THOMAS A. FARR
Member
taf@ral.haynsworth.com
Raleigh, NC
t: 919.233.4600
Areas of Practice
Employment
Occupational Safety and Health
Education
B.L.S., summa cum laude, Hillsdale College, 1976
J.D., Emory University, 1979
LL.M., Labor Law, Georgetown University, 1983
Memberships
North Carolina Bar
North Carolina State Bar
State Bar of Georgia
Virginia State Bar
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit Judicial Council, Permanent
Member
Campbell University, School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Labor and Employment
Law, 1990-1995
Mr. Farr concentrates in employment litigation, occupational safety and health
law, and constitution and election law. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in
America and is A-V rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. He was named
to the inaugural 2002 and 2003 Legal Elite. The Legal Elite is a list of approximately
300 business-related lawyers in North Carolina recognized by their peers, based
on ballots sent to 6,000 attorneys across North Carolina.
Prior to entering private practice in 1983, he was an attorney with the National
Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation; Counsel to the United States Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee; and law clerk to the Honorable Frank
B. Bullock, Jr., Chief Judge for the United States District Court, Middle
District of North Carolina.
Mr. Farr was Chair of the Magistrate Merit Selection Committee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in May-June 1999. He also served as Adjunct Professor of Labor and Employment Law at Campbell University School of Law from 1990 through 1995.
Mr. Farr has tried cases in federal and state court in North Carolina and has handled appeals at all levels of the North Carolina appellate courts, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Some of the representative matters in which Mr. Farr has been involved are:
- Lead counsel in Stephenson vs. Bartlett, a lawsuit successfully challenging
North Carolina's 2001 and 2002 legislative districts under the North Carolina
Constitution.
- Lead counsel for plaintiff intervenors in Shaw v. Hunt, which challenged
North Carolina's 1992 Congressional redistricting. Successfully prepared and
argued the appeal to the United States Supreme Court.
- Lead defense counsel in class action suit brought by Washington-based legal
defense fund against a local rental car company for alleged racial discrimination
against customers.
- Lead defense counsel in class action by EEOC against major multinational
corporation for alleged racial harassment.
- First chair in employment discrimination lawsuit by railroad employee against
major railroad. Jury returned a defense verdict.
- First chair for a local school board in defense of a case involving an alleged
breach of an employment contract and alleged violation of statutory and constitutional
rights. Jury returned verdict for school board.
- Lead counsel for state agency in defense of case involving an alleged break
of an employment contract. Summary judgment in favor of state agency was affirmed
on appeal to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
- Second chair in unfair trade practice/RICO case tried in U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Prepared motion for JNOV which was granted,
overturning $350,000 verdict. Prepared and successfully argued appeal of district
court decision to Sixth Circuit.
- Successful argument of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the
Fourth Circuit, overturning a bargaining unit determination by the National
Labor Relations Board.
- Representation of Senator Jesse Helms and North Carolina Republican Party
in Hendon v. State Board of Elections, which successfully challenged the constitutionality
of North Carolina ballot counting procedures.