Overview

A. John Harper III represents employers in all aspects of labor relations, including:

  • Collaborative problem solving in labor relations 
  • Collective bargaining
  • Interpretation and application of labor agreements
  • Grievance and arbitration proceedings
  • Organizing drives

John also assists clients in transactions involving unionized facilities and with respect to the labor aspects of bankruptcy proceedings.

In addition to his labor relations practice, John assists clients in all aspects of employment law, including defending employers against claims under various federal and state anti-discrimination and retaliation laws and advising employers regarding compliance with federal, state and local labor and employment laws. He also represents employers in cases involving unfair competition and denial of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) benefits. 

Professional & Community Affiliations

Trustee/Patron

Houston Grand Opera

2007-present

Member, Board of Directors

The Printing Museum

2005-2017

Chairman

The Printing Museum

2011-2012

Secretary

The Printing Museum

2009-2011 and 2013-2017

Member, Board of Directors

Tanglewood Homes Association

2011-2014

Member, Board of Directors

Texas Woman’s University Foundation

2009-present

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®

2018-2025

Ranked, Labor & Employment

Chambers USA

2020-2024

Named, Rising Star

Texas

Super Lawyers

2007-2014

Named, Recommended Lawyer

Labor Management Relations

Legal 500 United States

2016

News, Analysis & Press

EEOC Looks To Limit Severance Agreements With Litigation

Law360.com

March 18, 2014

NLRB Roundup

Employee Relations Law Journal

Vol. 39, No. 1

Summer 2013

Employment Law

Texas Tech Law Review

Vol. 45:727

2013

NLRB Developments: New Election Rules, Class Action Waivers and (Maybe?) Recess Appointments

Employee Relations Law Journal

Vol. 38, No. 1

Summer 2012

Carrots, Not Sticks, to Fend off Unions

Executive Counsel Magazine

Vol. 9, No. 2

April/May 2012

Speaking Engagements

2024 Houston Regional Employer Conference

Houston, TX

September 26, 2024

Labor Law for Employment Lawyers: What Every Business Needs to Know

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 9, 2024

Recent Developments in Labor Law

Media Law Resource Center, Labor and Employment Committee

March 27, 2024

Love Your Lawyer

Houston, TX

February 13, 2024

New Theories, New Tactics: Managing Business Risk Under the NLRA

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 11, 2023

2023 Love Your Lawyer

Houston, TX

February 14, 2023

2022 Houston Regional Employer Conference

Houston, TX

October 6, 2022

Where the Rulings Meet the Road: How Recent Labor Decisions, Rules, and Memos Are Impacting and Will Continue to Impact the Bargaining Table

The FMCS National Labor-Management Conference

July 13, 2022

2021 Houston Employer Conference

Houston, TX

October 26, 2021

Love Your Lawyer: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions

Houston, TX

February 10, 2021

Love Your Lawyer: Littler Lawyers Answer Your Most Burning Labor and Employment Questions

Houston, TX

February 11, 2020

2016 Houston Employer Conference

Houston, TX

August 11, 2016

NLRB Enforcement Initiative 2016: The Impact on Non-Union Workplaces

Houston, TX

April 20, 2016

2015 Houston Employer Conference

Houston, TX

August 13, 2015

New Year, New Regulations: An Update of the New Regulations Enacted by the NLRB

Houston, TX

February 10, 2015

The 2014 Houston Employer Conference

Houston, TX

August 14, 2014

Protected, Concerted Activity in the Age of Social Media

The Center for American and International Law

May 2014

Why not Take All of Me, The National Labor Relations Board’s Specialty Healthcare Decision

Developing Labor Law Committee Mid-Winter Meeting - American Bar Association (ABA)

February 2014

Protected, Concerted Activity in the Age of Social Media

The Center for American and International Law

May 2013

Protected, Concerted Activity in the Age of Social Media

The Center for American and International Law

May 2012

Employees vs. Independent Contractors, Contingent Workers and Leased Employees

The Center for American and International Law

May 2011

Social Media: Managing and Harnessing an Unstoppable Trend

TexasBarCLE - State Bar of Texas

November 2010

Blogs, Social Networking Sites and the Impact on Employment

The College of the State Bar of Texas

July 2009

Education

  • J.D., Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, 2001cum laude
  • B.A., Washington and Lee University, 1998cum laude

Bar Admission

Texas

Courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas