Brian D. Pedrow

Partner

Philadelphia

Tel 215.864.8108
Fax 215.864.9766

Brian D. Pedrow represents employers and management in the full scope of matters related to employment, labor, and employee benefit disputes. Brian's practice includes all facets of employment-related litigation, such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, and employment-based torts.

He also has a significant practice representing benefit plans, fiduciaries, and plan sponsors in Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation arising from benefits eligibility disputes, breach of fiduciary litigation, and interference with benefits claims.

Services

Experience

Representative Matters

Public Sector Labor Law

Labor counsel to three Pennsylvania gubernatorial administrations, including Governors Edward G. Rendell, Thomas Corbett, and Tom Wolf, conducting labor negotiations and interest arbitrations and wage and hour litigation
Labor counsel to the City of Philadelphia during the Rendell and Street Administrations
Counsel to SEPTA in seven rounds of labor negotiations with the Transport Workers Union, and in other labor and employment-related matters
Counsel to the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities

Private Sector Labor Law

Represents a wide variety of employers in private-sector labor matters, such as labor negotiations, unfair labor practice proceedings, and labor arbitrations; serves as labor counsel to Comcast-Spectacor and Global Spectrum

Served as labor counsel to the Democratic National Convention Committee and Philadelphia Host Committee for the 2016 DNC Convention in Philadelphia and to Philadelphia 2000, the host committee for the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia in 2000
Mediated and drafted the labor cooperation agreement for the trades unions at the Pennsylvania Convention Center

Employee Benefits Litigation

Served as national coordinating counsel on all benefits litigation nationwide for a Fortune 2016 Global 500 company, litigating cases in various appellate circuits around the country
Represented Group Health Association of America in a lawsuit challenging state regulation of employee benefit plans
Litigated and won the first filed case in the country involving ERISA's amended anti-cutback rule

Diversity & Inclusion

D&I counsel to Comcast Corporation in connection with FCC approval of the NBCUniversal acquisition; negotiated memoranda of agreement with leading civil rights organizations
Conducts D&I gap assessments and advises on design and implementation of D&I programs, including in connection with the Dodd-Frank Act diversity standards

Accessibility

Advises clients on compliance with public accommodation and accessibility laws, including Title III of the ADA
Represents clients in connection with litigation involving accessibility issues, including the testing industry
Designs policies and procedures governing accessibility

Transactional and Regulatory Work

Advises employers on employment aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions
Assists with the design and implementation of reductions in force, including layoff notices, separation agreements, informational disclosures, and compliance with the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)
Serves as counsel to boards of directors and compensation committees regarding executive compensation issues
Drafts agreements governing the employment relationship, including employment agreements, noncompete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements, and independent contractor agreements
Reviews employment policies and procedures, including complete employee handbook and manual reviews
Creates employee leave programs encompassing FMLA, sick leave, and short- and long-term disability leave, and advises on compliance with paid and unpaid leave laws at the federal, state, and local levels
Represents employers in audits and litigation with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and assists with affirmative action plan preparation and related compensation audits
Conducts workplace investigations in connection with complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation, as well as wage and hour audits

Advice and Training

Provides day-to-day advice to clients
Provides all manner of management and workforce training, covering such issues as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, ADA compliance, managing attendance under the FMLA and other leave laws, NLRA issues, among others
Frequent speaker at public programs, including the Association of Test Publishers (ATP), the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI), the Public Employer Labor Relations Advisory Services (PELRAS), and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapters
Guest lecturer at area law schools and universities on labor and employment law topics, including Rosemont College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, and Villanova University

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

Brian oversees the SOAR disability benefits program at Ballard Spahr in connection with the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP), representing homeless veterans seeking Social Security benefits. He also serves as counsel to the Mural Arts Advocates, assisting with labor and employment matters, such as artists' contracts.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Chambers USA, labor and employment, (Pennsylvania), 2007-2024

The Best Lawyers in America, labor law - management and employment law - management (Philadelphia), 2008-2025

Legal 500, Labor and employment - Labor-management relations, 2022-2024

Benchmark Litigation, "Labor & Employment Star," Labor and Employment, 2019-2024

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "HR Collaboration: The Business & The Law," 2024 Ballard Spahr SEPA SHRM HR Legal Summit, September 19, 2024

Speaker, Vaccines in the Workplace: To Mandate or Not to Mandate, Ballard Spahr podcast, December 4, 2020

Co-Presenter, "I Won’t Come to Work! Legal and Practical Guidance for Employers Facing Accommodation Requests During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Ballard Spahr CLE for Free webinar, August 13, 2020

Presenter, "Blurred Lines Between Work and Play: Employer Regulation of Off-Duty Conduct," Pennsylvania Bar Institute Employment Law Institute 2020, July 23, 2020

Co-Presenter, "Resuming Workplace Operations: The Long March Back from Pandemic Isolation," Ballard Spahr webinar, May 11, 2020

