Brian J. Farrar

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.