Mr John Barry > Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

The Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP employment practice group advises a range of clients, including financial advisors and lenders, large retailers, and consultancies in a wide range of US and international employment counseling issues. Over the past twelve months, the practice has worked on a variety of workplace investigations and provided clients with counseling on various trade secrets engagements and discrimination claims. In New York, John Barry heads the practice with strong experience in conducting internal inquiries and providing counsel on matters arising from executive terminations, hiring senior executives from competitors, and claims of discrimination. In Boston, Rebecca Sivitz, promoted to partner in January 2024, is well versed in advising clients regarding labor relations strategies, restrictive covenant and trade secret matters, and other employment-related matters. The Boston office is also strengthened by the arrival of Peter Mee from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in November 2023. Mee will advise clients, particularly private equity sponsors, on employment-related issues which arise from national and international corporate transactions.

The New York-based group at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP boasts a varied offering that includes trade secrets and restrictive covenant litigation, discrimination claims, and wage and hour mandates. Another pillar of practice is the handling of claims of misconduct against C-Suite executives and litigation arising from corporate transactions and restructurings. At the helm of the practice, New York-based employment all-rounder John Barry specializes in disputes emerging from executive terminations, mass exoduses, and discrimination and harassment claims. Over in Boston, Peter Mee joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in November 2023. Also in Boston, Rebecca Sivitz made partner in January 2024 and has knowledge of executive disputes, investigations, and complex union matters. New York-based counsel Celine Chan focuses on employment-oriented investigations. Gary Friedman left the firm in February 2024.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP‘s trade secrets cohort is well-placed to assist its clients in the array of matters; its workload is formed in large part of assisting in the enforcement of and defense against employee non-solicits, no-hires and NDAs, as well as in assisting in disputes pertaining to alleged misappropriation. Team head John Barry is based in New York and is a renowned name in the employment field and an experienced litigator in trade secret cases. Further, counsel Celine Chan, Rebecca Sivitz and associate Lauren Kelly are names to note for their employment capabilities; all work between the New York and Boston hubs. On the West Coast, San Francisco’s Bambo Obaro is the standout attorney, with experience defending against and obtaining emergency remedies in trade secret cases. Team changes include the departure of Paul Genender, formerly at the Dallas office, who left for Paul Hastings LLP in September 2023, the departure of Gary Friedman who left the New York office to join Seyfarth Shaw LLP in February 2024, and the departure of Patrick O’Toole, formerly at the Boston office, who left to Kirkland & Ellis LLP, the same firm from which Peter Mee joined the New York office in November 2023.