Prior Legal Career Experience

2010-2014, LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C., Special Counsel

Littler Mendelson, a national law firm of more than 1,600 lawyers, is focused entirely on advising and representing employers in employment-related matters.  Mr. Reardon’s practice, based at Littler’s Houston office, had a nationwide scope and was dedicated entirely to the legal issues experienced by the providers and users of contingent labor (e.g., temporary help, staff leasing, direct placement, and independent contractors.)

2004-2010, ADECCO GROUP NORTH AMERICA, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

The North American zone of Adecco, the World’s largest staffing firm, produced several billion dollars in annual sales, operating multiple staffing lines through corporately-owned and franchised branches. 

1998-2004, KELLY SERVICES, INC., Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary

Kelly is a global, publicly-owned full-line staffing firm with several billion dollars in annual sales in clerical, industrial, financial, legal, engineering, education, health care, Professional Employer Organization, vendor management, HR consulting, government contracting, and other fields.  

1994-1998 PRIVATE LAW PRACTICE, Houston, Texas

In this private law practice, Mr. Reardon advised and represented Talent Tree as its outside general counsel, as well as numerous other clients, principally firms in the franchising and personnel/staffing businesses. 

1990-1994 THE TALENT TREE CORPORATION, Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary

Talent Tree was a temporary personnel company that in the mid-1990’s annually sold $300 million in office support and light industrial services.  It also had divisions engaged in the technical staffing, legal staffing, and health care staffing businesses. In 1990, Mr. Reardon created Talent Tree’s first franchise offering, which was rated by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the top 30 new franchises at that time.

1983-1990, SNELLING AND SNELLING, INC., Vice President and Assistant General Counsel

Snelling and Snelling, Inc., was a public company that maintained over 500 employment service franchises in the U.S., Canada, and Brazil during the 1980’s.  Mr. Reardon was counsel for the startup of the Snelling Temporaries franchise system.  In five years, Snelling Temporaries grew to more than 125 franchised units and became a highly acclaimed franchise offering.

1968-1982 CHARLES STEDMAN & CO., INC., Vice President and General Counsel

Mr. Reardon worked in technical aspects of this employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm from 1968 to 1975, with leaves for military service and law school, and he served as Vice President and General Counsel from 1976 through 1982.

Other Experience
  • Staffing Association Work:  For 12 years, Mr. Reardon represented Adecco North America and Kelly Services on the American Staffing Association’s board of directors and executive committee.  He has also served as a director of the Texas Association of Staffing in the early 1990’s and, more recently, as a director of the Texas Search, Recruiting, and Staffing Association.
  • Military:  As a commissioned Army officer, Mr. Reardon was Chief of Administrative Services of Fort Sheridan, Illinois and, during 8 months of service in Vietnam, created and managed one of the first drug abuse testing programs.
Education & Admissions
  • J.D. with Honors, University of Florida College of Law (1975)
  • Executive Editor, University of Florida Law Review, 1975
  • B.S. in Business (Finance), Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business (1972)
  • High-ranking graduate of U.S. Army Engineer Officer Candidate School, commissioned in Adjutant General Corps.
  • Admitted to practice law in Florida, Texas, and Michigan.
  • Selected for Staffing Industry Analysts’ “Staffing 100” for five years, leading to permanent selection for the Staffing Industry Hall of Fame.
Publications and speeches – excluding panel appearances and corporate client presentations

