Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds

Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds is an attorney at Pullman & Comley, which has an office in Wakefield, Rhode Island. He co-chairs its Labor, Employment Law and Employee Benefits Department. He serves as outside general counsel to companies nationwide and advises employers on labor, employment, business, and government-related matters. His work combines day-to-day legal counseling with litigation involving workplace disputes, commercial issues, and obligations that affect organizations and their leadership. He also advises on union-management relationships and issues arising from workplace investigations, training, and government oversight.

Joshua earned a B.A. from the University of Connecticut in 1987 and a J.D. cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 1991. His education prepared him for a practice involving commercial litigation, employment counseling, and regulatory questions. He is admitted in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, and before numerous federal courts, including the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Joshua has tried cases in state and federal courts and argued before the Second Circuit, the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate Courts, and the Massachusetts Appeals Court. He represents regional, national, and international employers in labor and employment matters. He also advises executives at Fortune 200 companies regarding employment agreements, separation arrangements, and restrictive covenants, and represents clients before administrative tribunals. His employment work includes union-management relations, workplace investigations, and dispute resolution for organizations in different industries.

Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds has been ranked by Chambers in labor and employment and included in The Best Lawyers in America for more than a decade. He has also received New England Super Lawyers recognition and was selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. His practice connects workplace counseling with courtroom experience, helping clients manage complex employment and business disputes. His combined advisory and litigation roles help employers assess the consequences of workplace decisions before and after disputes develop.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Pullman & Comley LLC
• Member, Connecticut Bar Association
• Past Chair, Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, Connecticut Bar Association
• Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, New York State Bar Association
• Member, Rhode Island Bar Association
• Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, Rhode Island Bar Association
• Founder and Former Chair, Labor and Employment Law Committee, Hartford County Bar Association
• James W. Cooper Fellow, Connecticut Bar Foundation
• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Member, Manchester Bar Association
• Member, Federal Bar Council
• Coach, University of Connecticut Mock Trial Society Team (2018-2021)
• Former State-Wide Board of Directors Chair, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Connecticut Chapter
• Former Member, Board of Directors, Community Health Charities of Connecticut
• Board Member, UConn Club
• Bencher, Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Courts
• Justice of the Peace, Town of Bolton (2010-2020)
• Former Alternate Member, Bolton Lakes Regional Water Pollution Control Authority
• Member, Society for Human Resources Management
• Former Member, Town of Bolton Board of Selectmen (2005-2008)

Licensed State

• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• New York
• Rhode Island

Education

• Western New England University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD) (Cum Laude)
• University of Connecticut
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges