ATLANTA – Ford & Harrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, announces the addition of Thomas C. French as partner in the firm's Atlanta office. French formerly practiced as in-house counsel with Delta Air Lines for over thirteen years. He will practice both traditional labor and employment law with the firm's Airline Group.
French served as primary counsel for Delta's Flight Operations and Technical Operations division as well as provided counsel to all other divisions. Flight Operations is the pilot group and the largest group of organized employees at Delta. His responsibilities included providing counsel on the interpretation and application of the collective bargaining agreement, processing grievances, and overseeing system board and arbitration proceedings. He was also involved in several unsuccessful attempts by various unions to organize multiple work groups.
French's experience as an in-house employment lawyer includes providing counseling services to all levels of management on a wide range of topics. This includes participating in the development and application of employment policies and interpreting and applying various laws and regulations throughout the country. He has also developed and conducted numerous training programs for management and employees.
French's background also includes a great deal of employment litigation experience. He has handled numerous lawsuits in federal and state courts throughout the country. The cases he has been responsible for cover almost every facet of employment law including the ADA, Title VII, the ADEA, the FMLA and whistle blower matters. His experience includes handling administrative matters such as investigating and responding to charges of discrimination, participating in wage and hour matters, as well as dealing with the Department of Labor concerning military leave and whistle blower matters.
Before French joined Delta he spent several years practicing labor and employment law at other Atlanta law firms. As outside counsel, he has extensive experience advising large and small clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including labor and employment-related litigation, arbitration, counseling, collective bargaining, and employment training.
"We are very excited to have Tom join our office," said Tom Kassin, head of Ford & Harrison's Airline Group. "His experience at Delta Air Lines on issues related to both labor and employment counseling and litigation will be of great benefit to our airline clients."
French received his J.D., magna cum laude, from University of Toledo College of Law in 1989, where he was Note and Comment Editor of the Law Review and elected to the Order of the Coif.