John K. Baker Counsel

John K. Baker is an experienced management-side labor lawyer. Headquartered in Northeastern Pennsylvania, his practice takes him from New England down to Florida. 

John represents 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, unit clarification and all other matters before the National Labor Relations and Pennsylvania Labor Relations Boards.

In addition to his labor experience, clients have sought out Mr. Baker’s services in OSHA hazard defense and retaliation cases. He has been consulted on death cases, as well as, fall protection, PPE and various other issues. 

He also represents management in matters involving state and federal employment discrimination and civil rights, wage and hour issues, retaliation claims, wrongful discharge, defamation, 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 Lehigh Valley, Penn State Berks, DeSales University, Muhlenberg College and Harcum College. John has also been a contributing writer for Pennsylvania Law Weekly. 

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Lawyer's Assistance and Federal Practice Committees. For the past ten years, he has served as contributing Editor to an ABA publication, The Developing Labor Law. 

Representative Matters

• Successfully defended national aeronautic company in dozens of NLRB and OSHA proceedings in Boston and Atlanta
• Has stood toe-to-toe with Teamsters, SEIU, Steelworkers, Carpenters, IBEW, UNITE-HERE, Warehouse Workers, UAW and several other Unions
• Represented public employer in union negotiations, civil rights defenses, grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice hearings
• Negotiated wage freeze in public employer collective bargaining agreement
• Appointed as Interest Arbitrator by local municipality in Act 111 arbitration

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. In 2017, he was named a Local Legal Leader by Lehigh Valley Magazine.