John M. Godwin

John focuses his practice on management-side labor and employment law as well as employment tax law. He assists employers with wage and hour matters arising under federal, state, and local laws, including audits and class and collective actions, all aspects of employee-versus-independent-contractor classification, as well as federal and state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act compliance planning and litigation.

John also assists employers with compliance issues and the defense of claims arising under numerous labor and employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), New York Paid Family Leave (PFL), the equal employment opportunity laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York Human Rights Law, and other corresponding state and local laws. In addition, he regularly advises clients regarding restrictive covenants, commission and incentive compensation plans, paid time off obligations, employment policies and practices, discipline and discharge matters, workers’ compensation coverage and premium issues, and unemployment insurance audits and appeals.

• Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Employment and Labor) 2013 - 2018, 2022
• Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award for outstanding appellate advocacy
• National Order of Barristers for excellence in oral advocacy
• Best Brief Award, American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition
• Brooklyn Regional competitor and quarterfinalist, Herbert Wechsler National Criminal Law Moot Court Competition
• Best Oralist Award, Charles S. Desmond Memorial Moot Court Competition
• Former publications editor and former associate editor, Buffalo Law Review
• University at Buffalo Robert L. Stern Prize for top undergraduate thesis in political science
• Phi Beta Kappa

• Founding member, Buffalo Law Review alumni board of consultants

• American Bar Association

• New York State Bar Association