*Texts, slides, and/or videos are available on request for most

  • “Legal Risks To Staffing: Part Two”, Staffing Industry Review Benefit of Counsel column, October 1, 2024
  • “Lurking Legal Risks To Staffing: Part One”, Staffing Industry Review Benefit of Counsel column, August 6, 2024
  • “Phone trees and voicemail: Low tech but high stakes”, Staffing Industry Review Benefit of Counsel column, June 27, 2024
  • “Unsafe Harbor: Beware the FTC’s noncompete model notice language”, article for Staffing Industry Analysts’ Staffing Stream, July/August 2024
  • “Beware the FTC’s noncompete model notice language”, Staffing Industry Review Benefit of Counsel column, June 3, 2024
  • “FTC’s Non-Compete Ban: What It Says and What To Do”, webinar presentation for Texas Search, Recruiting, and Staffing Association, May 23, 2024
  • “Non-competes: FTC follows through on ban”, article for Staffing Industry Analysts’ Staffing Stream, April 24, 2024
  • “Beware the Bait and Switch”, article in Staffing Industry Review, August 7, 2023
  • Public comment letter on proposed Federal Trade Commission ban on non-competes, submitted for the Texas Association of Staffing and the Texas Search, Recruiting, and Staffing Association, April 18, 2023
  • “Pending Threats To The Staffing Industry And How To Prepare For Them”, webinar for the Texas Search, Recruiting, and Staffing Association, October 20, 2022.
  • “Last In Line: Navigating Financial Challenges From Customer Bankruptcy”, article in Staffing Industry Review, September 22, 2020.
  • “What’s New In Contracts?”, virtual presentation to American Staffing Association’s Legal/Legislative Committee, September 16, 2020.
  •  “Real, But Less Publicized, COVID-19 Issues For Staffing Firms”, webinar presentation to Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, May 29, 2020.
  • “Managing Contracts – The ‘Laws’ You Live By”, presentation for Staffing Industry Executive Forum (changed to online webinar by COVID-19 cancellation), March 11, 2020.
  • Lunch With A Lawyer webinar, American Staffing Association, December 4, 2019.
  • “Limit Your Costs: How Staffing Firms Can Avoid Overspending On Lawyers”, article in Staffing Industry Review, November 18, 2019.
  • “Issues and Solutions: How to Fix Staffing and Fee Contracts With Your Clients and With VMS/MSP Programs”, presentation to Driver Employment Council of America, April 25, 2019, Phoenix, Arizona.
  • “The Great Staffing Contract Negotiation”, simulated negotiation presentation with another staffing lawyer, American Staffing Association’s Staffing Law Conference, April 4, 2019.
  • “ACA’s Post-Constitutional Fate”, article in Staffing Industry Analysts’ The Staffing Stream, December 17, 2018.
  • “Pushing Back: How to address unfair contract clauses from clients or MSPs”, article in Staffing Industry Review, November 14, 2018.
  • “How To Answer Clients’ Questions and Beliefs About Staffing”, presentation to Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, August 9, 2018.
  • “Protecting Your Staffing Firm Through Sound Client Contracts”, presentation to American Staffing Association’s Staffing Law Conference, May 10, 2018.
  • “Driven by Law: How legal and cultural change will open new avenues for staffing”, article in Staffing Industry Review, May 1, 2018.
  • “Watch Those Requests: Coping With Customers’ Healthcare Coverage Mandates Can Trip Up Staffing Firms”, article in Staffing Industry Review, November 20, 2017.
  • “Staffing Contracts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and What To Do About It”, presentation to Staffing Industry Analysts Collaboration in the Gig Economy conference, September 13, 2017.
  • “Issues and Solutions: How to Fix Staffing and Fee Contracts With Your Clients”, Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants Lunch ‘N’ Learn presentation, August 17 2017.
  • “Where Are We Headed? 100 Days Into the New Administration, Some Legal Issues Face Heightened Scrutiny”, article in Staffing Industry Review, May 1, 2017.
  • “Expert Master Class: How To Survive Customer Contracts”, presentation to Staffing Industry Executive Forum, February 15, 2017.
  • “Benefit of Counsel: Lighten the Load, How to Relieve Clients’ Joint Employment Anxiety”, Benefit of Counsel column, Staffing Industry Review, October 5, 2016.
