Thomas B. Lewis
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T: 609.895.7321
F: 609.895.7395
993 Lenox Drive
Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648
Mr. Lewis represents companies and their executives in employment disputes and litigation including restrictive covenant issues, non-compete agreements, claims of sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, wrongful discharge, employment agreements, and severance agreements. He has litigated and arbitrated cases in numerous states and jurisdictions and regularly appears before state courts, federal courts, the EEOC and various state civil rights agencies. Mr. Lewis also litigates restrictive covenant issues on behalf of individuals, medical practitioners, small to mid-sized companies and Fortune 500 companies.
Mr. Lewis' experience in the practice of employment litigation has made him a commentator for various television and media outlets including CNBC, Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg News, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, On Wall Street, Registered Representative Magazine, WOR, UPN News, CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, The Associated Press, The New Jersey Law Journal, New Jersey Lawyer, The National Law Journal and various radio and newspaper forums. Additionally, he has published many articles covering a broad range of employment issues. Several of Mr. Lewis' cases have resulted in published opinions ranging from federal and state court cases to the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Mr. Lewis has conducted many seminars for corporate clients, management organizations and bar associations. Recently, Mr. Lewis presented a seminar in conjunction with the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education entitled, Current Issues Involving Non-Compete Agreements, Protection of Trade Secrets and the Duty of Loyalty. Mr. Lewis has authored numerous articles on employment litigation issues. His clients are located throughout the United States.
In 1994, Mr. Lewis was certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney. Mr. Lewis is AV-Rated by Martindale Hubbell, Peer Review. In 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Mr. Lewis was honored by his inclusion in the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers by New Jersey Monthly Magazine*.
Mr. Lewis is a frequent contributor to the New Jersey Law Blog. You can read his most recent blog post here.
Education
J.D., St. Louis University School of Law, 1987
Campaign for Commitment Scholarship; Faculty Fellowship in Corporate Law; Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence; Vice President, Student Bar Association
B.A., Political Science; Villanova University, 1984
Political Science - Pre-Law; Minor in Religion and Philosophy
Bar Admissions
New JerseyUnited States District Court, District of New Jersey
Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Professional Organizations
St. Peter's University Medical Center in New Brunswick
Board of Trustees-Family Practice Board; Member
Camp Fire Boys and Girls of New Jersey
Past President and Board Member
The American Heart Association of Mercer County
Past President and Board Member
American Red Cross
Board Member
The Bedens Brook Club
Board Member
Authored Articles
- Garden Leave: Garden Leave Provisions: A growing trend in employment agreements. New Jersey Law Journal. April 18, 2011.
- Enforceable Non-Compete Agreements: How Employers Can Adequately Define and Protect Their Legitimate Business Interests. New Jersey Law Journal. March 29, 2010.
- Non-Compete Agreements: How Employers can Define and Protect Their Legitimate Business Interests. Mercer Business Magazine. March 2010.
- It's Payback Time on Promissory Notes. On Wall Street. November 2009.
- Co-Author, A Safe Harbor for Employment Claims. New Jersey Law Journal. March 30, 2009.
- Co-Author, The Eroding 'At-Will' Employment Doctrine. New Jersey Law Journal. December 8, 2008.
- Protocol for Broker Recruiting: How a Financial/Investment Advisor Can Use the Protocol to Transition Accounts. Investments & Wealth Monitor. September/October 2008.
- Court Limits Damages in Restrictive Covenant Cases. New Jersey Law Journal. March 17, 2008.
- At-Will Employment: New Changes and Challenges for Employers. Human Resources 2008, Winter Edition.
- Co-Author, Attendance Control Issues: Balancing Employee and Employer Rights, Human Resources 2007. Summer Ed.
- Employee Handbooks: Employers considering whether they should implement an employee handbook should give careful consideration to a myriad of concerns. Human Resources 2007.
- Retaliation in the Workplace: Strategies for Avoiding the Danger of Retaliation Lawsuits. Human Resources 2006.
- Nursing Malpractice Text Book, Chapter on the Intersection of Nursing and Employment Law.
Press Placements
- Early reshuffle of brokers mean big changes ahead in 2012. Reuters.com. February 1, 2012.
- Finra Fines Merrill For Trying To Bypass Arbitration. Dow Jones News Wire. January 25, 2012.
- Merrill fined $1 mln for failure to arbitrate. Reuters.com. January 25, 2012.
- Bonus (cry) babies taking the money and running. New York Post. January 14, 2012.
SEC upholds sanctions vs broker who took client data. ThomsonReuters.com. January 9, 2012. - REFILE-Headhunters target Merrill advisers as incentives wane. Reuters Africa. January 6, 2012.
- Regional firms trump big brokers in adviser hiring. Chicago Tribune. December 30, 2011.
- Brokers Could Find The Grass Greener Again At Rivals In 2012. NASDAQ.com. December 13, 2011.
- Heading up a branch office seen as risky game. Reuters.com. December 2, 2011.
- AllianceBernstein Sues More Departed Advisors. FundFire. September 13, 2011.
- Former Lehman Bankers May Face Bonus Clawbacks. Fins.com. August 16, 2011.
- Lehman Pursues Former Brokers' Bonuses. Wall Street Journal. August 16, 2011.
- Ex-Merrill Brokers Keep Bonuses, Get Windfalls. Dow Jones News Service. June 29, 2011.
- Merrill Goes After Ex-Employee's Funds But Is Ordered to Pay Him $4 Million. New Jersey Law Journal. June 13, 2011.
