Dean is widely respected for his
decades-long career successfully handling employment litigation, arbitration,
and mediation matters nationwide. Clients value Dean's thoughtful, client-first
approach and the strategic insight he brings from his unique experience serving
as both an advocate and a neutral in employment disputes.
Dean brings more than 30 years of employment litigation
and compliance experience to Schulten Ward Turner & Weiss, LLP, where he
maintains a national practice representing both employers and individuals in
complex disputes, including arbitrations as well as class and collective
actions in state and federal courts across the country.
In addition to his litigation practice, Dean serves as a
registered mediator and arbitrator with the Georgia Office of Dispute
Resolution and is a panelist on the American Arbitration Association's National
Employment Law Roster. This dual perspective allows him to evaluate cases
through the lens of a neutral decision-maker, providing clients with practical,
strategic guidance on risk, resolution, and positioning throughout the life of
a dispute.
Dean has particular expertise in wage-and-hour matters
under state and federal law, including misclassification and off-the-clock
claims, and successfully handles the full spectrum of employment disputes and
compliance matters, from discrimination, retaliation, and leave issues to
restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, and Department of Labor
audits.
Known for his thoughtful and client-focused approach,
Dean is deeply committed to helping those in need. He regularly volunteers
through the Pro-Bono Partnership of Atlanta, providing legal assistance to non-profit
organizations which could not otherwise
afford legal representation.
Dean is originally from upstate New York and graduated magna cum laude from Boston University's College of Arts and Sciences before obtaining his J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
Select Representative Cases
- Successfully resolved a federal lawsuit brought against an employer involving allegations of worker misclassification and unpaid overtime wages.
- Successfully defended a company providing foreign language interpreters in a wage and hour audit by the Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor.
- Successfully defended a retail furniture company in resolving a discrimination claim through mediation.
- Successfully represented an executive in the mediation and resolution of a six-figure post-termination claim for unpaid salary.
- Successfully defended an Estate against a six-figure creditor claim alleging breach of contract.
- Represented a security guard in federal court obtaining a substantial judgment for unpaid overtime wages and unlawful retaliation.
- Secured a favorable arbitration award on behalf of a paralegal against his former law firm employer for unpaid overtime wages.
- Successfully represented a physician in the mediation and resolution of claims against his former employer involving unpaid severance compensation.
- Successfully prosecuted disability discrimination and retaliation claims on behalf of an employee against his former employer.
- Successfully defended a bakery against employee claims for unpaid overtime wages.
Professional Activities
- American Arbitration Association National Roster, Employment Law Arbitration
- Georgia Office on Dispute Resolution, Registered Mediator and Arbitrator
- National Employment Law Association of Georgia (NELA-GA), Member and Past President
- Georgia Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Section, Past Board Member at Large
- Pro-bono: National Employment Law Association of Georgia (NELA-GA), Mentorship Academy Member
- Pro-bono: Pro-Bono Partnership of Atlanta, Pro-bono Service Award Winner (2023)
News & Insights
- Panelist, "Enhancing Mediator Advocacy Skills," Atlanta Bar Association's Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers and Dispute Resolution Sections Joint CLE
- Speaker, "The Fair Labor Standards Act and its Impact on Georgia's Private Home Care Providers," Georgia Chapter of the National Private Duty Association
- Speaker, "Avoiding The Risk of Employee Misclassification under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Companionship Services Exemption," Georgia Association of Community Care Providers and the Georgia Chapter of the National Private Duty Association
Recognition
- Georgia Super Lawyers (2012-2026)
- Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Star (2009)
- Legal Elite, Georgia Trend Magazine (2013, 2021)
Education
- Emory University School of Law, J.D.
- Boston University, B.A., Political Science, magna cum laude
Admissions
- Georgia
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh, Sixth, and Fifth Circuits
- U.S. District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, and Middle Districts of Florida