Biography
Clients seek out John to litigate and provide counsel for their most important restrictive covenant, trade secret, and employment matters. He regularly assists clients with crisis or other emergent situations involving executive onboarding, departures, or misconduct; mass exoduses and raids; planned hiring of key employees from competitors; claims of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation; and incentive compensation programs, acquisitions, investments, and agreements between business partners, vendors, and customers. John is known for quickly dissecting the issues and understanding the dynamics of how a case will unfold before a judge, jury, or administrative agency, as well as its impact on a company’s business and reputation.
He has represented companies across the industry spectrum, including financial services, private equity, hedge funds, alternative asset management funds, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, retail, and technology.
John has expansive experience in restrictive covenant matters, encompassing matters involving non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-disparagement, judicial modification (bluepenciling) of agreements, clawback, and other remedial provisions. He has handled these issues in all 50 states and internationally.
John has developed a reputation as a preeminent employment lawyer. In 2023, John was recognized by National Law Journal as one of just 25 “Trailblazers” nationwide in the Employment and Discrimination Law space, based on his work developing national trade secrets and restrictive covenants expertise. In 2016, he received the 2016 Lexology Client Choice Award in the Employment & Benefits category, an accolade that recognizes law firms and partners around the world who stand apart for their excellent client care and high quality of service. Since 2013, John has been continuously recognized as a leading employment lawyer in Chambers USA, which notes he is “super effective, fierce and smart in court,” and offers “quick, efficient and concise advice,” and “has an innate sense of how to approach a case giving you the optimal chance of success.” Since 2008, he likewise has been ranked nationally by Legal 500 in the areas of Trade Secrets and Labor & Employment Disputes. John also has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers, and is a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
Outside of his active practice, he is a noted and regular author and speaker on employment-related topics. John has been quoted by The National Law Journal, among other publications, regarding employment law and restrictive covenants. He also was honored with a 2013 Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing for the article, “Can An Employee Steal Social Media Influence?” which appeared in Corporate Counsel in March 2012.
John received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and his B.A., cum laude, from Harvard University.
Prior to joining Weil, John worked at another international law firm, where he served as both Labor & Employment Law Department Operating Partner and as Co-Head of the Non-Compete and Trade Secrets Group.
Firm News & Announcements, Awards and Recognition, Latest Thinking, Speaking Engagements
Firm News & Announcements
- Weil Advises Iron Mountain in its Acquisition of Regency Technologies Deal Brief — November 02, 2023
- Weil Highly Ranked for Labor & Employment by Benchmark Litigation in 2023 Firm Announcement — October 04, 2023
Awards and Recognition
- John P. Barry Named an Employment and Discrimination Law Trailblazer Award Brief — The National Law Journal
- John Barry Named a "Best Lawyer" for Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment Award Brief — The Best Lawyers in America
Latest Thinking
- A Divided FTC Issues Final Rule on Non-Competes – Caution is Warranted Although the Rule May Not Survive Legal Challenges Alert — Weil Alert — By John P. Barry, Jeffrey H. Perry, Eric S. Hochstadt and Mark A. Perry — PDF — April 24, 2024
- Sustainability & ESG Quarterly Roundup Alert — By Rebecca Grapsas, John P. Barry, Lyuba Goltser, Olivia J. Greer, Rebecca Sivitz, Annemargaret Connolly, Matthew D. Morton, Robert Stern, James Bromley, Christopher Marks, Marc Schubert, Amy Waddington and Romain Ferla — PDF — April 2024
- Washington Expands Statute Covering Noncompetition Covenants Alert — Employer Update — By John P. Barry and Celine Chan — PDF — April 10, 2024
- Weil Private Equity Sponsor Sync - Spring Issue Publication — By Christopher R. Machera, Andrew J. Colao, Jacqueline Oveissi, Arnie Fridhandler, Brittany Butwin, David Griffiths, Alex Paul Cohen, David E. Wohl, Carson Parks, Nicolas Lee, Trey Muldrow, Langdon Neal, Timothy F. Burns, David B. Gail, John P. Barry, Robert Rizzo, Larissa Lucas, Yehudah L. Buchweitz and Zoe Buzinkai — PDF — Spring 2024
- Limited Time Period in Which to Assert Arbitration Claims Upheld by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Publication — Employee Benefit Plan Review — By John P. Barry and Celine Chan — PDF — October 16, 2023
Speaking Engagements
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A Divided FTC Issues Final Rule on Non-Competes
Speaker(s):
John P. Barry,
Eric S. Hochstadt and
Celine Chan
April 29, 2024 — Weil partners John Barry and Eric Hochstadt and counsel Celine Chan moderated a cross-disciplinary Weil webinar entitled “A Divided FTC Issues Final Rule on Non-Competes,” in which they analyzed the FTC’s Final Rule and legal challenges to it, and provided practical takeaways for employers.
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Key Issues in Pleading and Proving Trade Secret Claims
Speaker(s):
John P. Barry
March 15, 2024 — Santa Clara, CA — Weil Employment Practice Group Head John P. Barry served on a panel titled “Independent Economic Value and Apportionment: Key Issues in Pleading and Proving Trade Secret Claims,” at the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) 2024 Trade Secret Summit.