., PA
- City of Coatesville, Chester Co., PA
- Coolbaugh Township, Monroe Co., PA
- County of Bucks, Bucks Co., PA
- Doylestown Township, Bucks Co., PA
- East Brandywine Township, Chester Co., PA
- Exeter Township, Berks Co., PA
- Kennett Square Borough, Chester Co., PA
- Lehigh Township, Northampton Co., PA
- Lower Southampton Township, Bucks Co., PA
- Middletown Township, Bucks Co., PA
- New Britain Borough, Bucks Co., PA
- New Britain Township, Bucks Co., PA
- New Garden Township, Chester Co., PA
- New Holland Borough, Lancaster Co., PA
- Northampton Township, Bucks Co., PA
- Northampton Township Municipal Authority, Bucks Co., PA
- Oxford Borough, Chester Co., Pennsylvania
- Pennridge Regional Police, East/West Rockhill, Bucks Co., PA
- Plainfield Township, Lehigh Co., PA
- Plumstead Township, Bucks Co., PA
- Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, Monroe Co. PA
- Radnor Fire Company, Radnor, PA
- Radnor Township, Delaware Co., PA
- Ridley Park Borough, Delaware Co., PA
- Ridley Township, Delaware Co., PA
- Sadsbury Township, Chester Co., PA
- Solebury Township, Bucks Co., PA
- Towamencin Township, Montgomery Co., PA
- Tredyffrin Township, Chester Co., PA
- Tullytown Borough, Bucks Co., PA
- Valley Township, Chester Co., PA
- Warminster Municipal Authority, Bucks Co., PA
- Warminster Township, Bucks Co., PA
- West Pikeland Township, Chester Co., PA
- West Whiteland Township, Chester Co., PA
- Williams Township, Northampton Co., PA
- Yeadon Borough, Delaware Co., PA
Other Representative Clients
- Arcadia University
- Bensalem Rescue Squad
- Dollar General Corporation
- Firstrust Bank
- Huntingdon Valley Bank
- Las Margaritas Restaurants, Inc.
- Nasty Gal Clothing, Inc.
- Project Management Institute, Inc.
- Sovereign Security, Inc.
- Urban Outfitters, Inc.
RECOGNITION
- Judge Pro Tempore and Settlement Master by the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, PA, 1997-2006
- Master at the Temple American Inn of Court 2007-2020
- Designated as one of Pennsylvania's Super Lawyers in labor and employment law 2004-2010, 2014-2023 by Philadelphia Magazine
- Appreciation Award from New Britain Township, 2004, "For Accomplishing Feats of Biblical Proportions"
- Smart CEO Elite Top Lawyers in Philadelphia, 2011 to 2015
- Smart CEO, Philadelphia Lawyer of the Year Finalist, 2014
- Lawyers.com/ Martindale Hubbell, Highest Peer Rating (AV)
- Best Lawyers in America for Labor and Employment Litigation, 2013 to 2024
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
In The Media: News Article & Tv Story Mentions
Additional Speaking Engagements
- “Former Solebury detective forfeits pension,” The Intelligencer, Bucks Co., Mar. 2016
- “Breaking Down Ezekiel Elliott’s Ongoing Problem With the NFL,” Quoted in Dallas Observer, Nov. 2016
- “Attorney denies Bensalem officials invoked 5th Amendment in lawsuit,” Bucks County Courier Times, Mar. 2014
- “Full out Septa Strike is Possible,” Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar. 2014
- “In a Labor Dispute? Then Threaten Away!” Philadelphia Daily News, Feb. 2014
- “’Hard Hitting’ attorney tapped to negotiate with security guards,” Bucks County Courier Times, Jun. 2012
- “Loan to Radnor Official Disputed,” Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar. 2009
- “Radnor Ex-Manager in Court,” Delaware County Times, Dec. 2009
- “$15 Million Jury Award for Business Defamation,” Bucks County Courier Times, Mar. 1999
- “The $15 million- and $10 million-dollar awards were the 11th and 15th largest reported awards in the State of Pennsylvania in 1999,” The Philadelphia Legal Intelligencer
- “Mayor's Scheme Hits Roadblock – An Honest Lawyer,” Bucks County Courier Times, Nov. 1998
- “Township Wins Back $10 Million in Pension Funds,” Bucks County Courier Times
ARTICLES
- "Disciplining Employees for Comments About Work on Social Media," Author, Offit Kurman Legal Blog, Apr. 2015