  • “The New Rules For Federal Wage And Hour White Collar Overtime Exemptions”, Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants Lunch ‘N’ Learn presentation, September 15, 2016.
  • “After the Polls”, article on effects of upcoming election on staffing, Staffing Industry Review, May 2016.
  • “The Affordable Care Act: What’s Happening Overall To Your Business and What You Can Do About It”, presentation to the Texas Association of Staffing’s Annual Conference, April 5, 2016.
  • “Why Worry About the NLRB’s Browning-Ferris Decision?”, article in The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, October 2015.
  • “Caught Between a Rock & The ACA”, article in Staffing Industry Review, October 2015.
  • “ACA: The IRS Won’t Deem Clients the Common Law Employees of Temporaries”, article in The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, September 2015.
  • “The Disturbing Facts of NLRB’s Browning-Ferris Decision”, Texas Association of Staffing newsletter, September 2016.
  • “Supreme Court Upholds Nationwide ACA Subsidies and Penalties”, article in The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, June 2015.
  • “Stay In the Loop: Current and Emerging Issues to Be Aware Of”, cover feature article, Staffing Industry Review, June 2015.
  • “Word Tracks & Nuggets For Contract Negotiations”, presentation to the Texas Association of Staffing’s 2015 annual convention, February 6, 2015.
  • “Free Tools For ACA’s Applicable Large Employer Calculation”, article in The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, November 2014.
  • “Prepare for ACA: Issues and Tasks in the Home Stretch”, presentation to the Alternative Staffing Alliance annual meeting, October 2, 2014.
  • “Busting Myths: Capped Hours ACA Risk in a No-Plan Firm”, Parts I and II, The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, August 26, 2014.
  • “The Challenges and Opportunities of Healthcare Reform For Placement Firms”, presentation for the Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, August 20, 2014.
  • “Wrapping It Up: Tips For Dealing With The Affordable Care Act In The Home Stretch”, Staffing Industry Review, August 22, 2014
  • “What To Do In The Home Stretch Of The Affordable Care Act”, presentation for the Lunch ‘N Learn series of Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, August 21, 2014.
  • “Halbig v. Burwell Case May Bring Down the ACA”, The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, July 2014.
  • “Hobby Lobby Case Lets Closely Held Firms Avoid Religiously Objectionable ACA Mandate”, The Staffing Stream, Staffing industry Analysts website, June 2014.
  • “Reasons to Consider ‘Paying’ Instead of ‘Playing’”, the Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, May 22, 2014.
  • “Customer Contracts: The Non-Indemnity Issues”, presentation to Texas Association of Staffing annual convention, April 17, 2014.
  • “Affordable Care Act Update”, presentation to Texas Association of Staffing annual convention, April 16, 2014.
  • “Contract Negotiations, Risky Procedures, and Restoration”, presentation to Staffcon 2014 (Innovative Solutions For Healthcare), April 3-4, 2014.
  • “The First Big Shoe Drops Under the ACA”, article in The Staffing Stream, Staffing Industry Analysts website, February 11, 2014.
  • “Healthcare Reform: Which Route To Take?”, (the factors that affect a firm’s decision to offer insurance or pay fines), Parts I and II, Staffing Industry Review, July and August 2013.
  • “The Long and Winding Road: How To Strategically Plan For the ACA and Reduce Expenses”, Staffing Industry Review, September 2013.
  • “Healthcare Reform and Its Impact on Contingent Workers”, keynote address to annual conference of VMS Professionals, May 31, 2013.
  • “The Challenges and Opportunities Of Healthcare Reform For Placement Firms”, presentation to the Houston Area Association of Personnel Consultants, January 24, 2013.
  • “Penalties and Discrimination Rules Under the Health Care Reform Law”, webinar for TechServe Alliance, October 16, 2012.
  • “Employee Noncompetes: How to Play Offense and Defense”, presentation to annual convention of American Staffing Association, October 10, 2012.
