John C. Getty

John Getty serves as of counsel in the Tampa office, where he is a valued member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group. With a career spanning both Florida and Louisiana, John brings more than a decade of experience representing both public and private sector employers in complex labor and employment matters. He is particularly recognized for his deep knowledge in public sector union negotiations, special master proceedings, and high-stakes restrictive covenant litigation. John works closely with his clients to find the best ways to reach their goals, whether that means actively pursuing claims involving restrictive covenants, creating effective workplace policies, resolving matters early, or strongly defending clients against lawsuits in court.

Active in the Sarasota legal community, John serves as a Director on the Sarasota County Bar Association’s board of directors and is Co-Chair of the Membership Committee. He previously served as Director of the SCBA’s Young Lawyers Division.

Employment Litigation

John has a wide range of experience litigating numerous types of single-plaintiff, class action, and collective action matters, including unusual and complex claims involving:

• Defend Trade Secrets Act
• Florida Misappropriation of Trade Secrets Act
• National Labor Relations Act
• Florida Public Employees Relations Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 447)
• Title VII
• Florida Civil Rights Act
• 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (Section 1981)
• Florida Whistleblower Act
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)

Restrictive Covenant Practice

John has overseen and prosecuted complex restrictive covenant litigation, including cases involving multi-million-dollar claims. He has successfully obtained favorable recoveries for clients, including securing preliminary injunctions in federal court to protect sensitive business interests. John recently published an article in the Florida Bar Journal, “Recent Developments in Attempts to Ban Noncompetes at the Federal and State Level,” Vol. 99, No. 3, May/June 2025, Pg 42, discussing the latest developments in this area of law.

Traditional Labor Experience

John has led and conducted collective bargaining negotiations for public sector unions on behalf of local government entities, skillfully guiding clients through every stage of the process. He has also represented clients in special master proceedings, helping public sector employers navigate impasse hearings and related labor disputes. John’s commitment to excellence in labor relations is underscored by his completion of the Florida Certified Labor Relations Professional program, offered by the Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association.

Employment Counseling

Further still, John advises employers on a wide range of workplace issues and legal considerations, including the development of personnel policies, hiring, disciplining, terminating, reasonable accommodations, FMLA and pregnancy leave, workplace investigations, employment agreements, restrictive covenants agreements, severance agreements, employee training, and other duties and liabilities of employers.

Industries Represented

John has extensive experience representing employers in various industries, including:

• Architecture
• Accounting
• Automotive and trucking
• Banking
• Beverage manufacturing and bottling
• Construction
• Defense contracting
• Food Processing
• Health care
• Higher Education
• Hospitality
• Independent delivery services
• Legal Firms
• Local Government
• Manufacturing
• Professional staffing
• Restaurants
• Technology