John K. Baker Counsel

John K. Baker brings 25 years of experience to his labor and employment and education law practice.  John’s clients include public and private employers who seek positive results in their labor and employment matters.  The results he has obtained for his clients with their union and non-union matters have proven to be both practical and cost-effective.  

On the labor side, John has represented public and private employers in union elections, interest/grievance arbitrations, picketing issues and injunctions, unfair labor practice litigation, union trust fund litigation, collective bargaining, heart and lung benefits, fact-finding, mediation, representation/decertification hearings and all other matters before the National Labor Relations and Pennsylvania Labor Relations Boards.

On the employment side, John represents management from counseling to all aspects of trial/appellate litigation in matters involving employment discrimination and civil rights, wage and hour issues, retaliation claims, wrongful discharge, defamation, OSHA, prevailing wage, unemployment compensation, trade secrets and restrictive covenants.

John is an arbitrator for the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

He has served as adjunct faculty for Labor Relations and Employment Law Courses at Penn State University Lehigh Valley, DeSales University, Muhlenberg College and Harcum College. John has also been a contributing writer for Pennsylvania Law Weekly.

John is a member of several community and bar associations, including the Bar Association of Lehigh County, where is serves on the Member Services Committee and co-chairs the Judicial Selection Committee, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Lawyer's Assistance and Federal Practice Committees.

Representative Matters

• Represented public employer in union negotiations, civil rights defenses, grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice hearings
• Appointed as Interest Arbitrator by local municipality in Act 111 arbitration
• Defended Third Class City in Interest Arbitration case and federal civil rights defense

Recognition & Involvement

John was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Allentown YMCA/YWCA and the Clara Barton Society Award by the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley for the highest achievement in volunteer leadership.  He was named an MS Corporate Achiever for contributions to the Lehigh Valley/Greater Berks areas and the President’s Legal Eagle by the President of the Bar Association of Lehigh County for contributions to the Bar. 

John is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Allentown YMCA/YWCA and a member of the Christian Legal Society. He was also a lawyer-volunteer for Trial Lawyers Care, Inc., an organization formed in connection with the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund.