Phillip C. Bauknight

Phil’s practice focuses on employment, business, and labor issues with an emphasis on OSHA and workplace safety matters. In addition, as Chair of the Firm’s Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Practice Group, Phil regularly provides guidance and specifically tailored training on navigating the complexities and challenges of blockchain technology and digital currency in the workplace.

As part of his practice, Phil also counsels his clients frequently on hiring and termination procedures, employee discipline issues, performance management, discrimination, retaliation, employee leave, and disability accommodations issues.

Phil represents an array of clients, including those from the manufacturing, technology, healthcare, franchising, retail, and financial services industries. Phil regularly appears in federal, state, appellate, and administrative courts as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and various state agencies.

Phil is an active member in both his professional and personal communities. He was honored as a “New Leader of the Bar” in the New Jersey Law Journal’s 2020 Professional Excellence Awards. Phil also previously served as an Executive Committee Member of the National Black Lawyers and was selected to their Top 40 under 40 List from 2015 to 2020. He has served as a Trustee on the West Orange Scholarship Fund and was selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars list from 2014 to 2018.

Phil is an experienced public speaker known for his dynamic and engaging style and author who presents and writes on a range of employment issues, including those related to workplace safety and blockchain technology/cryptocurrency issues. He frequently speaks at legal seminars for organizations such as Thomson Reuters and Celesq and for professional organizations such as the Association of Corporate Counsel, the New Jersey Technology and Manufacturing Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, and many others. Phil also has been quoted and interviewed by premier publications such as CNBC, Bloomberg, the New Jersey Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Law.Com, E-crypto News, NJ Biz, and SHRM among others.