William P. Perkins

Mr. Perkins is a partner in Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s New York office where he advises clients on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters, including all forms of discrimination and harassment claims, reductions-in-force, wage and hour claims, contract negotiations, affirmative action plan design and compliance review defense, executive employment contracts, FMLA issues, day-to-day advice and counsel as well as human resources policies. He regularly represents clients before federal and state administrative agencies, arbitrators, mediators and in the courts.

Prior to joining Seyfarth Shaw, Mr. Perkins practiced labor and employment law as a partner at two major New York law firms and served as General Attorney at both the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. and Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. with responsibility for labor and employment law matters.

Mr. Perkins is the editor of the HR Manual for New York Employers, American Chamber of Commerce Resources, 2005; and co-editor of The FLSA and its Updated Exempt Status Regulations, Society for Human Resource Management and Seyfarth Shaw LLP, 2004; and Understanding the FMLA, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, 2003. He is the co-author of the book Guide to Employee Recruitment & Hiring, Warren, Gorham & Lamont, 1996; and the articles “Mayor Continues to Oppose Equal Benefits Law”, New York Law Journal, December 20, 2004; “A Closer look at the Exempt Duties Test," New York Law Journal, August 30, 2004; “‘Garrett’ Nixed ADA Damage Suits Versus States,” New York Law Journal, Apr. 6, 2001; “‘Toyota’ Makes It A Bumpy Ride for ADA Plaintiffs,” New York Law Journal, Mar. 19, 2002; and “Seniority Systems Trump Americans With Disabilities Act,” New York Law Journal, July 29, 2002. Mr. Perkins is also the author of Everything You Wanted To Know About Wage and Hour Investigations, HR Advisor, Warren, Gorham & Lamont, March/April 1997; and “A Plant Closing Primer,” ALI-ABA Course Materials Journal, October 1988.

Mr. Perkins is a frequent speaker at various conferences and seminars on labor and employment law topics and has been a guest lecturer at a number of colleges and universities. He is an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University's School of Industrial & Labor Relations Human Resources Program. He has a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review rating of “A/V Preeminent”. Since 2009, Mr. Perkins has been listed by Legal 500 as a "Leading Lawyers" in the area of Workplace and Employment Law Counseling, and in 2013 and 2014 he was one of only five attorneys in the United States to receive that ranking. Mr. Perkins has been endorsed employment lawyer by the Labour and Employee Benefits Multi-Jurisdictional Guide and in 2014 he was listed as a Super Lawyer.

Good to know

Areas of Practice 1) Workplace Policies and Handbooks, 2) Workplace Counseling & Solutions, 3) OFCCP & Affirmative Action Compliance, 4) Labor & Employment, 5) Labor & Employee Relations, 6) Hospitality, 7) Employment Litigation and 8) Absence Management & Accommodations
Law School Western New England College School of Law (J.D., 1980)
Education Marietta College (B.S., 1967)
Bar Member / Association Massachusetts State Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Connecticut State Bar Association
Most recent firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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