John R. Richards

John Richards is Co-Chair of GT’s Global Labor & Employment Practice and Global Chair of the firm’s Retail Industry Practice-ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA Nationwide every year since 2007.

From manufacturers and wholesalers to retailers of luxury fashion and accessories, clothing, and athletic apparel, to cosmetics, food and beverage items, and everyday household goods (collectively “Retail”), John is an established player in the Retail Industry and represents the full range of companies in the Retail supply chain. Companies turn to John to address their legal needs-cross-border and cross-practice-including designing and implementing compliance programs; responding to enforcement actions, and managing their litigation.

Within GT’s Labor & Employment Practice, John drives partnerships with clients to manage employment/HR compliance and mitigate legal risk by preparing employment-related agreements and workplace policies suitable for use across applicable jurisdictions; translating those policies into practice through audience-specific operating guides and job aides; auditing company policies, practices, and classifications; and presenting highly tailored, dynamic training sessions to virtually every type of employer audience from the executive and leadership level to rank and file employees.

Concentrations

•Retail Industry relationship management
•Designing and implementing workplace compliance programs
•Employment/HR compliance and workplace counseling
•Wage & Hour compliance
•Talent and brand employment protection
•Respectful workforce training
•Workplace investigations
•Global mobility and compliance management
•Restaurant Industry

Judicial Clerkships

•Hon. Gregory L. Frost, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, Lawdragon, 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2026
•Listed, Law360, “Rising Stars,” Employment, 2020
•Listed, Benchmark Litigation, “Future Stars,” 2026
•Listed, Benchmark Litigation, “Labor & Employment Star,” 2019-2024
•Listed, “40 Best LGBT Attorneys Under 40,” National LGBT Bar Association
•Listed, ABA “On the Rise: Top 40 Young Lawyers,” 2017
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States
•Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024-2025
•Labor and Employment: Labor and Employment Disputes: Defense, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021
•Team Member, The Daily Report’s “Georgia Labor & Employment Litigation Department of the Year,” 2017
•Team Member, The American Lawyer’s “Regional Litigation Department of the Year - Georgia,” 2018 and 2021
•Team Member, The National Law Journal, “Litigation Department of the Year,” Labor and Employment, 2014
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2017-2021
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Washington D.C. Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2013-2016
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2009-2012