A. Edward Hardin, Jr.

"Ed Hardin, Jr. guides employers through the thicket of legal and practical issues inherent in managing a workforce while also incorporating the more human element of human resource-specific problem-solving."

Labor and employment law partner, litigator, and counselor, Ed Hardin, Jr., represents businesses, institutions, non-profits, and employers of every variety in all aspects of employment related issues. Ed litigates claims before state and federal courts and private arbitrators. He also represents employers before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and other federal and state agencies.

Ed defends employers in state and federal court litigation while also providing day-to-day counseling on a variety of employment issues. His experience includes litigating wrongful termination claims, discrimination and harassment claims of all types, wage related claims, leave claims, non-compete and restrictive covenant claims, and all manner of employment related claims. Ed advises employers with respect to employee contracts, handbooks, policies, day-to-day employee and employment issues, the management of employee performance and employee complaints, drug and alcohol issues and testing, employee leave issues, including workers’ compensation, ADA, FMLA, and pregnancy leave (including issues arising under the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act), employee terminations, and the full scope of employment compliance matters. Ed has demonstrated proven success in defending employers in a myriad of lawsuits, including collective/opt-in actions under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and related class action claims under state law.

Ed likewise navigates management through all types of labor relations and union issues. His experience includes guiding employers through union representation campaigns, union elections and decertification, collective bargaining and collective bargaining agreements, arbitration of CBA grievances, and unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB.

Ed believes in designing tactical legal strategies that mitigate acrimony, focus on resolution, and maximize his client’s time and resources. Clients from a wide variety of industries, and at every phase of business development, appreciate that Ed is ever cognizant of what they seek to achieve through their human capital juxtaposed against their organizational goals.

Ed is an even-tempered pragmatist who is responsive by nature. He has testified before the of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Louisiana Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committees regarding pending legislation, and has been interviewed for articles in local, state, and national publications on a wide variety of employment law matters.

Prior to law school, Ed taught high school and coached soccer. In that capacity, he developed his even-temperedness, as well as the ability to remain focused despite the many personalities in motion around him. Before joining Kean Miller, Ed served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Catherine D. Kimball of the Supreme Court of Louisiana. In that capacity, Ed was exposed to a great deal of varied experiences making him a far more well-rounded advisor and advocate today.