Ryan T. Warden

Ryan has extensive experience defending claims alleging discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. Ryan’s practice focuses on the defense of employers against wage and hour, wage payment, and prevailing wage claims, including those asserted in class and/or collective actions. His experience includes representing employers across a wide array of industries, ranging from small, family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Ryan has represented employers in connection with countless compliance investigations by state and federal departments of labor. He offers clients his robust knowledge of wage laws and the agencies administering them, guiding his clients through the process. 

In addition to his litigation and government investigations practices, Ryan frequently works with clients on employment law issues and partners with clients in the development of compliant policies and procedures, including arbitration agreements.

Prior to joining White and Williams, Ryan was a shareholder with Ogletree Deakins.

• Defeated certification in putative class action alleging misclassification of Pennsylvania independent contractors
• Obtained complete dismissal on behalf of employers in numerous industries against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as claims asserting violations of state and federal wage and hour laws, before both state and federal courts
• Prevailed on motion to compel individual arbitrations granted in case involving truck drivers, on the grounds that arbitration agreement and class action waiver were enforceable under the New Jersey Arbitration Act, even if the Federal Arbitration Act was found not to apply
• Obtained dismissal of wage claims arising more than 2 years prior to the filing of the complaint, on the grounds that the New Jersey Wage Theft Act’s expansion of the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law’s limitations period from 2 years to 6 years does not operate retroactively
• Obtained dismissal of claims for liquidated damages under the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law and New Jersey Wage Payment Law, arising prior to the enactment of the New Jersey Wage Theft Act, in August 2019, on the grounds that the amendment does not operate retroactively
• Obtained dismissal of New York Labor Law sect. 193 claims for alleged unlawful deductions, and unreimbursed business expenses
• Obtained dismissal of New Jersey Wage and Hour Law and New Jersey Wage Payment Law claims, because Plaintiff never worked in New Jersey
• Obtained dismissal of unreimbursed business expense claim under the Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law
• Obtained Third Circuit affirmance of summary judgment on behalf of global manufacturer of electronic components against claims of retaliation in violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
• Obtained New Jersey Appellate Division affirmance of summary judgment dismissing statutory and various common law claims, on behalf of national cable network
• Successfully represented clients in various industries in connection with investigations/audits by the United States Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor
• Obtained complete dismissal of wage collection actions brought by current and former employees before the New Jersey Department of Labor
• Obtained complete dismissal of numerous EEOC charges and state fair employment agency complaints, in various jurisdictions
• Successfully represented clients in private sector employment arbitrations
• Obtained summary judgment dismissing overtime claims against national craft retailer in arbitration matter
• Led internal audits of clients’ HR policies and procedures
• Partnered with clients to develop compliant compensation practices and employment policies

Podcasts

The Employment Law Counselor Podcast

Podcasts

Common Wage and Hour Issues in the Trucking Industry in California and New Jersey