Justin R. Barnes

Justin R. Barnes is office managing principal of the Atlanta, Georgia, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He is the co-leader of the Wage and Hour practice group.  He represents employers in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies on a variety of labor and employment related issues, focusing on collective and class action wage and hour disputes and complex single plaintiff wage and benefit disputes. 

Justin’s practice is focused primarily on defending complex wage and hour class and collective actions and single plaintiff cases in state and federal courts across the country. Justin has assisted clients in defending state and federal wage and hour claims in several states. He has substantial experience representing a wide variety of clients and industries in complex wage and hour matters, including the manufacturing, hospitality, technology, and retail industries, among others.

In addition to his wage and hour practice, Justin also frequently practices before the United States Courts of Appeals. He has argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Justin routinely handles other employment matters for clients, ranging from defending claims of discrimination to employment related contract disputes. Justin also provides day to day advice and counsel on mitigating the risk of employment claims, and he frequently speaks on a variety of workplace related issues, including wage and hour compliance, electronic discovery, and social media. 

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis in 2009, Justin clerked for a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, in Atlanta, Georgia from 2007 to 2009. During his clerkship, Justin honed his legal skills and learned what it takes to be an outstanding (and perhaps more importantly – not so outstanding) advocate for clients. 

During law school, Justin was a member of the Intellectual Property Law Journal and the Moot Court Board. He also served as a teaching assistant and writing fellow, teaching legal research and writing to first and second-year law students.  

Honors and Recognitions

• Burton Awards, "Distinguished Legal Writing Award" (2024)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” and “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2024)
• Super Lawyers®, "Rising Stars" (2013-present)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• Everybody Wins! Atlanta, Reading Mentor

Speeches

• “Collective Bargaining and the FLSA – Properly Paying Overtime,” American Public Transportation Association (San Diego, CA, February 2020) (presenter)
• “Non-Franchise Laws that Impact Franchisors and Franchisees,” Franchise and Distribution Law Section of the Georgia Bar Association (Atlanta, GA, March 2019) (presenter)
• “DOL Issues New Guidance Rescinding the 20% Rule,” Celesq (Atlanta, GA, January 2019) (presenter)
• “Hiring Do’s and Don’ts,” Oak Ridge National Laboratory Labor and Employment Seminar (Knoxville, TN, August 2018) (presenter)
• “Employment Law Update,” Georgia Society of Association Executives (Atlanta, GA, April 2018) (presenter)
• “Wage and Hour Compliance Challenges From the Increased Use of Technology in the Workplace,” Strafford Publications (Atlanta, Georgia, June 2017) (presenter)
• “Creating FLSA Compliance Strategies That Work,” National Business Institute (Atlanta, GA, November 2015) (presenter)
• “Recent Developments by The Department of Labor,” Georgia Society of Association Executives (Atlanta, GA, November 2015) (presenter)
• “Do’s and Don’ts of the Hiring Process,” Georgia Society of Association Executives (Atlanta, GA, September 2015) (presenter)
• “Unemployment Appeals,” Georgia Staffing Association (Atlanta, GA, October 2014) (presenter)
•  “Hiring Do’s and Don’ts,” Oak Ridge National Laboratory Labor and Employment Seminar (Knoxville, TN, May 2014) (presenter)
• “Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Law,” American Association for Affirmative Action (Atlanta, GA, March 2013) (presenter)