Position: Of Counsel
Practice Areas:
- Defense of Employment Discrimination Claims
- Education Law
- Labor & Employment Law (Management)
Contact
Address:
Cross Creek Pointe
1065 Highway 315, Suite 200
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
PH: 570-826-5678
FX: 570-826-5640
Email
Download VCard
Assistant’s Name:
Jaden Perrillo
Email Assistant
Mr. Valentine is one of the area’s leading labor and employment lawyers who strictly represents employers.
For over 40 years, Mr. Valentine’s clients have come from the public sector and a wide range of industries including automotive, higher education, construction, gaming and manufacturing. Mr. Valentine counsels clients on any number of workplace issues that may arise and on ways to have a productive and positive workforce. A substantial portion of Mr. Valentine’s practice is spent defending employers against discrimination complaints before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In the labor area, Mr. Valentine represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board and Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board in defense of unfair labor practice charges, in union organizing matters, in collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, interest arbitration (Act 111 and Act 195), wage and hour investigations, and FMLA and unemployment compensation matters. A past chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Mr. Valentine is a magna cum laude graduate of King’s College. He received his law degree from Dickinson School of Law.
In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Mr. Valentine was selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list in the field of Employment and Labor Law. Selection to Super Lawyers is limited to no more than 5% of the lawyers in Pennsylvania.
Representative Matters
- Regularly negotiates collective bargaining agreements for public and private sector employers
- Represents municipal governments in labor relations matters, including grievance and interest arbitrations
- Conducts training for employers on the topics of harassment, FMLA, and discrimination
- Counsels and advises employers on reductions-in-force, including WARN Act issues
- Negotiation and drafting of separation agreements
- Successfully represented employers before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in defense of age, race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, and sexual harassment discrimination complaints.
Education
King’s College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1977)
Dickinson School of Law (J.D., 1980)
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Industry Experience
- Architecture/Engineering
- Automotive
- Colleges & Universities
- Construction
- Distribution
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Franchise & Distribution
- Gaming
- Healthcare, including hospitals, nursing homes and physician practices
- Hospitality
- Insurance
- Manufacturing & Industrials
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Public Sector (County, City, Borough, and Township governments)
- Retail Supermarkets
- Software & Information Technology
- Telecommunications
- Transportation
Presentations/Publications
- On October 14, 2021, Jim Valentine made a virtual presentation on the subject of “Hot Topics in Labor & Employment Law” to human resources professionals at the Northeast PA Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management 2021 Legal Update. Jim discussed recent decisions of federal and state courts on the subject of medical marijuana and the workplace.
- On February 16, 2021, Jim Valentine made a virtual presentation to human resources professionals for the Northeast PA Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management on the topic of “Disciplining Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
- On April 11, 2019, Jim Valentine made a presentation to approximately 80 human resources professionals at the Northeast PA Society for Human Resource Management Professional Development Seminar, which was held at the Woodlands Inn & Resort. Jim presented on the topic of “The Legal Landscape – What’s Ahead for HR in 2019.”
- On Thursday, September 13, 2018, Jim Valentine, Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group, along with Kimberly Wylam of Baker Tilly Vantagen, made presentations to regional family-owned businesses at Penn State Scranton and Wilkes University on the topic of Sexual Harassment Awareness: Myths & Reality. This seminar was sponsored by the Family Business Alliance of Wilkes University/Penn State Scranton. Specific matters covered in the presentations included: What is unlawful sexual harassment; what are the ramifications of the #METOO environment; and, what is the impact of social media and millennial attitudes in the workplace?
- On April 12, 2018, Jim Valentine made two presentations to human resources professionals at the Northeast PA Society for Human Resource Management Professional Development Seminar, which was held at the Woodlands Inn & Resort. Jim presented on the topics of “The Legal Landscape – What’s Ahead for HR in 2018?” and “Bullying in the Workplace.”
- On March 2, 2018, Jim Valentine made a presentation to human resources professionals on behalf of the Pennsylvania CareerLink (Luzerne County). Jim’s presentation, held at the Courtyard by Marriott Wilkes-Barre Arena, was on the topic of “Transgender Issues in the Workplace.”
- On April 13, 2017, Jim Valentine presented at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (NEPA Chapter) Professional Development Seminar held at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Jim presented on the topic of “The Trump Presidency and its Impact Upon Labor and Employment Law: Expectations and Speculations.”
- On March 3, 2017, Jim Valentine presented at a Pennsylvania CareerLink (Luzerne County) workshop at the Wilkes-Barre Campus of McCann School of Business on the topic of “Personnel Policies, Employee Handbooks and the National Labor Relations Board.” On June 2, 2016, Jim presented on the same topic at the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce 11th Annual Human Resources Seminar.
- On November 4, 2016, Jim Valentine presented at a Pennsylvania CareerLink (Luzerne County) workshop at the Wilkes-Barre Campus of McCann School of Business on the topic of “Conducting Background Checks Thoroughly and Legally.”
- On May 6, 2014, James P. Valentine, Partner in the Litigation Department, and Chairman of the Labor & Employment Law Practice Group, presented at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (NEPA Chapter) Professional Development Seminar. Jim presented on the topic of “The Personal Liability of the Human Resources Professional.” Jim presented on the same topic on June 5, 2014 at the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce 9th Annual Human Resources Half Day Seminar at the Hazleton Campus of Luzerne County Community College.
- Public Sector Bargaining Conference: Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation and Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (March, 2012)
- Contributor to Arbitration and Mediation in Labor Law: American and Polish Experience (2005)
International Presentations:
- Mr. Valentine has presented at conferences held at the Catholic University of Lublin in Lublin, Poland, speaking on the subject of “Arbitration and Mediation in American Labor Law – An Introduction.” Mr. Valentine was also invited to speak at an Alternative Dispute Resolution conference at the University of Warsaw, Poland, and presented on the subject of “Collaborative Law and Cooperative Law As Methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution: Alternatives to the Alternatives.”
Honors
AV® Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell — This rating attests to a lawyer’s legal ability and professional ethics, and reflects the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary. The AV® rating is a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for those practicing law for more than 10 years.
Pennsylvania Super Lawyer – Selected as a 2020, 2021, and 2022 Super Lawyer in the field of Employment and Labor Law.
Professional Community Activities
- Pennsylvania Bar Association – Board of Governors (2019-2022)
- Pennsylvania Bar Association — Labor & Employment Law Section (Served as Chair of the Section in 2005–2006; Current Section Council Member)
- Pennsylvania Bar Association — House of Delegates (2009–present)
- Luzerne County Bar Association (Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association) — Member of the Association’s Executive Committee (2012–2014)
- National Association of College and University Attorneys — Member
- King’s College — President’s Council