10 Best Federal Employment Law Attorneys

Federal employees do not bring workplace claims the way private-sector workers do. Discrimination complaints start with an agency EEO counselor, removals and suspensions go to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), whistleblower reprisal runs through the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and disability retirement is decided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This guide profiles 10 law firms that represent federal workers in those forums across the United States, from GS employees and postal workers to federal law enforcement officers and Foreign Service staff.

Each firm was evaluated on how much of its practice is devoted to federal employees, the settlements and class actions it publishes, whether its attorneys bring agency or government experience, and whether it can represent clients nationwide. When comparing options, ask which forum your case belongs in, how many cases the attorney has taken to hearing before the MSPB or an EEOC administrative judge, and whether the fee is hourly, flat, or contingent. This is not a ranked or sponsored list. Firm details were drawn from each firm’s own website, attorney directories such as Avvo, Justia, Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers, and public business listings.

1. The Law Office of Justin Schnitzer

• Key Attorneys: Justin Schnitzer, Founder; Elizabeth Matta, Attorney; Jordan Royt, Attorney
• Headquarters: 1212 Reisterstown Rd, Suite 204, Pikesville, MD 21208 (additional office at 1815 Lakewood Rd, Suite 107, Toms River, NJ 08755)
• Phone: (202) 933-1246
• Website: fedelaw.com
• Practice Areas: Federal EEO Complaints, MSPB Appeals, OPM and FERS Disability Retirement, Whistleblower Retaliation, Adverse Actions, Schedule F and Reductions in Force, VA Employee Claims
• Firm Size: Federal employment boutique representing federal workers nationwide
• Practice Area Page: Federal EEOC Attorney
• Social & Professional Profiles: Facebook | LinkedIn

The Law Office of Justin Schnitzer, also known as Fedelaw, practices federal employment law exclusively. Justin Schnitzer has represented federal employees since 2013, and his path into the field began as a judicial intern at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where he saw how federal-sector complaints are actually decided. That inside view shapes the firm’s approach to every stage of a case: building the record during the EEO counseling window, pressing for discovery before an administrative judge, and preparing MSPB appeals as if they will go to hearing. The firm’s published results include a $245,000 settlement for an HR specialist, a $230,000 retaliation settlement, a $150,000 hostile work environment verdict, a $150,000 resolution for a Customs and Border Protection employee, and a $130,000 civil rights verdict.

Beyond discrimination and adverse action appeals, the firm has a dedicated disability retirement team that prepares OPM and FERS applications and reconsideration requests, and it handles whistleblower reprisal, Schedule F, and reduction-in-force matters that have become more common as agencies restructure. Schnitzer and his team are regularly quoted in national coverage of the federal workforce, including Forbes, FEDweek, NBC News, and Newsweek. With offices in Maryland and New Jersey and a practice built around remote representation, the firm works with federal employees in every state and at agencies ranging from the VA and the Postal Service to DHS and the Department of Defense.

2. Tully Rinckey PLLC

• Key Attorneys: Mathew B. Tully, Founding Partner; Greg T. Rinckey, Founding Partner
• Washington, DC Office: 2001 L St NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036 (additional offices in New York, Texas, and California)
• Phone: (202) 787-1900
• Website: tullylegal.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Employment Law, MSPB Appeals, EEO Complaints, Security Clearances, Military Law, Whistleblower Protection
• Firm Size: Multi-office firm whose federal employment attorneys report more than 200 years of combined experience
• Practice Area Page: Federal Employment Law
• Social Profiles: Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram

Tully Rinckey was founded in 2004 by Mathew B. Tully, a retired federal law enforcement officer, and Greg T. Rinckey, a former Army JAG who served in the Defense Appellate Division. That mix of federal service and military law experience still defines the firm. Its federal employment group reports more than 200 years of combined experience, and its attorneys author the LexisNexis treatise MSPB Practice and Procedure, including the 2026 edition, a reference used by practitioners on both sides of Board appeals.

The firm handles the full range of federal-sector matters, from proposed removals and suspensions to EEO complaints, whistleblower claims, and security clearance revocations that can end a federal career without a traditional disciplinary action. Offices in Washington, New York, Texas, and California let it meet clients near major federal installations, and its size means it can staff hearings and class matters that smaller boutiques may not. Federal employees comparing firms should ask which attorney will handle the case day to day, since larger firms often divide work among several lawyers.

