William K. Kennedy
Partner
William K. Kennedy is a partner in Montgomery McCracken's Litigation Department, Vice-Chair of Montgomery McCracken’s Labor and Employment Department, and a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. For his entire career, Bill’s practice has been devoted to representing management in employment-related litigation, legal advice, training, and policy development concerning labor and personnel issues, and labor arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations, and unfair labor practice disputes.
Bill has represented employers in a wide variety of employment litigation, including cases involving allegations of retaliation, harassment, or discrimination based on race, age, gender, national origin, or disability status. Bill has specific trial experience in cases involving Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and First Amendment retaliation. He regularly represents employers in matters involving allegations of trade secret misappropriation and breach of restrictive covenants, and he has represented several employers in wage and hour litigation, including collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Bill regularly counsels employers, conducts training, and assists in policy development concerning labor and personnel issues, including preparing employment contracts and restrictive covenants, planning reduction-in-force programs, and advising employers regarding the labor and personnel implications in mergers, acquisitions, and asset purchases. He has extensive experience conducting harassment investigations and wage and hour investigations.
Bill also represents employers in labor matters, including unfair labor practices, representation matters, and jurisdictional disputes, in labor negotiations and arbitrations, and in negotiating and implementing project labor agreements.
Bill received his J.D., cum laude, from Wake Forest University School of Law, where he was a member of the Wake Forest Law Review and the Order of the Coif. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Wake Forest University.
RELATED Practices
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
Trade Secret and Noncompete Litigation
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Litigation
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1 of 6 Credentials
Selected Representations - Counsel to the Democratic National Convention Committee and Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, negotiated a project labor agreement assisted in the resolution of several labor disputes with representatives of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council and various trades unions covering construction, production, and decorating work related to the 2016 Democratic National Convention
- Represented SEPTA and obtained defense verdicts in two jury trials in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in January and February 2020
Selected Speaking Engagements - Presenter, “Business As Usual? Tips and Advice for Employers as COVID-19 Lockdowns are Lifted,” May 2020
- Presenter, “29th Annual This Year in Nonprofit Law, “November 20, 2019
- Presenter, “Understanding Benefits, Job Offers, and Salary Negotiation,” Jersey Shore Women in Tech, April 2019
- Presenter, “The Impact on the Church of Recent Developments in Employment Law,” The National Catholic Risk Retention Group’s Risk Management and Legal Defense Workshop, November 2018
- Presenter, “Invention Assignments in Employment Agreements,” Association of Corporate Counsel, November 2018
- Presenter, “28th Annual This Year in Nonprofit Law,” November 2018
- Presenter, “Janus, One Year Later,” Labor and Employment Relations Association, November 2018
- Presenter, “Let’s Get Ethical! Navigating the Ethical Issues Associated with Internal Investigations,” Association of Corporate Counsel, April 2018
- Presenter, “2015 ‘Hot Topics’ for Employers,” Philly SHRM, February 2015
- Presenter, “Shrinking Economy, Shrinking Workforce: Reductions in Force and Workforce Reorganizations,” Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, PELRAS Annual Training Conference, March 22, 2012
- Presenter, “Investigating Criminal Employee Conduct,” Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, PELRAS Annual Training Conference, March 22, 2012
- Presenter, “Social Media Nightmares,” Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, PELRAS Annual Training Conference, March 21, 2012
Selected Publications - Mentioned in, “Montgomery McCracken Elects Three New Members to Management Committee; Louis A. Petroni Re-Elected as Chair,” March 2022
- Co-author, “Governor Phil Murphy Signs New LAD Amendment, Expanding New Jersey Age Discrimination Protections,” October 2021
- Noted in, “Best of the Bar 2020: The Philadelphia Business Journal honors 40 top lawyers,” Philadelphia Business Journal, October 2020
- Co-author, “State Governments and Federal Agencies Update Guidance Regarding Workplace Re-Opening,” July 2020
- Co-author, “PA Employers Must Initiate Additional Measures to Protect Employees,” April 2020
- Co-author, “How Employers Should Prepare for the Restart of Business,” April 2020
- Co-author, “U.S. Department of Labor Provides Additional Guidance Regarding Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under the FFCRA,” March 2020
- Co-author, “U.S. Department of Labor Updates its Guidance on FFCRA Paid Leave Provisions,” March 2020
- Co-author, “NJ Supreme Court Ruled that Employers May Be Required to Accommodate Off-Duty Use of Medical Marijuana,” March 2020
- Co-author, “New Guidance Issued by the Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service for Employers Regarding FFCRA Paid Leave and Available Tax Credits,” March 2020
- Co-author, “Labor and Employment Issues and the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” March 2020
- Co-author, “NJ Supreme Court Ruled that Employers May Be Required to Accommodate Off-Duty Use of Medical Marijuana,” March 2020
- Author, “New Jersey Supreme Court Will Review Employer’s Obligation to Accommodate Medical Marijuana Use,” July 2019
- Co-author, “New Jersey Appellate Division Holds That Employer May Have To Provide Accommodation To Licensed Medical Marijuana User,” March 2019.
- Co-author, “United States Supreme Court: Government Employers Cannot Withhold Union Dues from Non-Union Employees,” June 2018.
Honors & Awards - Selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list for 2022. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
- Selected to Philadelphia Business Journal‘s 2020 Best of the Bar: Philadelphia’s Top Lawyers for Employment Litigation.
- Selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for 2005 and 2010-2015. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Education Law School
- Wake Forest University School of Law
Undergraduate School