- "A New 'Bright Line' FMLA Test by The Third Circuit," Co-author, Offit Kurman Legal Blog, Jul. 2015
- "Background Checks: Fertile Employment Litigation Ground. What Is an Employer to Do?" Co-author, Offit Kurman Legal Blog, Dec. 2015
- "Steering Clear of Employment Lawsuits" Co-author, Pennsylvania Borough News Magazine, Mar. 2004
PRESENTATIONS
- “Employment Agreements: Best Practices for Enforcement and Avoiding Litigation,” Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2024
- “The Heart & Lung Act: What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You,” Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2024
- “Fair Labor Standards Act Overhaul: Are You Paying Correctly?” Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2023
- "Police Officer Background Disclosure: How, When, Why," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2022
- "Understanding Sick Leave During a Global Pandemic," Speaker, The Employment Review, May 2021
- "Free Speech Can be Costly," Speaker/ Presenter, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2021
Additional Presentations
- "The Heart & Lung Act: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2019
- "Defense Unplugged," Speaker, Delaware Valley Workers' Compensation Trust Annual Injury & Claim Prevention Update, Horsham, PA, Nov. 2017
- "Legal Cannabis: Work & Weed- A Highly Thorny Situation for Employers," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2017
- "Working with Millennials: Social Media, Tattoos, and Piercings," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2016
- Lehigh Valley Municipal Managers Association, Speaker, Oct. 2015
- "Recent Labor Issues," Speaker, Pennsylvania Chief’s Association Annual Conference, Valley Forge, PA, Jul. 2014
- "Act 111 Issues," Webinar Presenter, Jun. 10, 2014, Government Financial Officers Association of Pennsylvania (“GFOA-PA”), Apr. 2014
- "A Discussion of Important Legal Issues and Tactics Facing Townships Today," Speaker, PSATS Solicitor's Conference, Enola/ Harrisburg, PA Nov. 2013
- "Municipal Liability Issues," Speaker, PSATS Solicitor’s Conference, Oct. 2013
- "A Discussion of Vance V. Ball State for purposes of a discrimination claim," Speaker/Presenter, Bucks County Bar Assoc. CLE, Federal Court’s Section, Dec. 2013
- "Act III Arbitration, Can You Afford Not to Go," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2013
- "Act 111 Issues," Chair & Speaker, Government Financial Officers Assoc. of Pennsylvania, Uwchlan Township, Mar, 2013 PA
- "Making Discipline Stick," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Hershey, PA, Apr. 2013
- "Contracts and Imposition of Discipline," Sole Presenter, Lancaster Co. Chiefs of Police Assoc., Mar. 2013
- Speaker, Montgomery Co. Chiefs of Police Assoc., Oct. 2012
- "Educating New Arbitrators," Speaker, American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) and National Academy of Arbitrators (“NAA”), Philadelphia, PA, Jul. 2012
- "Municipal Labor Law Issues," Speaker & Lead Narrator, Archer & Greiner, P.C. Labor Law Seminar, Bensalem, PA, 2011
- "Pennsylvania Heart & Lung Act," Speaker, Lancaster Co. Chiefs of Police Assoc., 2011
- "Contracts and Pennsylvania Heart & Lung Act," Speaker, Bucks Co. Chiefs of Police Assoc. on Police Chief Employment, 2011
- "Municipal Liability Issues," Speaker, PSATS Conference, Enola, PA, 2009
- "Federal Court Employment Evidentiary Issues," Speaker, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (“PBI”), 2008
- "Municipal Liability Employee Issues- the Police Tenure Act Speaker," Speaker, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Solicitors (“PSATS”) Solicitor’s Conference, Hershey, PA, 2008
- "Municipal Labor Law Issues,” Speaker, Bucks Co. Bar Assoc., 2004
- "The Police Tenure Act, Due Process, Loudermill/ Weingarten Rights," Speaker, Chester Co. Chiefs of Police Assoc., 1995