John Alan Doran

John Alan Doran

Phoenix, AZ recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2007
Taft

454 Best Lawyers awards

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Awarded Practice Areas

Appellate Practice Employment Law - Management Labor Law - Management Litigation - Labor and Employment Qui Tam Law

Biography

John Alan Doran has over 25 years of experience counseling and successfully representing employers in all facets of labor and employment law matters. He regularly represents employers in mass employment, wage/hour class and collective action litigation, as well as employment discrimination, public accommodations discrimination, and wrongful termination litigation. He also represents management in areas of traditional labor law, including the defense of unfair labor practices charges, the orchestration of campaigns to prevent workplace unionization, representation proceedings, and arbitrations. In addition, John represents employers in restrictive covenant and trade secret matters in state and federal courts. He also regularly counsels clients on prevention strategies, executive employment contracts, downsizing, personnel policies, and merger/acquisition employment issues.

Taft

454 Best Lawyers awards

Taft logo

Overview

  • Vanderbilt University, J.D., graduated 1988

  • Arizona, American and Federal Bar Associations - Member
  • Defense Research Institute - Member
  • Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 2008-2009 - Lawyer Representative
  • American Employment Law Council - Member
  • Arizona Celtic Bar Association - Member
  • Arizona Manufacturers Council - Board Member Ex Officio
  • Board of Directors, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, 2009-2011 - Member
  • Management Labor & Employment Roundtable - Charter Member
  • National Society for Human Resource Management - Member
  • Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Phoenix - Member
  • Arizona, American and Federal Bar Associations - Member
  • Defense Research Institute - Member
  • Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, 2008-2009 - Lawyer Representative
  • American Employment Law Council - Member
  • Arizona Celtic Bar Association - Member
  • Arizona Manufacturers Council - Board Member Ex Officio
  • Board of Directors, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, 2009-2011 - Member
  • Management Labor & Employment Roundtable - Charter Member
  • National Society for Human Resource Management - Member
  • Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Phoenix - Member
  • Vanderbilt University, J.D., graduated 1988

Client Testimonials

John is a pragmatic attorney. He's adept at crafting the right solution in the context of our business environment and needs.

Ric Pringle (NPL Construction Co.)

Phoenix, AZ

John Doran is highly skilled and equally engaging -- I don't usually "gush" so about outside counsel, but he's exceptional.

Ric Pringle (NPL Construction Co.)

Phoenix, AZ

Mr. Doran is the most creative and persuasive legal writer that we utilize at PING. He is also an extremely effective oral advocate. If I were facing an important personal legal matter, John Doran would most definitely be the lawyer I would choose.

John Doran is a no-nonsense lawyer. He provides solid legal advice, while always keeping in mind the business needs of our company. We are a unique business, governed by specific laws and regulations. John has learned our business, and has consistently been a strong advocate for us in the industry, as well as in negotiations, litigation, etc. John has provided outstanding legal advice to our company for a number of years, and we will continue to count on him for years to come. He is, by far, one of the best attorneys I have worked with.

John's a terrific, creative, dedicated, and tenacious outside counsel. We have been working on a series of issues, most of which are generally interconnected, over the years. I have recently appointed John as "national" counsel for all matters relating to these issues. He understands the client dynamic and clearly has a client-first approach. Through John, my client has established a broader, national relationship with his law firm. I am proud to recommend John as one of the best lawyers with whom I work.

Richard Rosen (Marsh & McLennan Companies)

New York, NY

John Doran has represented us well for many years. His advice has been valuable in preventative measures and his litigation skills are exceptional. He has given us many successful results.

Rawleigh Grove (PING)

Phoenix, AZ

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2012 - Labor Law - Management
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Labor Law - Management, Phoenix (2012)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Appellate Practice
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Qui Tam Law
Special Focus:
  • Appellate
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Actions
  • Defense
  • Litigation
  • Management
  • Title VII Litigation
  • Trade Secrets
  • Whistleblowers
  • Wrongful Discharge
Awards:
  • Rated AV Preeminent in Martindale-Hubbel
  • Labor Lawyer of the Year, ACQ Magazine Awards for Excellence, 2016
  • Recognized, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2007-present
  • Selected, “Best of the Bar Award” for Labor and Employment Law, 2003, 2004 and 2005
  • Selected, Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, 2011
  • Arizona Labor Lawyer of the Year – CorporateINTL 2013
  • Selected, Labour & Employment Attorney of the Year, Finance Monthly Law Awards, 2015
  • Recognized, Arizona Business Leader, AZ Big Media, 2015
  • Selected, AZ Business Magazine Top 100 Lawyers, 2014-2016
  • Selected to Who’s Who Legal: Management Labour & Employment 2015
  • Southwest SuperLawyers Top 50 Arizona Lawyers, 2014-present
  • Ranked in Chambers USA for Labor and Employment Law, 2005-present
  • Arizona Affiliate, Wage & Hour Defense Institute
  • Fellow in Litigation Counsel of America
  • Fellow in The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, inducted in 2015

Additional Information

  • Publications and Presentations
  • Editorial Board, Arizona Employment Law Handbook
  • Editor, Lexis Arizona Employment Law Advisor
  • Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Employment Law360, 2010-2011
  • Contributing Author, BNA Wage & Hour Laws: A State-by-State Survey
  • “Is There a Way to Stop Legal Fee Advancement?,” Corporate Counsel, November 3, 2016
  • “Disproportionate Incongruity: State Sovereign Immunity and The Future of Federal Employment Discrimination Laws,” Michigan State University Law Review
  • “It Takes Three to Tango: The Intentional Interference With Contract Tort and Supervisory Liability in the Employment Setting Under Arizona Law,” Arizona State Law Journal
  • “An Overview of Massachusetts Law of Wrongful Termination of Employment,” Massachusetts Law Review
  • “HIV and Disability Discrimination in the United States,” International Legal Strategies (Japan)
  • Speaker, “FMLA Roundtable,” Labor & Employment Advanced Program, April 2011
  • Speaker, “Understanding Discrimination Class Actions,” Labor & Employment Advanced Program, April 2011
  • Speaker, “Dukes v. Wal-Mart Supreme Court Oral Argument Post Mortem,” Management Labor & Employment Roundtable, April 2011
  • Speaker, “Mid Term Madness: Making Sense of the Last Election and Impact on Arizona,” Arizona SHRM State Employment Law and Legislative Conference, March 2011
  • Panelist, “Employment Law Update,” Arizona SHRM State Council Annual Conference, September 2010
  • Speaker, “A Global Barn Door: Protecting Trade Secrets and Key Customer Relations in a Global Employment Environment,” National SHRM Annual Conference, June 2010
  • Speaker, “The New Wage and Hour–Why Plaintiffs Don’t Care About FLSA Any More,” National SHRM Conference, June 2008
  • Representative Matters
  • Represents employers in mass employment and wage/hour class and collective action litigation; employment discrimination and wrongful termination litigation; trade secret, unfair competition, restrictive covenant and employee loyalty litigation.
  • Obtained countless awards of summary judgment on behalf of employers in employment and wrongful discharge cases in several state and federal courts.
  • Counsels clients on prevention strategies, executive employment contracts, downsizing, qui tam and government contractor obligations, personnel policies and disciplinary issues.
  • Argued multiple cases to the Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals, as well as the federal appellate system.
  • Appeals have covered workers’ compensation, immigration, civil rights, free speech/free exercise, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, commercial real estate contracts, international arbitration of antitrust disputes, employee benefits, and safety and health.

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