Jeffrey A. Dretler

Jeff Dretler is a seasoned litigator and trusted counselor. He has more than twenty years of experience representing employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour issues and the enforcement of non-competition agreements and protection of trade secrets. He also advises employers on day-to-day human resources matters involving leaves of absence, reasonable accommodation, independent contractor law, and conducts workplace investigations and trainings. Jeff prides himself on guiding employers to develop practices that will avoid costly litigation and has the skills and resolve to litigate matters when the situation calls for the employer to take a strong stand.

Jeff’s clients span a range of industries including healthcare, education, financial services, technology, assisted living, transportation, manufacturing, retail, human services, and professional services.

Representative Experience

•Secured preliminary injunction on behalf of a national hygiene products company precluding its former employee from soliciting our client’s customers.
•Won summary judgment on behalf of a hospital and two supervisors where plaintiff R.N.’s had alleged that their terminations from employment for falsification of patient records was motivated by personal animus and constituted defamation and other torts.
•Successfully argued SJC case which established the right of a party to recover attorney’s fees under the anti-SLAPP statute when obtaining a partial dismissal of a claim based upon the movant’s protected petitioning activity.

Some of the representations listed above were handled by Dretler prior to his joining Rubin and Rudman, LLP.

REPORTED CASES

•Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc., 477 Mass. 141 (2017)
•Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc., 89 Mass. App. Ct. 97 (2016)
•Chacon v. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 99 F. Supp. 3d 207 (D. Mass. 2015)
•Craig v. Merrimack Valley Hospital, 45 F. Supp. 3d 137 (D. Mass. 2014)
•Pearson v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, 723 F.3d 36 (1st Cir. 2013)
•Delva v. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc., 72 Mass. App. Ct. 766 (2008)

Recognitions and Awards

•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law - Management, 2018-2020
•Listed, Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Employment Litigation Defense (2013-2018)
•Listed, Super Lawyers, Top 100 Lawyers in Massachusetts (2015)
•fellow, The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers (Inducted 2014)

Community and Professional Involvement

•American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law
•Employer Co-Chair, Revenue & Partnership Development Committee
•Employer Co-Chair, Non-Compete and Trade Secrets Subcommittee, Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR) Committee
•Member, Boston Bar Association
•Member, Northeastern University School of Law Alumni/ae Board

Publications and Speaking

•Co-Author, Drafting Employment Documents in Massachusetts, Chapter 1: “Documenting the Hiring Process” (MCLE , 3d ed. 2015, Supp. 2017 and 2018)
•Speaker, “Workplace Violence Prevention - Best Practices,” Massachusetts Assisted Living Association (Mass-ALA), Annual Conference and Trade Show, Worcester, MA (October 25, 2018)
•Speaker, “Eliminating Bullying from the Healthcare Industry,” American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) 2018 Congress on Healthcare Leadership, Chicago, IL (March 26 & 27, 2018)
•Regional Editor, Employment At Will: A State-by-State Survey (ABA/Bloomberg BNA, 2d ed. 2017 and Suppl. 2018)
•Speaker, “The Brave New World of Trade Secrets and Non-Competes: Drafting and Negotiating Non-Compete and Trade Secret Protections,” Webinar for ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law (February 6, 2018)
•Frequent contributor to Boston Globe “Job Doc” Column - providing legal commentary on a variety of employment law issues (2008-Present)
•Speaker, “Witness Examination Skills at Depositions and Trials,” 11th Annual ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, Washington, D.C. (November 2017)
•Speaker, “Employment Law Compliance for Small Business,” Total HR Solutions Lunch ‘N Learn, Waltham, MA (June 22, 2017)
•Moderator, “The Status of Employment At-Will: So Many Exceptions, So Little Time” (analyzing wrongful termination in violation of public policy claims), (ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Midwinter Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) (March 22, 2017)
•Speaker, “Off-duty Conduct As Grounds for Employee Discipline or Termination,” Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association (Mass-ALFA), Fall Conference and Trade Show, Worcester, MA (October 29, 2015)
•Moderator, “Adverse Employment Actions & Off-duty Conduct,” Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, Boston, MA (October 20, 2015)
•Author, “Shift Workers In The Long Term Care Industry Present Tricky Issues For Employers,” Provider (national print and on-line trade magazine for health care providers) (National Association of Health Care Providers) (Spring 2014)
•Author, “You Can’t Fire Me For That - I Was Off-Duty!,” Employers and The Law: 2013-14 Anthology of Best Articles (G. Siedel and J. Siedel, eds., Van Rye Publishing, LLC, 2014)
•Speaker, “Negotiating Physician Employment Contracts,” (Partners HealthCare System, Inc. Housestaff Clinical Fellows Retreat, Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Medical Education, Boston, MA (Annually in October 2012-2014 and 2016-2017)

In the News

•13 Rubin and Rudman Attorneys Listed in 2020 Edition of Best Lawyers in America