JOSEPH J. GORFIDA JR.
Equity Partner
Education:
University of Tulsa College of Law, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1998 J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 1992 B. A., Bachelor of Arts Major: Political Science
Admissions:
Texas, 1999 U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
Practice Areas:
Municipal Law Labor & Employment Economic Development Land Use and Zoning Transactional Real Estate Fire, EMS & Law Enforcement Transportation Authorities
Currently serves as City Attorney for the cities of DeSoto, Hutchins, Lucas, Midlothian and Sachse; and as secondary City Attorney for the cities of Allen, Farmers Branch, and Richardson. He also acts as Assistant General Counsel for the Denton County Transportation Authority and the Dallas, Ellis and Tarrant County Appraisal Districts; and, as legal advisor to the Richardson Police Department.
Other Areas of Practice:
Negotiating and drafting complex economic development agreements, telecommunications facilities license agreements, interlocal agreements; leases; and, vendor agreements;
land development issues, including planning and development, acquisition and zoning;
negotiating real estate transactions, and drafting related documents;
substandard building issues;
ad valorem tax issues; and
open government and the Public Information Act, including training sessions for staff.
Mr. Gorfida’s practice has increasingly focused on labor and employment law. He is instrumental in assisting his clients in all facets of this area, including preparation of personnel policies, negotiation and preparation of complex employment and severance agreements, providing advice on and negotiating FMLA and and FLSA claims, attending appeal hearings as provided under city policy, and representation at hearings before the Equal Opportunity Commission and Texas Workforce Commission. Mr. Gorfida also routinely provides training sessions for his clients on a variety of employment law-related issues.
Mr. Gorfida is a frequent speaker on an array of subject matters affecting municipalities, including land use and zoning, law enforcement, Open Meetings and the Public Information Act, and state and federal employment law issues, including FMLA, FLSA and EEOC claims.