3. Berry & Berry, PLLC

• Key Attorneys: John V. Berry, Managing Partner; Kimberly H. Berry; Melissa L. Watkins; Kara G. Osborne; Aidan P. Connor; Meredith Kalman
• Headquarters: 11700 Plaza America Dr, Suite 305, Reston, VA 20190
• Phone: (703) 668-0070
• Website: berrylegal.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Employment, Security Clearances, Federal Disability Retirement, MSPB Appeals, EEO Complaints
• Firm Size: Federal-focused firm with more than 25 years of practice
• Practice Area Page: Federal Employment
• Social Profiles: Facebook | LinkedIn | X

Berry & Berry has represented federal employees, security clearance holders, and disability retirement applicants for more than 25 years from its office in Reston, Virginia. The firm’s three core practices fit together naturally for federal workers in the Washington region: a clearance problem can trigger an indefinite suspension, and a medical condition can lead to either an accommodation dispute or a disability retirement application. Having one firm handle all three avoids the gaps that open when a client hires separate lawyers for each issue.

John V. Berry leads a team that includes Kimberly H. Berry, Melissa L. Watkins, Kara G. Osborne, Aidan P. Connor, and Meredith Kalman, and the firm was named to Washingtonian’s Top Lawyers list in 2025. It regularly represents employees in MSPB appeals, agency EEO complaints, and clearance proceedings before DOHA and agency adjudicators, and it publishes extensive guidance on its blog for employees trying to understand their options before a deadline passes.

4. Snider & Associates, LLC

• Key Attorneys: Michael J. Snider, Founder; Jacob Y. Statman; Keith Kauffman; Jason Weisbrot; James Fuchs; Yehuda Goldberg
• Headquarters: 600 Reisterstown Rd, 7th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21208
• Phone: (410) 653-9060
• Website: sniderlaw.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Overtime (FLSA) Class Actions, Discrimination, MSPB Appeals, Whistleblower Claims, Union and Labor Disputes
• Firm Size: Employment firm founded in 2005; reports more than $300 million recovered for employees
• Practice Area Page: Snider & Associates Practice Areas

Snider & Associates is best known for large-scale federal pay cases. Since Michael J. Snider founded the firm in 2005, it reports recovering more than $300 million for employees, including an $80 million Fair Labor Standards Act settlement for Indian Health Service workers, $39.9 million in overtime for State Department employees, and $35 million in AFGE v. EPA. Those cases show a firm that can manage thousands of claimants, complex payroll data, and years of litigation against federal agencies.

The firm also represents individual federal employees in discrimination complaints, MSPB appeals, and whistleblower matters, and it works closely with federal unions on grievances and arbitration. Attorneys Jacob Y. Statman, Keith Kauffman, Jason Weisbrot, James Fuchs, and Yehuda Goldberg round out a team that covers both class and individual work. Employees who suspect they have been misclassified as exempt from overtime, or who are part of a group facing the same agency policy, will find few firms with comparable experience.

5. Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, P.C.

• Key Attorneys: Elaine Fitch, Managing Partner; George Chuzi; Mary Kuntz; Elisabeth Baker-Pham, Co-Chair, Security Clearance Practice
• Headquarters: 818 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006
• Phone: (202) 331-9260
• Website: kcnfdc.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Employment, Security Clearances, Civil Rights, Whistleblower Protection, Foreign Service Matters, Class Actions
• Firm Size: Roughly 18 attorneys; more than 50 years in practice
• Practice Area Page: Security Clearances

Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch has represented employees in Washington for more than 50 years, and its roots trace to founder June D.W. Kalijarvi. Managing partner Elaine Fitch is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, George Chuzi has practiced federal employment law since graduating from Georgetown Law in 1980, and Elisabeth Baker-Pham co-chairs a security clearance practice that publishes the treatise Security Clearance Law and Procedure, now in its fifth edition.

The firm’s recent docket shows how it handles high-stakes federal matters. It joined the ACLU of the District of Columbia in a class action challenging the dismantling of federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, has represented a Peace Corps whistleblower, and has handled appeals for USAID Foreign Service officers affected by reductions in force. Its attorneys hold AV Preeminent ratings and Super Lawyers selections. Because its practice spans federal, private-sector, and civil rights work, prospective clients should confirm that the attorney assigned to them focuses on federal-sector cases.

6. Gilbert Employment Law, P.C.

• Key Attorneys: Gary M. Gilbert, Founder; former Passman & Kaplan attorneys joined in 2021
• Headquarters: 8403 Colesville Rd, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (additional offices in Las Vegas and Honolulu)
• Phone: (301) 608-0880
• Website: gelawyer.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Discrimination and EEOC Claims, Disciplinary and Adverse Actions, Whistleblower Claims, Federal Disability Retirement, Class Actions
• Firm Size: Multi-office federal employment firm founded in 2005
• Practice Area Page: Discrimination and EEOC
• Social Profiles: X | LinkedIn

Gary M. Gilbert founded his firm in 2005 after serving as Chief Administrative Judge for the EEOC’s Baltimore Field Office, giving him direct experience deciding the kind of federal-sector cases he now brings for employees. In June 2021 the firm absorbed Passman & Kaplan, a federal employment practice founded in 1990 and known for the Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide, which added decades of MSPB and EEO experience.

The firm has been at the center of major federal class matters. In August 2024 it announced a $45 million settlement resolving pregnancy discrimination claims by Customs and Border Protection employees, and in May 2025 it obtained class certification at the MSPB for former probationary employees of the Department of Homeland Security. It also handles individual adverse action appeals, OSC whistleblower complaints, and disability retirement. Some online reviews mention slower communication during intake, so clients should ask how often they can expect updates and who their point of contact will be.

7. Shaw, Bransford & Roth, P.C.

• Key Attorneys: Debra L. Roth, Managing Partner; Christopher Keeven; Conor Dirks
• Headquarters: 1101 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036
• Phone: (202) 463-8400
• Website: shawbransford.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Employment Law, Senior Executive Service Matters, Security Clearances, Government Investigations, Government and Public Affairs
• Firm Size: Boutique Washington firm established in 1982
• Practice Area Page: Employment Law Services
• Social Profiles: Facebook | LinkedIn

Shaw, Bransford & Roth has advised federal employees since 1982 and is particularly well known among senior executives and managers. The firm has long served as general counsel to federal managers’ associations, and it represents members of the Senior Executive Service, supervisors, and law enforcement personnel in adverse actions, performance disputes, and inspector general investigations, where the key decisions are often made before any formal charge is filed.

Managing partner Debra L. Roth, along with Christopher Keeven and Conor Dirks, also handles security clearance matters and represents employees interviewed in government investigations. The firm’s government and public affairs practice gives it unusual insight into legislative and policy changes affecting the federal workforce. Its smaller number of online reviews means prospective clients may want to ask for references or a detailed explanation of how the firm would approach their case during the initial consultation.

8. Kator, Parks, Weiser & Wright, PLLC

• Key Attorneys: Michael Kator; Jessica Parks; David Weiser; Jeremy Wright; Kerrie Riggs
• Headquarters: Washington, DC (additional office at 1609 Shoal Creek Blvd, Suite 201, Austin, TX 78701)
• Phone: (202) 898-4800
• Website: katorparks.com
• Practice Areas: MSPB Appeals, EEOC Complaints, Federal Class Actions, Discrimination, Retaliation
• Firm Size: Small Washington firm concentrating on federal employees
• Practice Area Page: MSPB

Kator, Parks, Weiser & Wright describes its practice as civil employment law with a special concentration on federal employees, and its attorneys have spent decades before federal courts, the MSPB, and the EEOC. The firm is particularly experienced in class complaints, a specialized area of federal-sector procedure with its own certification rules, and it has represented classes of employees at the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Social Security Administration, the Postal Service, the FAA, and Customs and Border Protection.

Individual clients benefit from the same depth. Michael Kator, Jessica Parks, David Weiser, Jeremy Wright, and Kerrie Riggs regularly handle removal appeals, discrimination complaints, and retaliation claims, and the firm’s website explains each forum in practical terms. Its Washington base and Austin office let it serve federal employees nationally, though clients outside those areas should expect much of the work to be handled remotely.

9. Federal Practice Group, LLP

• Key Attorneys: Team of federal employment, security clearance, and military law attorneys
• Headquarters: 801 17th St NW, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006
• Phone: (202) 862-4360
• Website: fedpractice.com
• Practice Areas: Federal Employment, Security Clearances, Military Law, MSPB Appeals, EEO Complaints, Whistleblower Claims
• Firm Size: Service-disabled veteran-owned small business serving clients worldwide
• Practice Area Page: Federal Employment
• Social Profiles: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | TikTok

Federal Practice Group is a service-disabled veteran-owned firm that represents federal civilian employees, contractors, and service members. Its three practice areas, federal employment, security clearances, and military law, cover the situations most likely to overlap for people who work for or alongside the government: a clearance denial for a contractor, a removal for a civilian employee, or a board of inquiry for a service member.

