Richard H. Block is a partner in Barton’s labor and employment practice. Dick routinely represents management clients in collective bargaining negotiations and complex employment litigation. He regularly conducts human resource investigations, discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, and contract litigations. Dick represents both companies and executives in the negotiation of employment, equity, and severance agreements. He advises and trains clients on employment and labor issues including sexual harassment prevention, personnel policies, employee discipline, layoffs, equity and compensation arrangements, independent contractor matters, disability and leave issues, employee handbooks, and a broad range of collective bargaining matters.

Nationally recognized within the labor and employment field, Dick’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, insurance companies, entertainment companies, cultural and nonprofit institutions, real estate firms, and healthcare organizations.

Dick has earned recognition by Chambers USA, the foremost legal data and analytics provider that ranks the top lawyers and law firms in America, as a leading practitioner in Labor & Employment and Labor Relations. Dick is described in Chambers as “an exceptionally valuable resource;” “his responsiveness and attentiveness leaves us feeling as if we are his only client; and “he demonstrates a great breadth of knowledge and expertise and he is a pleasure to work with.” He has an “AV Preeminent” peer review rating in Martindale, the highest rating in the legal profession for professional excellence and ethical standards, and has also consistently been selected to Super Lawyers in Thomson Reuter’s annual survey of the top 5% of lawyers in the New York Metro Area, 2012 to present.

Dick is a frequent lecturer who has spoken in front of such entities as American Express Tax and Business Services, Inc., the Institute of Management and Administration, the Investment and Financial Services Association, the University of Pennsylvania, New York University’s Annual Conference on Labor, and the New York City Bar.

Prior to joining Barton, Dick was a partner in the New York office of Am Law 100 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo, PC.

Education

  • Hofstra University, J.D.
  • Princeton University, B.A.

Admissions

  • State of New York

Memberships

  • American Bar Association, Member
  • CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, Member
  • Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Member
  • Partridge-Invitation Scholarship Foundation, President
  • The Princeton Club of New York City
    •   President
    •   Member, Board of Governors
  • Past Member, Board of Community Access for the Mentally Ill Homeless
  • Past Member, the New York Board of the Simon Wiesenthal Tolerance Center
  • Past Member, Princeton University Alumni Advisory Council for Human Resource

 

Practices

  • Executive Compensation and Separation
  • Labor, Employment and Executive Compensation
  • Labor and Employment Disputes

 

Industry Experience

  • Entertainment
  • Finance
  • Food and Hospitality
  • Healthcare
  • Real Estate

Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America
    • Labor Law, Management – 2016 to present Litigation, Labor & Employment – 2005 to present
    • Employment Law, Management – 2012 to present
  • The Best in the U.S. (2008)
  • Chambers USA
    • Labor & Employment – New York
    • Labor Relations – New York
  • Selected to Super Lawyers New York Metro 2007-2009, 2012 to present
  • Martindale-Hubbell: 2021 Top Rated Lawyer
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
  • Named as a Top 10 Leading Labor & Employment Lawyer in New York by Business Today