- Merrill Lynch financial advisor may keep $3.3M signing bonus despite departure a year later, panel rules. Trenton Times. May 17, 2011.
- Ex-Merrill Advisor to Keep $3.3M Signing Bonus. FundFire.com. May 10, 2011.
- Merrill Lynch Loses $3.3M Signing Bonus Case Against Former Adviser. The Wall street Journal. May 9, 2011.
- Wells wins sliver of amount sought in Stifel raiding claim. International Business Times. April 14, 2011.
- Broker Protocol Signings Regain Momentum Amid New Signs That the Wirehouses Could Shut the Breakaway Portal. RIABiz.com. April 5, 2011.
- No Garden Tending For Merrill Brokers. Dow Jones NewsWire. March 9, 2011.
- News for Brokers, Wealth Managers and Their Clients. The Wall Street Journal. March 8, 2011.
- The Offer Advisers Can't Refuse. Investment News. March 2, 2011.
- The Ways Brokers Can Cut The Ties That Bind. The Wall Street Journal. March 2, 2011.
- US Trust's 'Garden Leave' May Start Trend. The Wall Street Journal. February 22, 2011.
- US Trust Asks Employees To Confirm Broker Protocol Doesn't Apply. The Wall Street Journal. February 18, 2011
- BofA, Dynast End Worker Trade Secrets Suit. Law360.com. January 25, 2011.
- Nothing Sticks In Oppeheimer's Raiding Flap. Dow Jones News Wire. January 10, 2011.
- Merrill Wins $1M Repayment from Fired Advisor. FundFire.com. January 10, 2011.
- Fired Merrill broker ordered to pay over $1 mln. Reuters.com. January 7, 2011.
- UBS To Pay $2.8M To Former Top Recruiter In Contract Flap. Financial Advisor Magazine. January 4, 2011.
- UBS Must Pay $2.8M to Former Wealth Recruiter. FundFire.com. January 4, 2011.
- UBS AG to Pay $2.8M to Former Recruiter. The Compliance Exchange. January 4, 2011.
- UBS To Pay $2.8 Mln To Former Top Recruiter In Contract Flap. Wall Street Journal. January 3, 2011.
- FINRA To Ease Arbitrator Standards In Bonus Cases. Financial Advisor Magazine. December 21, 2010.
- Judge halts ex-U.S. Trust team from using client info. Westlaw News & Insight. December 10, 2010.
- How to Switch Firms… and Not Get Sued. Wall Street Journal. September 20, 2010.
- J.P.Morgan sues former adviser. Forex Tools Asia. August 17, 2010.
- JP Morgan Sues Ex-Advisor, Morgan-Smith Barney. FundFire.com. July 8, 2010.
- J.P. Morgan Sues Former Adviser. Reuters.com. July 7, 2010.
- Smith Barney Raiding Decision No Trend-Setter. The Wall Street Journal. May 7, 2010.
- Finra Panel Throws Out Smith Barney Raiding Case. Dow Jones. May 5, 2010.
- Barclays, Deutsche Settle $5.5B Advisor Suit. FundFire.com. May 3, 2010.
- Deutsche team goes to Barclays after suit settled. Reuters.com. April 30, 2010.
- Advisors Urged to Keep Quiet When Leaving. FundFire.com. April 29, 2010.
- WEALTH MANAGER-Advisers switching firms need a plan. Reuters.com. April 27, 2010.
- Some Predict Broker Protocol Overhaul. Registered Rep. February 26, 2010.
- The Recruiting Wars Turn Nasty. FinancialPlanning.com. February 24, 2010.
- Goldman Drops Case Against Former Advisors. On Wall Street. February 19, 2010.
- Broker protocol may be endangered by complexities as membership starts to explode. RIABiz.com. January 20, 2010.
- AT&T Accused of Violating ADEA. Human Resources Executive Magazine. January 2010.
- Citi Files Motion To Dismiss In Bonus Pay Class Action. RegisteredRep.com. January 14, 2010.
- RIAs drive explosive growth of the Broker Protocol. RIABiz.com. November 17, 2009.
- Compliance Watch: Expulsion Shows Risks of Outside Accounts. The Wall Street Journal. October 19, 2009.
- Can You Take It With You? RegisteredRep.com. September 29, 2009.
- Sarkozy Threat to Shun Banks on Pay Draws U.S. Alarm. Bloomberg.com. August 2009.
- An EEOC under Berrien? Human Resource Executive Online. August 10, 2009.
- Broker's World: Brokers Fight Bonus Repayment- And Lose. Dow Jones Newswires Column. May 7, 2009.
- The Last Weapon. On Wall Street. April 1, 2009.
- Brokers Battle Over Client Info. Lancaster Online.com. March 17, 2009.
- FINRA Rule Strengthens Client Transfer Rights. Wall Street Letter. March 12, 2009.
- Judge clears two ex-Smith Barney brokers. Investment News. March 2, 2009.
- CEO May Be Rethinking BofA's 'Crown Jewel' . Bloomberg. January 13, 2009.
- Brokers Disdain Toaster Salesmen in Bank America’s Merrill Deal .Bloomberg. January 9, 2009.
- Financial Advisory Firms Sign Pact to Ease Poaching. Reuters. December 2, 2008.
- Bank of America to Sign Broker Recruiting Pact-Memo. Reuters. November 6, 2008.
- Bank of America Says Merrill Brokers Can Quit Without Penalty. Bloomberg. November 6, 2008.
- Litigation Gets Personal. National Law Journal. August 6, 2007.
New Jersey Supreme Court Board Certified Trial Attorney
Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Rated

*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court.
