Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds’ practice includes consulting on and litigating business, construction, labor and employment and civil rights matters and municipal law. His experience includes trials in state and federal courts and before administrative tribunals, as well as extensive lecturing and consulting on trial practice, contract, labor and employment law issues.

From 1998 through 2008, Josh authored the Connecticut Bar Association’s official treatise on labor and employment law, “Labor Relations and Employment Law: Developments in Connecticut,” published annually in the Connecticut Bar Journal. He co-authors the Connecticut Bar Association’s “Annual Survey of Labor and Employment Cases.” He was a contributing author to the Hartford Business Journal on labor and employment matters through 2003, and has been interviewed for commentary on labor issues in periodicals nationwide. Josh’s recent articles include “Legality of Personality Tests Under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” (Connecticut Lawyer, June/July 2007); “Midstream Covenants Not to Compete: Is Continued Employment Enough?” (Connecticut Lawyer, June/July 2005); “May State Employees Sue Their Employer for Damages under FMLA’s Family Care Provision?” (PREVIEW of United States Supreme Court Cases, January 4, 2003); “Does Actionable Emotional Distress Exist in the Connecticut Workplace?” (Connecticut Lawyer, October 2002); and “A Case of Interpretation” (Connecticut Lawyer, November 2001). He also served as an adjunct instructor on human resources management at Saint Joseph College from 2001 to 2004.  

Representative Experience

• In October 2009, after a five day arbitration, won a labor arbitration before the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration
• On June 2, 2009, argued successfully before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in a federal civil rights lawsuit resulting in a denial of a motion on a matter on appeal
• In 2009, argued a case of first impression in front of the Connecticut Appellate court involving the Connecticut Fair Housing Act. Attorney Hawks-Ladds had successfully prevented a tenant from intervening in a Superior Court housing discrimination case against his clients; the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the tenant appealed the denial of her right to intervene
• On June 12, 2009, after a three week trial, Attorney Hawks-Ladds received a Superior Court judgment for our client in a $5,000,000 foreclosure and defense of fraud and civil rights action. The Court granted our client all requested relief and rejected all of the defendants' claims
• In 2008, received a judgment in favor of a Connecticut Probate Court judge on a writ of mandamus action after a Superior Court trial
• Currently litigating a case of first impression on a First Amendment free speech issue before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals
• In 2007, successfully defended a State of Connecticut Authority in a federal court civil rights lawsuit, resulting in a dismissal of the claim
• In 2007, argued a case of first impression before the Connecticut Supreme Court involving Connecticut's Historic District Commission law
• In 2007, after a vigorously contested arbitration, received an Arbitration Award in favor of a municipality, upholding the town's Police Commission's discipline of a police officer for publishing a libelous, anonymous letter that disrupted the town's police department
• In 2007, received a judgment in favor of a commercial landlord after a court trial
• In April 2007, successfully litigated the appointment of a receiver on behalf of a state authority in a $5,000,000 foreclosure action
• Successfully litigated a Permanent Injunction lawsuit on behalf of an employer in which the court ordered equitable relief in the form of an extension of a nonsolicitation covenant during the period of the employee's breach
• Won a directed verdict, after a jury trial, defending a company from its former employee’s claim of Workers’ Compensation discrimination
• Cited as authority in Covenants Not to Compete: A State by State Survey, 2005 Supplement
• Successfully prosecuted an injunction lawsuit enjoining a client’s former employee from competing for a two-year period
• Negotiated severance and compensation packages involving executives of some of the largest U.S. and international companies

Professional Affiliations

• Connecticut Bar Association -  chair, Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section; former chair, Common Law and Statutory Claims Committee; named to CBA's "Distinguished Volunteers Roster" for 2003
• Hartford County Bar Association - founder and former chair, Labor and Employment Law Committee
• Manchester Bar Association
• Connecticut Bar Foundation - James W. Cooper Fellow
• Federal Bar Council
• Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow

Community Involvement

• Bolton Lakes Regional Water Pollution Control Authority - former alternate member
• Community Health Charities of Connecticut - former member, board of directors
• Justice of the Peace 
• March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Connecticut Chapter Northern Division - board of directors
• Society of Human Resources Professionals
• Town of Bolton Board of Selectmen (2005-2008) - former member
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Honors & Awards

• Hartford Business Journal's 2003 "40 Under Forty" Award - recipient;  recognized him as one of Greater Hartford's top "young leaders"
• 2002 Distinguished Advocate for the Arts Award from the State of Connecticut Commission on the Arts - recipient
• AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell 
• Selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the areas of employment and labor