Jeffrey A. Dretler
When a workplace issue escalates—especially one involving complex internal complaints, executive-level employees, or fast-changing regulations—Jeff is the steady, strategic advisor employers rely on.
Known for his calm demeanor, practical judgment, and deep command of employment law, Jeff guides clients through high-stakes situations with a focus on minimizing risk and finding the right path forward.
With more than twenty-five years of experience representing employers in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies, Jeff handles claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, and the enforcement of noncompete agreements and protection of trade secrets. Equally important is his day-to-day counsel on compliance, best practices, and workforce management—helping employers make sound decisions before issues become legal problems.
Jeff’s practice is shaped by the evolving challenges employers face today. From advising on terminations and reductions in force to investigating workplace complaints at the executive level, he works closely with clients to assess legal exposure, document decisions appropriately, and ensure that internal processes are thorough, fair, and legally defensible. Clients particularly value his guidance when navigating complaints involving C-suite employees, where the stakes are high and the dynamics sensitive.
Enforced Restrictive Covenants to Protect Competitive Advantage
- Secured court-ordered injunctive relief on behalf of a medical equipment and services provider, enforcing a non-solicitation agreement against a former employee who had joined a competitor and safeguarding the client’s confidential business information.
Defeated Wage and Hour Claims in Federal Court
- Obtained dismissal of wage and hour claims filed by a former employee against an engineering firm, successfully resolving the matter at the pleading stage in federal court.
Led Independent Investigation into Executive Conduct
- Conducted a thorough and impartial workplace investigation into allegations surrounding the improper promotion of a security officer at a financial institution, providing the client with fact-based findings to support appropriate next steps.
Advised on Workforce Restructuring and Risk Mitigation
- Guided an employer through a reduction in force, including the development of termination strategies and drafting of compliant termination notices and separation agreements.
Resolved High-Risk Employment Litigation Through Settlement
- Achieved favorable settlement agreements and secured dismissal of litigation filed by former employees alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, following extensive discovery and negotiation.
Education
- JD, Northeastern University School of Law, 1991
- BA, Northwestern University, 1985
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- US District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Experience recognized
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2026
- Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law – Management, 2018–2026
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2013-2025
- Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Labor & Employment, 2021-2025
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Top 100, 2015, 2022
- Massachusetts Go To Lawyers, Employment, 2021
- The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Fellow, Inducted 2014
Experience in practice
- Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc., 477 Mass. 141 (2017)
- Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc., 89 Mass. App. Ct. 97 (2016)
- Chacon v. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 99 F. Supp. 3d 207 (D. Mass. 2015)
- Craig v. Merrimack Valley Hospital, 45 F. Supp. 3d 137 (D. Mass. 2014)
- Pearson v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, 723 F.3d 36 (1st Cir. 2013)
- Delva v. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc., 72 Mass. App. Ct. 766 (2008)
- Employee or Independent Contractor? The Unsettled Question of the Gig Economy, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Midwinter Meeting (March 2025, Panelist)
- District Court appellate panel finds retention bonus not a wage, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (September 2024, Quoted)
- Thomson Reuters employee forum hostile to whites, suit says, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (June 2024, Quoted)
- Annual Labor and Employment Program, Northeastern University School of Law (February 2022, Event Organizer)
Practical Advice for Virtual Proceedings, MCLE 25th Annual Employment Law Conference, Boston (December 2022, Speaker) - Damages in Noncompete Cases, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Midwinter Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (March 2022, Moderator)
- Negotiating Physician Employment Contracts, Mass General Brigham Annual Clinical Fellows Retreat (October 2014–2022, Speaker)
- Vaccination cards, incentives and separate spaces, com – Ask the Job Doc (May 2021, Quoted)
- Employee Privacy Issues in the Use of COVID-19 Safety Technology at Work, ABA Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee Midwinter Meeting, Virtual (March 2021, Moderator)
- The Application of Anti-SLAPP Statutes in Employment Litigation, 14th Annual ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, Virtual (November 2020, Moderator)
- Drafting and Negotiating Employment and Severance Agreements, New York County Bar Association, Virtual (October 2020, Speaker)
- How to respond to COVID-19 or flu in the workplace?, com – Ask the Job Doc (October 2020, Quoted)
Counterclaims and the Anti-SLAPP Statute, Boston Bar Association Labor and Employment Section Webinar (October 2020, Speaker) - When It Rains It Pours: What To Do When Sexual Harassment and Other Allegations are Made Against the Founder/CEO, Stybel Peabody/Board Options, Inc. – Seat at the Table, Virtual (August 2020, Speaker)
- The College of Labor & Employment Labor, Co-Chair of the Region One Activities Committee (2025-Present)
- American Employment Law Council (inducted in 2023)
- American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law; Annual Conference Committee: Co-Chair Emeritus (2023), Co-Chair (2022), Vice-Chair (2021); Newsletter Committee: Vice-Chair (2022-2023)
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Annual Labor and Employment Program, Northeastern University School of Law, Planning Committee (2020-Present)
- Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), Advisory Board: Member (2016-Present)