Bio
Daniel F. Thornton is an Associate in the Firm's Employment & Employee Relations, Labor, and Wage and Hour Practice Groups. He defends employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in state and federal court, including actions under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, Civil Rights Act, and Conscientious Employee Protection Act. He also counsels employers on proactive compliance with state and federal labor and employment statutes. In addition, Mr. Thornton assists employers by conducting comprehensive investigations into potential harassment and discrimination issues.
Mr. Thornton's clients include companies and entities in the health care, manufacturing, and professional services industries. He has particular experience representing public and independent schools and has counseled boards of education and school administrators on statutory and regulatory compliance, labor and employment issues, public contracting, special education, student discipline, civil rights, risk management, and litigation avoidance.
Mr. Thornton is an experienced employment litigator who spent several years as a Deputy Attorney General with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. During his tenure, he represented New Jersey in litigation involving age and race discrimination, employee benefits, and a putative disability discrimination class action, among other matters, and briefed numerous appeals before the New Jersey Appellate Division and Supreme Court. During the 2014-2015 court term, he clerked for the Honorable Carmen H. Alvarez, Presiding Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.
Education
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J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2014
Franklin O. Blechman Merit Scholarship; Executive Editor, Virginia Tax Review -
B.S. in Computer Science, B.A. in Piano Performance, Cum Laude, Washington and Lee University, 2010
George Washington Honor Scholar; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Eta Sigma; Faculty Executive Committee; Courses & Degrees Committee
Bar Memberships
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Affiliations
- Young Lawyer Trustee, Burlington County Bar Association
- Trustee, Burlington County Bar Foundation
- Music Leader, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Cherry Hill, NJ
- The International Consortium for Agile
- Federalist Society
Clerkship
- Honorable Carmen H. Alvarez, P.J.A.D., New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.
Representative Matters
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of state agency in age- and race-discrimination suit filed by high-ranking official.
- Obtained dismissal on behalf of healthcare facility following bench trial of former employee’s harassment claim.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of school executive in licensure enforcement action filed by state regulator.
- Successfully defended correctional system against breach-of-contract and labor-law claims filed by putative class of corrections officers.
- Obtained partial dismissal of whistleblower complaint brought by medical executive against regional hospital.
- Defeated frustrated bidder’s emergency appeal of a multimillion-dollar environmental remediation contract award.
News & Insights
Education
-
J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2014
Franklin O. Blechman Merit Scholarship; Executive Editor, Virginia Tax Review -
B.S. in Computer Science, B.A. in Piano Performance, Cum Laude, Washington and Lee University, 2010
George Washington Honor Scholar; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Eta Sigma; Faculty Executive Committee; Courses & Degrees Committee
Bar Memberships
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Affiliations
- Young Lawyer Trustee, Burlington County Bar Association
- Trustee, Burlington County Bar Foundation
- Music Leader, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Cherry Hill, NJ
- The International Consortium for Agile
- Federalist Society
Clerkship
- Honorable Carmen H. Alvarez, P.J.A.D., New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.