Jay Fries graduated cum laude from Washington and Lee University and received his law degree from the Law School of the College of William and Mary, where he served as an editor of the Law Review.

Jay represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law, including discrimination, wage and hour, unfair labor practice and employment tort cases. He is an active member of the Maryland, Virginia and Baltimore County bar associations, and the Labor Law Section of the American Bar Association. Jay has authored numerous articles on labor relations topics and frequently participates in employment relations seminars and programs.

Honors & Awards
  • "Best Lawyers in America" (2023 - 2024) 
  • "Maryland Super Lawyers," Super Lawyers magazine (2018-2021)
  • 1992 SBA Attorney Advocate of the Year
  • Governor's Citations 1992 & 1994 for work on Maryland's Drug-Free Workplace Initiative

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  • Obtained a Third Circuit decision upholding an employer's right to restrict access to private property in an organizing campaign
  • Obtained dismissal of an employment torts case in Baltimore City Circuit Court and successfully defended the decision in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals 
  • Acted as management spokesperson in the negotiation of numerous favorable union contracts in the manufacturing, service, construction and healthcare industries 
  • First-chaired over 60 labor arbitrations cases
Education
  • William & Mary School of Law
    J.D., 1979
  • Washington and Lee University
    B.A., 1976
Memberships
  • Maryland Bar Association, Labor Law Section
  • Virginia State Bar
  • Baltimore County Bar Association
Bar Admissions
  • Maryland
  • Virginia
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia