Brian J. Farrar

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Brian Farrar is an experienced trial attorney who represents all types of employees, from C-Suite level executives to hourly workers. In addition to working with employees, he also helps select businesses navigate complex employment laws. For each year from 2018 to present, Brian was named to Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in Michigan.
Brian has successfully litigated numerous cases in federal and state courts involving wrongful termination, discrimination, unequal pay, breach of contract, wage and hour violations, and other civil rights matters. In 2020, Brian negotiated a $1.46 Million pre-trial settlement on behalf of female college professors who alleged unequal pay and sex discrimination. This was one of the largest reported settlements for a gender discrimination case in the country. As lead trial counsel, Brian obtained the following results for other clients:
- A $425,000 pre-trial settlement in an age discrimination case
- A $429,600 judgment following a bench trial on behalf of a business whose former employee stole confidential documents and attempted to unlawfully compete
- A $330,000 settlement in an unpaid wages case following a successful jury trial
- A $400,000 pre-trial settlement in a hostile work environment claim based on race discrimination
Many clients hire Brian to handle disputes over non-compete agreements. Brian is very familiar with how judges interpret these agreements, and frequently challenges the validity of non-competes in court. Brian also advises clients on all types of employment contracts, including severance agreements, and has drafted and negotiated compensation packages for corporate executives where millions of dollars are at stake.
Before joining Sterling Attorneys in 2015, Brian was a Senior Counsel for the City of New York, where he handled civil rights cases on behalf of the municipality. He is now a proud resident of Birmingham, where he lives with his wife Katie (also an attorney), their two children, and their dog, Romeo. Brian also serves his community as an Auxiliary Police Officer with the Birmingham Police Department and graduated from the Oakland County Reserve Police Academy.
Areas Of Practice
- Employment Law For Employees and Employers
- Discrimination & Wrongful Discharge
- Executive & C-Level Legal Services
- Employment Contract Negotiation
- Non-compete Law
- Wage & Hour Violations
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
- New York
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
Education
- Hofstra University School of Law, Hempstead, New York
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Published Works
- Workplace Harassment Law, Injunctive Relief Under Federal Law, Ch 32, 2d Edition, Bloomberg Law.
- Say What? The Case for Hearsay at the Guantanamo Bay Military Commissions, Michigan State International Law Review
- Jurisdiction in New York Courts, Federal Bar Council Quarterly, Vol. XXI, No 4.
- To Legislate or To Arbitrate: An Analysis of U.S. Foreign Investment Policy after FINSA and the Benefits of International Arbitration, Hofstra Journal of International Business and Law, Vol. 7, No. 1.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- State Bar of Michigan
- Oakland County Bar Association
- Vistage Michigan, Trusted Advisor Program