  • “Co-Employment: Dispelling the Myths”, webinar for TechServe Alliance, June 7, 2012.
  • “Healthcare Reform and Its Impact on Contingent Workers”, keynote address to annual conference of VMS Professionals, May 31, 2012.
  • “Employment Services Industry Session”, presentation to Risk and Insurance Management Society annual convention, April 17, 2012.
  • “What You Don’t See [in customer contracts] Can Hurt You”, Staffing Industry Review, April 2012.
  • “Penalty Avoidance and Competitive Advantage Under the Health Care Reform Law”, presentation to the Staffing Industry Executive Forum, March 14, 2012.
  • Legs and Regs, Staffing Industry Analysts’ legal update webinars for users of contingent labor, May 26, 2011, November 17, 2011, February 16, 2012, and December 13, 2012.
  • “Workers’ Compensation Immunity for Texas Staffing Customer Affirmed – With a Surprising and troublesome Twist”, Littler ASAP, January 31, 2012.
  • “The Myths and Reality of Contingent Workforce Legal Risk”, keynote address to Contingent Workforce Risk Forum, October 5, 2011.
  • “A Hard Pill To Swallow: Why Healthcare Reform Poses Serious Threats to Staffing”, Staffing Industry Review, July 2011.
  • “Managing Employee Leaves for Compliance With Federal Law”, article in PEO Insider magazine (published by National Association of Professional Employer Organizations), June/July 2011.
  • “IC Compliance: It’s No Longer a Choice for CW Managers”, presentation to Staffing Industry Analysts CWS Council, April 20, 2011.
  • “Surfing the Contingent Workforce Wave”, Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, February 24, 2011.
  • “Term Limits for Contingent Workers: Urban Legend or Necessary Fix?”, Littler Insight, December 2010.
  • “Healthcare Reform to Raise Costs, Add Administrative Burden: How Staffing Firms Should Handle It”, Littler Insight, October, 2011.
  • “Staffing Client Interview Pay Issue Spreads in California”, Littler ASAP, September 2010.
  • “American Health Benefit Exchanges”, presentation to National Association of Professional Employer Organizations annual conference, September 28, 2010.
  • “Staffing and the Law”, presentation to 2009 Staffing Industry Executive Forum.
  • “Expert’s Perspectives On Obtaining Counsel For Your Firm”, article in Sept.-Oct. 2009 Staffing Success magazine.
  • “Getting it Done With Contingent Workers”, presentation to the 2009 The Executive Employer®, the Littler Mendelson law firm’s annual client convention.
  • “Protect Your Business: Negotiate Indemnity Clauses”, presentation to American Staffing Association 2006 annual convention.
  • “Indemnification In Co-Employment Relationships”, presentation to 2006 Staffing Industry Executive Forum.
  • “The Most Critical Legal Issues Facing the Staffing Industry”, presentation to American Staffing Association 2003 annual convention.
  • “The Benefits, Risks, and Myths of Co-Employment”, professional paper delivered to American Employment Law Council annual symposium, 2002.
  • “Negotiating and Surviving Contracts With Your Customers”, presentation to American Staffing Association 2000 annual convention.
  • “Multilevel Marketing: Dare To Be Careful”, DBA Houston website, August 1996.
  • “Legal Solutions for On-Site and Primary Vendor Deals”, presentation to Texas Association of Staffing 1996 Legislative/Legal Symposium.
  • “How To Survive Contracts With Your Customers”, program for Texas Association of Staffing 1995 Annual Convention.
  • “Assertive Franchise Shopping”, DBA Houston magazine, September 1995.
  • “Trends In Employment Law Regulation and Compliance”, professional paper delivered to 1993 American Bar Association Forum On Franchising.
  • “Primer on Employee Leasing”, presentation to joint CPA society of Manatee and Sarasota Counties, Florida (1989).
  • Stedman Insurance Review, principal writer and publisher of quarterly newsletter to medical clinics on legal, tax, insurance, association, and risk management issues (1979-1982).
  • “Medical Groups: Legal and Political Structure in Group Practice”, law review article published at 28 U. Fla. L. Rev. 568 (1976).
  • “Evidence: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in Civil Cases; Allstate v. Vanater”, law review article published at 27 U. Fla. L. Rev. 260 (1974).