Robert Shea > Beck Reed Riden LLP > Boston, United States > Lawyer Profile

Robert Shea

617-500-8660 rshea@beckreed.com

Position

Partner

Career

Bob Shea is a labor and employment lawyer who has represented and advised clients on workplace matters for over 35 years.  He represents clients before federal and state courts and administrative agencies in cases involving claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower claims, wrongful discharge, breach of employment/noncompetition agreements, worker misclassification, and wage-hour violations.  This representation includes handling cases before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board.  Bob has served as an advocate for clients in employment litigation matters before courts and agencies in ten states across the United States.

Bob’s work also includes counseling clients on discipline and discharge, discrimination, harassment, wage-hour, pay equity, traditional labor, and non-competition matters.  It includes drafting and negotiating employment agreements, independent contractor agreements and separation agreements, working with employers to develop workplace best practices, including drafting and reviewing employer policies and handbooks, and preparing other important employment documents.  He regularly coaches and assists HR professionals in addressing difficult workplace matters.

Bob also serves as an arbitrator and mediator, engaged by employers and employees to resolve disputes arising in the workplace, including claims involving employment contracts, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and alleged wage and hour violations.  He has served on the American Arbitration Association’s panels of employment law arbitrators and mediators for almost 30 years.  He now also serves on the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution’s panel of distinguished neutrals for employment disputes.

Bob holds an AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.  He is recognized by Best Lawyers in the area of Labor and Employment Law.  He also has been selected as a Massachusetts and New England Super Lawyers in the category of Employment and Labor Law every year since 2006.  He has been selected as one of the Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyers multiple times, including in 2010, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Bob is Past Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association Labor and Employment Section.  He has held many other leadership positions in the Section, including Steering Committee member, ADR Committee Co-Chair, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Newsletter Editor, and Liaison to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.  He is a Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the New England Business Association (“NEBA”), a non-profit organization supporting New England businesses and entrepreneurs through access to capital, education, training, and advocacy.  He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) and previously chaired the NSBA’s Health and Human Resources Committee.