Group of three partners and two associates join the firm’s ranks, led by seasoned attorneys Brian M. Harris, Mark Zisholtz and Jason D’Cruz

BakerHostetler announced today that its Employment and Labor Group was gaining five new attorneys in Atlanta, led by partners Brian M. Harris, Mark Zisholtz and Jason D’Cruz, as well as two associates, Ashley Guffey and Tali Hershkovitz. All were previously with Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, where the partners led the firm’s employment practice. This news comes less than a month since the firm announced the addition of three partners to the privacy and data protection team, also in its Atlanta office.

“Brian, Mark, and Jason are creative, hardworking lawyers who bring a wealth of experience that bolsters our practice,” said David Grant, the Chair of the Firm’s Employment and Labor Group. “They have a strong record of success representing employers, executives and management teams across several industries, and it is my pleasure to welcome them to the group.”

“At BakerHostetler, we always strive to attract the best talent to serve our clients. Brian, Mark and Jason’s team will expand the capabilities of our thriving national employment practice while also strengthening our local presence in the Atlanta market,” said Joann Gallagher Jones, managing partner of BakerHostetler’s Atlanta office. “We are thrilled to bring them on board.”

Brian M. Harris

Brian M. Harris focuses on advising public and private companies, as well as executives and management teams, on matters relating to corporate mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, restrictive covenants and human resources. Harris also advises clients on multistate employment-related concerns, and litigates disputes involving compensation, executive contracts, restrictive covenants and employment discrimination.

Harris is a member of the American Bar Association and Atlanta Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Sections as well as the Multi-State Employers Council.

Harris received his J.D. from Duke Law School, where he served as chair of both the Moot Court Board and the Board of Directors of the Duke Student Publishing Company. He earned his B.A., cum laude, from Duke University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the school’s independent daily newspaper, The Chronicle.

Mark Zisholtz

Mark Zisholtz advises executive and management teams, provides key support to the private equity and corporate transaction teams as a subject matter expert, counsels clients on day-to-day employment law matters, negotiates a wide variety of business and commercial contracts, provides outsourced general counsel and litigation management services and has a deep well of experience in contingent labor and alternative workforce arrangements. A former general counsel of a $600 million staffing and contingent labor workforce supplier, and formerly the head of the Contingent Labor Practice Group at Morris, Manning, & Martin, LLP, Zisholtz is a frequent speaker on contingent labor, staffing, alternative workforce, independent contractor compliance, HR outsourcing, professional employer organization and payrolling matters.

Zisholtz is currently a member of the State Bar of Georgia Labor & Employment Section, the Multi-State Employers Council and the American Staffing Association.

He received his J.D., with honors, M.S.M. and B.A, with high honors, from the University of Florida.

Jason D’Cruz

Jason D’Cruz represents public and private companies, management teams and senior executives in executive compensation matters. D’Cruz regularly provides counsel in major corporate transactions regarding executive compensation, employment arrangements, separation and change-in-control agreements, retention and bonus programs, earn-out provisions and equity rollover provisions. He has also successfully defended all types of employment contract, equity, earn-out, restrictive covenant and employment discrimination disputes.

He received his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and a B.A., cum laude, from St. Louis University.

“We are excited to join BakerHostetler,” said Harris. “The expanded resources that the firm’s nationally recognized employment and labor team offer are ideal for our multistate clients, and we look forward to future successes on their behalf as part of the group.”