John G. McDonald Partner

John is the former managing partner of the Charlotte office and has practiced exclusively on the management side of labor and employment matters for more than 30 years. He regularly assists clients with highly sensitive internal investigations, employee mobility matters, and complex employment and wage and hour litigation.

John is regularly called on to lead workplace investigations involving claims of misconduct, sexual harassment, and other inappropriate activities by executive-level employees. John also represents employers in a wide range of employment discrimination and wage and hour litigation in federal and state courts, as well as before federal and state administrative agencies. He has represented employers in arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and financial institutions in matters before FINRA.

John counsels corporate clients on a wide range of employment topics, including compliance with federal and state anti-discrimination laws, investigating and responding to charges of discrimination or harassment, wage and hour compliance, employee mobility issues and protecting corporate assets through the effective use of non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements, as well as employee discipline and discharge issues.

John has also advised corporate clients on brick and mortar and website/digital accessibility compliance issues under Title III of the ADA. He has defended clients in website accessibility actions brought by private parties and governmental agencies in federal and state courts around the country.

John co-leads the firm’s COVID-19 Response Team to assist clients with legal, business, public affairs and crisis management needs arising from the pandemic. Under John’s leadership, the firm’s coronavirus website was created and updated daily with essential guidance. BTI hailed the firm as one of the few “leading the pack” who “really stepped it up, jumped in, and are truly committed” to guiding clients through the pandemic.

  • Syracuse University College of Law, JD, Editor-in-Chief, Syracuse Law Review, 1992
  • Le Moyne College, BS, Industrial and Labor Relations, 1988

Member, North Carolina Bar Association

Board Chair, Charlotte Communities of Shalom

Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity

Volunteer, Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont

  • North Carolina
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York

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Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law - Management, Woodward/White, Inc., 2013-2024

Named to "Distinguished Leaders," The Daily Report, American Lawyer Media, 2023

Selected for inclusion into the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2021

Named to "Legal Elite," Labor and Employment, Business North Carolina, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2021

Named to "North Carolina Super Lawyers," Employment & Labor, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2017-2020

Leadership Charlotte Class XXVIII, 2007

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