Massachusetts has one of the most employee-protective legal frameworks in the United States, combining robust state anti-discrimination law under Chapter 151B, powerful wage protection through the Massachusetts Wage Act’s treble damages provision, comprehensive paid family and medical leave, and a progressive approach to workplace rights that makes it one of the most favorable jurisdictions in the country for employee-side employment claims. For both workers and employers navigating this complex legal environment, the quality of legal representation matters enormously. Here are five of the most highly regarded employment law attorneys practicing in Massachusetts as of 2026.
1. Harold L. Lichten — Lichten & Liss-Riordan, P.C.
- Address: 729 Boylston St #2000, Boston, MA 02116, United States
- Phone: +16179945800
Harold Lichten is arguably the most prominent plaintiff-side employment and labor law attorney in Massachusetts, and his firm — Lichten and Liss-Riordan P.C. — has established a national reputation for groundbreaking class and collective action litigation on behalf of workers. Lichten has spent decades representing workers in wage theft cases, misclassification disputes, and class actions against some of the largest employers in the country, achieving results that have fundamentally shaped Massachusetts wage law.
Lichten’s work in challenging the misclassification of workers as independent contractors rather than employees has had profound statewide and national impact, establishing precedents that have protected the rights of gig economy workers, delivery drivers, and independent contractors who were denied the benefits and protections of employee status. His deep familiarity with the Massachusetts Independent Contractor Statute and its intersection with federal FLSA law makes him uniquely positioned to handle complex misclassification cases.
He has been recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer for employment litigation and labor law for multiple consecutive years, reflecting the sustained peer recognition that consistently excellent work generates in the Massachusetts legal community. His trial experience in both state and federal courts — including significant appellate advocacy before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals — reflects the full range of litigation capability that the most complex employment cases require.
2. Shannon Liss-Riordan — Lichten & Liss-Riordan, P.C.
- Address: 729 Boylston St #2000, Boston, MA 02116, United States
- Phone: +16179945800
Shannon Liss-Riordan is one of the most nationally recognized employment attorneys in the United States, with a practice that has challenged some of the most powerful corporations in the country on behalf of workers. As a partner at Lichten and Liss-Riordan, she has led groundbreaking class action and collective action cases involving misclassification, wage theft, and employee rights against technology companies, transportation network companies, and major national employers.
Liss-Riordan’s cases against gig economy companies including Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Amazon have attracted national attention and have shaped the ongoing legal debate about worker classification in the digital economy. Her willingness to take on the largest and most well-resourced corporate defendants on behalf of workers who lack the individual financial resources to pursue their claims independently reflects a commitment to economic justice that has made her one of the most impactful employment lawyers in the country.
She has been consistently recognized by Super Lawyers Massachusetts, has been featured in national legal publications including The National Law Journal, and has been the subject of academic and policy discussions about the future of worker classification law. Her former candidacy for public office reflects the depth of her commitment to worker rights as both a legal and political priority.
3. David Rodman — Rodman Employment Law
- Address: One Boston Place, #2600, Boston, MA 02108, United States
- Phone: +16178205250
David Rodman is one of Boston’s most respected employment law attorneys, with a practice that has built a strong record representing both employees and executives in complex employment disputes including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and executive employment agreement negotiations. Rodman’s dual perspective — representing both worker and employer clients at various stages of his career — gives him a deep understanding of how employment disputes look from both sides of the table, making him particularly effective in settlement negotiations and litigation strategy.
Rodman has been recognized by Super Lawyers Massachusetts in employment law for multiple years, reflecting the consistent quality recognition that characterizes the state’s leading employment lawyers. His practice encompasses claims under Chapter 151B, Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, and the Massachusetts Wage Act, giving him comprehensive coverage of the full landscape of Massachusetts employment law that his clients face.
His experience before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination — the critical first-step administrative body for most Massachusetts discrimination claims — combined with his federal court experience in the District of Massachusetts, provides clients with an attorney who understands every phase of the Massachusetts employment dispute process from administrative charge through trial.
4. Dahlia Rudavsky — O’Brien Rudavsky LLP
- Address: One Gateway Center, 300 Washington St Suite 308, Newton, MA 02458, United States
- Phone: +16177420004
Dahlia Rudavsky is a highly regarded plaintiff-side employment law attorney whose practice at O’Brien Rudavsky focuses on representing employees in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and whistleblower cases in Massachusetts. Rudavsky has built a strong reputation for aggressive and effective advocacy on behalf of workers who have experienced workplace injustice, and her practice encompasses the full range of employment discrimination claims under both Massachusetts and federal law.
Rudavsky’s experience before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and in the federal courts of Massachusetts reflects her comprehensive understanding of the procedural pathways through which employment claims are resolved in the Commonwealth. Her peer recognition from Super Lawyers Massachusetts and her firm’s track record of significant results for employee clients reflect the quality of representation she consistently provides.
Her practice’s particular emphasis on cases involving gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and sexual harassment in the workplace reflects both the current landscape of employment claims in Massachusetts and her deep personal commitment to protecting workers from discrimination based on sex and gender identity — areas where Massachusetts law provides particularly robust protections.
5. Richard A. Mulhearn — Law Office of Richard Mulhearn
- Address: 71 Elm St, Worcester, MA 01609, United States
- Phone: +15087539999
Richard Mulhearn is a Worcester-based employment and labor law attorney who has developed one of the strongest employment law practices outside of Boston in Massachusetts. His firm represents employees throughout central Massachusetts in discrimination, wrongful termination, FMLA, and wage theft cases, providing quality employment law representation to workers across the Commonwealth who might otherwise lack access to experienced employment counsel.
Mulhearn has been recognized by Super Lawyers Massachusetts in employment and labor law, reflecting peer recognition that extends beyond the Boston metropolitan area to acknowledge the quality of employment law practice in central Massachusetts. His firm’s focus on individual client relationships and accessible legal counsel makes high-quality employment law representation available to workers across a broader geographic range than the Boston-focused employment bar typically serves.
His experience before the MCAD, in the Worcester Superior Court, and in the federal District of Massachusetts reflects the full range of forums in which Massachusetts employment cases are resolved, and his deep familiarity with central Massachusetts industries and employers gives him practical insight into the employment disputes that arise in his region’s economy.
