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Our Team Robert W. Small

Robert W. Small is a partner in the firm’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office and for more than three decades, Bob has advised employers and employees in employment and labor law.

He focuses his practice on:

  • Employment agreements
  • Restrictive covenants
  • Protection of trade secrets
  • Wrongful termination
  • Discrimination
  • Wage and hour matters
  • Department of Labor audits
  • Defending litigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Bob has a reputation for responsiveness and answers all communications promptly. His deep understanding of business processes and operations allows him to offer solutions best suited to surpassing his client’s expectations. He takes the time to discuss the costs and benefits of each option.

Bob embodies the highest standards of integrity and ethics. He is acutely mindful of maintaining working relationships between employees and managers and understands these ongoing relationships are critical to everyone’s future success.

Bob has decades of experience drafting and enforcing employment agreements and contracts that protect confidential business information and restrict unlawful competition.

Bob handles a wide variety of employment matters:

  • Confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation, and other restrictive covenant agreements
  • Discrimination and harassment claims
  • Employer audits
  • Employer policies, including employee manuals and handbooks
  • Employment and compensation agreements
  • Employment and contract litigation
  • Hiring, firing, and disciplining employees
  • Separation agreements
  • Unfair competition
  • Wrongful discharge and at-will disputes

Commercial litigation experience:

Bob has a wealth of experience as a commercial litigation attorney and is one of the foremost members of the firm’s Commercial Litigation team. He serves as outside counsel to a range of clients, from small businesses to corporations with an international footprint. Bob handles a broad spectrum of commercial disputes, including contractual matters to misappropriation of trade secret issues.

Clients approach Bob for his depth of experience resolving matters out of court in practical ways that achieve his clients’ business goals and for his track record of success at trial in state and federal courts. He is a comprehensive resource for his clients in commercial litigation matters involving a range of industries, jurisdictions, and areas of law. He is sought after for his ability to distill matters into their basic elements to understand his client’s legal issues in the context of the business landscape in which they operate and how legal issues impact their business concerns.

Commercial litigation experience:

  • Banking and lender liability
  • Breach of contract
  • Class actions across industries
  • Commercial contractor disputes
  • Consumer fraud and unfair business practices
  • Defamation
  • Financial fraud
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Professional liability for a range of professional services providers
  • Shareholder disputes
  • Structured finance
  • Unfair competition, including trade secrets and non-compete agreements

In his personal time, Bob enjoys playing golf and watching classic films.

New York Expected to Prohibit Non-Compete Agreements

Our Employer clients who have New York employees or independent contractors need to be aware that New York has enacted a new Bill that will render unenforceable non-compete agreements entered into after the effective…
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Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

In six (6) days the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will become effective which will create new obligations (and new liability) for Employers with 15 or more employees. Pregnancy itself is not…
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Fair Credit Reporting Act and Employee Background Checks

A recent case out of the 9th Circuit under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) makes it appropriate for Employers to carefully examine their procedures when conducting employment background checks. Background checks…
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Payroll News for Pennsylvania Employers and Employees

An important development for Pennsylvania Employers. Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that employers could not make wage payments to their employees via mandatory payroll debit cards. Partially in response…
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Department of Labor Overtime Rules Enjoined

Last week, a federal District Court Judge entered an injunction blocking the implementation of Department of Labor (DOL) Regulations that would have significantly increased labor costs for thousands of Employers. The Regulations…
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New Minimum Wage Rule Finally Announced

After months of delay and speculation, the Department of Labor recently issued its final rulemaking with regard to what employees are covered by the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair…
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New Bill Could Mean New Jersey Wage News

UPDATED (May 3, 2016): On Monday, May 2, 2016 Governor Chris Christie vetoed the bill, barring gender-based pay discrimination. Governor Christie stated that it would go beyond federal standards and make New…
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Employment Law Update: March 2016

Trying to Avoid the High Cost of Healthcare Under the Affordable Care Act by Reducing Hours Worked Might be Costly. As you probably know, employers with 50 or more full time or…
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Pennsylvania Employers: How Are You Paying Employees?

The Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Act requires employers to pay employees in “lawful money of the United States” or by “check.” [“Check” is defined to include direct deposit to an employee’s…
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Delaware’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Last September, Delaware enacted a law (the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act), which outlawed employment discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions. The law has now gone into effect and Delaware employers, in…
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What Employers Need to Know About the DOMA Ruling

Earlier this year the United States Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S.___, 133 S.Ct. 2675 (2013), declared a major provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (known as “DOMA”) unconstitutional.…
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BYOD Policies: Scary Liabilities For the Uninformed Employer

Robert W. Small, Partner in Reger Rizzo & Darnall’s Employment Practices Group, authored an article for Sidebar Magazine entitled, BYOD Policies…Scary Liabilities For the Uninformed Employer. You can read the full article online here.
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