Welcome

The Law Firm of Isler Dare Ray Radcliffe & Connolly, P.C. is Northern Virginia’s premier labor and employment law boutique firm. The practice of the Firm is dedicated exclusively to representing employers in addressing employment issues. The Firm advises management with respect to counseling and disciplining employees, and represents employers in responding to discrimination and harassment claims before the EEOC and in federal or state court. In addition, the Firm provides guidance on wage-hour issues (FLSA and SCA), and engages in drafting and litigating issues related to non-compete agreements. Prior to establishing the Firm ten years ago, each of the Firm’s five partners practiced law with some of the nation’s largest law firms, and the firm is committed to providing the same quality representation at a reasonable cost.

Recent and Upcoming Developments

The firm was recognized in the 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005 editions of Chambers USA as one of the top 11 labor and employment firms in Virginia, and was the only boutique firm to receive that honor.  Eddie Isler, Mark Dare, Steve Ray, and Theresa Connolly also were each honored as top labor and employment attorneys in the state.  For more information, go to www.chambersandpartners.com.

Eddie Isler, Steve Ray, and Mark Dare were listed in the 2008 edition of Washington DC SuperLawyers in the categories of Employment & Labor and Employment Litigation: Defense.

Theresa M. Connolly, formerly a partner at DLA Piper, joined the firm as a partner in November 2007.  Theresa brings more than 15 years of experience representing management in labor and employment disputes and her presence further bolsters the firm's ability to serve employers in the mid-Atlantic region.  The firm began practicing under the name, Isler Dare Ray Radcliffe & Connolly, P.C. 

Theresa Connolly, Mark Dare, and Eddie Isler were named as three of the top eleven employment defense attorneys in the Washington, D.C. area in the December 2007 edition of Washingtonian magazine.

Mark Dare addressed the Federal Bar Association on December 4, 2007 on the topic of taking an employment discrimination case to trial.

The firm recently received a favorable ruling on a motion to dismiss in an ADEA case filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.  For a copy of the court's ruling in Panyanouvong v. Vienna Wolftrap Hotel, which contains an extended discussion of the equitable tolling doctrine in the context of the ADEA, please click here.

Eddie Isler addressed effective drafting of non-compete agreements at the 25th Annual Business Law Institute, presented by Virginia CLE in Fairfax, Virginia on October 25, 2007.  For more information, go to www.vacle.org.

In September 2007, Theresa Connolly was named a finalist for Best Employment Contracts Lawyer by the Washington Business Journal.

In August 2007, the firm succeeded in petitioning the Virginia Supreme Court to vacate an injunction order entered in a non-compete case by the Fairfax County Circuit Court.  To see the opinon of the Virginia Supreme Court, click here.

In July 2007, the firm successfully defended against the issuance of a preliminary injunction in a non-compete case in Fairfax Circuit Court.

The Firm authored “The Virginia Wage and Hour Handbook”, recently published by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce as part of its Legal Reference Series. Go to www.vachamber.com for more information.

In October 2006, the firm was successful in obtaining summary judgment on behalf of a government contractor in a case in the federal court in Maryland involving claims of age and gender discrimination and retaliation. For a copy of the court’s opinion in Zackrie v. Lockheed Martin Corporation, click here (PDF).

The firm succeeded in obtaining the dismissal of a wrongful discharge case against a Kuwaiti official in an action pending in the federal court in the Northern District of Indiana.  For a copy of the court's opinion in Haddad v. ITT Industries, Inc., click here (PDF).

Eddie Isler served as co-editor and contributing author of the newly published book, Virginia Business Torts, published by Virginia Law Foundation.  For more information, go to www.vacle.org.