The firm handles MSPB appeals, EEO complaints, whistleblower matters, and clearance appeals for clients stationed in the United States and overseas, and it publishes a steady stream of educational videos explaining federal employment rules. Because its attorneys work across several practice areas, clients should confirm which lawyer will handle their specific type of case and how much hearing experience that lawyer has in their forum.

10. McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP

• Key Attorneys: Gregory K. McGillivary, Managing Partner; Molly Elkin, Partner
• Headquarters: 1101 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
• Phone: (202) 833-8855
• Website: mselaborlaw.com
• Practice Areas: Fair Labor Standards Act Overtime, Federal Pay Claims, Union Representation, Collective Actions, Public Sector Employment
• Firm Size: Labor and employment firm with more than 50 years of practice
• Practice Area Page: Practice Areas

McGillivary Steele Elkin has represented workers and unions for more than 50 years and is one of the country’s leading firms for federal overtime and pay claims. Managing partner Gregory K. McGillivary, recognized by Best Lawyers, has spent his career bringing Fair Labor Standards Act collective actions, and partner Molly Elkin previously served as assistant counsel for the National Treasury Employees Union.

The firm’s federal results include $578,318 for U.S. Park Police sergeants, overtime recovery for National Border Patrol Council K-9 handlers and Army Corps of Engineers employees, and a case covering up to 40,000 trainees at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. Its practice is union-side and pay-focused, so it is the right fit for groups of employees with overtime, hazard pay, or classification disputes rather than for an individual discrimination complaint or a single removal appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do federal employees have to file a discrimination complaint?

Federal employees must contact an agency EEO counselor within 45 days of the discriminatory act, or within 45 days of the effective date of a personnel action, under 29 C.F.R. § 1614.105. If counseling does not resolve the matter, you generally have 15 days after receiving the notice of right to file to submit a formal complaint under 29 C.F.R. § 1614.106. Missing the 45-day window is one of the most common reasons federal-sector claims are dismissed, so contact a lawyer such as the team at the Law Office of Justin Schnitzer as soon as possible.

What is the deadline to appeal a removal to the MSPB?

An appeal of a removal, suspension of more than 14 days, demotion, or other appealable action must generally be filed with the Merit Systems Protection Board no later than 30 days after the effective date of the action, or 30 days after you receive the agency’s decision, whichever is later, under 5 C.F.R. § 1201.22. If the action also involves discrimination, it may be a “mixed case,” which has its own filing options and timelines.

How long do I have to apply for FERS disability retirement?

Under 5 U.S.C. § 8453, an application for FERS disability retirement must be filed with your agency or OPM before you separate from service or within one year after separation. You must have at least 18 months of creditable civilian service, and the disabling condition must prevent useful and efficient service in your position. Firms such as Berry & Berry and Gilbert Employment Law prepare these applications and OPM reconsideration requests.

How do federal whistleblowers report retaliation?

Most federal employees who believe they suffered a personnel action because they disclosed wrongdoing can file a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which enforces the protections in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8). If OSC does not resolve the complaint, you may be able to file an individual right of action appeal with the MSPB. The order of filings matters, so an attorney should review your options before you choose a path.

Can my agency suspend me over a security clearance issue?

Yes. Agencies can place an employee on indefinite suspension while a clearance is reviewed, and a final revocation can lead to removal from a position that requires a clearance. The MSPB generally cannot review the merits of the clearance decision itself, only whether the agency followed required procedures. That is why clearance-focused firms such as Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch and Shaw, Bransford & Roth often get involved early, during the statement of reasons stage.

How much does a federal employment lawyer cost?

Fees vary by forum and firm. Many federal employment lawyers charge hourly or flat fees for EEO complaints and MSPB appeals, while some take cases on a partial contingency or hybrid basis, particularly where attorney’s fees can be recovered from the agency if the employee prevails. Large overtime collective actions are usually handled on contingency. Ask each firm how fees are structured, what costs you will be responsible for, and whether a fee award from the agency would offset what you pay.

Disclaimer: This guide to federal employment law attorneys is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an attorney referral. This is not a ranked or sponsored list, and inclusion does not imply an endorsement by, or affiliation with, any named federal employment law firm beyond what is stated. Attorney credentials, case results, and contact details change over time; please confirm current information directly with each firm before making a hiring decision. Past results described here do not guarantee similar outcomes in any other federal employment case.