Moderator, "Let the Lawsuits Begin: Employers Already Are Being Sued Over COVID-19 Issues," Ballard Spahr webinar, April 24, 2020

Presenter, "GPBCH Employer’s Forum - Q&A with the Experts: A COVID-19 Update," Ballard Spahr webinar, April 16, 2020

Presenter, "U.S. Immigration Compliance During COVID-19," Ballard Spahr webinar, April 9, 2020

Presenter, "Paid Leave and Other Legal Considerations for the COVID-19 Pandemic," Ballard Spahr webinar, April 2, 2020

Presenter, "Furloughs, Layoffs, and Related Employment and Benefits Issues," Ballard Spahr webinar, March 26, 2020

Presenter, "COVID-19: The 10 Most Critical Questions Being Asked by Employers," Ballard Spahr webinar, March 19, 2020

Speaker, "The Employer's FMLA Toolkit: Managing Leave Abuse and Misuse in 2020," One HR Conference, Harrisburg, PA, March 4, 2020

"How #MeToo and Pay Equity News is Changing the Legal Landscape for Employers" and "Employee Leave: Navigating the Interplay Between the ADA and the FMLA," Minneapolis Fall Employment Law Seminar, Ballard Spahr event, October 10, 2018

Speaker, "Collaborative Partnerships: HR, the Business, and the Law," 2018 Ballard Spahr SEPA SHRM HR Legal Summit, September 14, 2018

Faculty member, professional certification in human resources management courses sponsored by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Villanova University

Regular participant in annual Employment Law Institute sponsored by Pennsylvania Bar Institute

Planner and annual presenter, Ballard Spahr's Briefing Series on labor and employment topics

Planner and annual presenter, Society for Human Resource Management, Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter (SEPA SHRM) and Ballard Spahr HR Legal Summit

Planner and host of the Public Employer HR Roundtable

Speaker, "Diversity and Inclusion: Taking Your Program to the Next Level," Ballard Spahr's Seventh Annual SLC Fall Employment Law Seminar, November 1, 2017

"Collaborative Partnerships: HR, the Business, and the Law," 2017 Ballard Spahr SEPA SHRM HR Legal Summit, September 14, 2017

"Diversity and Inclusion Programs in the Financial Services Industry," American Bankers Association, January 23, 2017

"Developing a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy," Ballard Spahr CLE, Philadelphia, January 12, 2017

"The Year in Review: Key Developments and New Issues," 2016 Ballard Spahr SEPA SHRM HR Legal Summit, September 9, 2016

"Diversity Issues in Higher Education," Ballard Spahr webinar, April 19, 2016

"Accommodating Test Takers: Hot Developments, Case Studies, and Practical Tips," The Association of Test Publishers, Innovations in Testing, March 22, 2016

"Kick Off: Hot Topics in Higher Education Webinar Series," Ballard Spahr webinar, December 9, 2015

"Complying with the Final Diversity and Inclusion Standards," Ballard Spahr webinar, July 15, 2015

"Attention Publicly Traded Companies: Dodd-Frank's Diversity & Inclusion Standards Want You! (More Than Just Financial Institutions)," Philadelphia Bar Institute, 21st Annual Employment Law Institute, April 28, 2015

"HR Developments That Impact Business Operations," 2015 HR Legal Summit: Labor and Employment Law Compliance for Today's HR Professional, Ballard Spahr and SEPA SHRM conference, September 11, 2015

"HR Developments That Impact Business Operations," 2014 HR Legal Summit: Labor and Employment Law Compliance for Today's HR Professional, Ballard Spahr and SEPA SHRM conference, September 12, 2014

"HR Developments That Impact Business Operations," 2013 HR Legal Summit: Labor and Employment Law Compliance for Today's HR Professional, Ballard Spahr and SEPA SHRM conference, September 20, 2013

"#disTracted! Driving: Legal Liability and Preventive Measures for Employers," Ballard Spahr webinar, May 14, 2013

Course Planner, "The Family and Medical Leave Act, One Year After the Regs," Pennsylvania Bar Institute program and webcast, December 2009 – January 2010

Board Memberships & Community Service

President, Society for Human Resource Management, Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter (SEPA SHRM)

Member, Homeless Advocacy Project Board, Philadelphia, PA

Volunteer, Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP): Oversees SOAR disability benefits program and participates in legal intake clinic at adopted homeless shelter

Volunteer, Comcast Cares Day: Annually leads a team of volunteers to conduct a food drive for and conduct a workday at the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission homeless shelter

Volunteer, Surrey Services for Seniors: Provides transportation and in-home services to senior citizens in Chester County, Pennsylvania

Related Insights

Credentials

Education

Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 1988)
Managing Editor, Law & Policy in International Business; Recipient, honors as Law Fellow and Lawyers Cooperative Academic Achievement Award in Constitutional Law

Dickinson College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1985)
Double major in Spanish and psychology with a certificate in Latin American studies

Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit