Joseph M. Price

• Senior Labor & Employment Counsel, 2021
• Chair, Robinson & McElwee Labor & Employment Department, 2012-present
• Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Robinson & McElwee, 2011-present
• Board of Directors Member, 2014-2015
• Managing Partner, Robinson & McElwee, 1988, 1996-1998
• Managing Partner for Personnel, Robinson & McElwee, 1987
• Member, Robinson & McElwee, 1984-2020
• Associate, Robinson & McElwee, 1983

During his 40 years of practice Mr. Price has served as lead counsel in numerous complex cases.  He regularly represents clients in sex, race, disability, religious, age and other employment discrimination cases before both the West Virginia Human Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and has defended discrimination cases before the OFCCP. He also represents clients in cases before the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and the West Virginia Coal Mine Safety Board of Appeals, United States Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and other administrative agencies. Mr. Price regularly represents clients in the chemical, manufacturing, oil and natural gas, coal, timber, service and other industries. His practice includes representation of national clients as well as small and medium-sized entrepreneurial businesses.

Mr. Price has presented more than 100 arbitrations, defended employers in Fair Labor Standards Act class actions, state wage payment class actions, a significant ERISA class action, employee benefits cases, wage and hour claims, harassment litigation, “wrongful discharge” cases in both state and federal courts, and has acted as lead appellate counsel in matters before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  While his practice encompasses all aspects of labor and employment law with a focus on administrative and trial court litigation he has also represented firm clients in complex personal injury, wrongful death, class actions and other “high risk” litigation.

Mr. Price also devotes a significant portion of his time to the negotiation of union labor agreements and related contracts, defense of Unfair Labor Practice charges, advising clients wishing to remain “union free,” conducting labor law compliance training for firm clients, and for 13 years taught federal labor law in the Masters of Industrial Relations degree program at Marshall University.  In the union free setting, he has negotiated numerous executive employment and departure agreements, severance agreements, compensation agreements and other employment related contracts. 

Mr. Price is a mediator, fully trained by the West Virginia State Bar.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for the WV Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Finance Committee and Human Resources Committee of HospiceCare, Inc., a nonprofit entity.