Jack Rowe concentrates on employment and labor relations issues. He represents management and the business sector in equal employment opportunity, personnel relations and traditional labor matters, including federal, state and local agency investigations and hearings, court actions and day-to-day advice and counseling. His experience has involved consultation concerning complex employment, personnel and labor relations issues, including union elections, negotiations and arbitrations, reductions in force, discipline and discharge, pay practices, affirmative action, ERISA, OSHA, government complaints and compliance reviews, and other employee related activities involved in business operations.

He has successfully defended individual and class action age, race, sex, religion, disability and other discrimination complaints, as well as wrongful discharge, ERISA, general employment, Railway Labor Act, and traditional labor litigation, in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and before administrative agencies across the United States. He has represented management in union election campaigns, negotiations, arbitrations and strike/lock-out strategies, and before the National Labor Relations Board and federal appellate courts in unfair labor practice complaints throughout the United States. Jack is a frequent speaker before firm clients and civic and professional organizations including The Missouri Bar, and The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, State Human Resources Management Association and Professional Management Seminar Association. According to Jack’s peers, who were interviewed during the process of Jack becoming individually ranked in the 2019 Chambers & Partners Missouri Labor & Employment category, “He has the ability to fashion great strategies for clients that avoid litigation.”

Areas of Focus

Credentials

Education

  • University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (J.D., with distinction, 1973)
  • University of Kansas (B.A., with distinction, 1969)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Missouri

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Recognitions

  • Member, College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, Eighth Circuit Committee
  • Selected among The Best Lawyers in America®, 2003-2025
    • Labor Law in Management, "Lawyer of the Year," 2024
    • Litigation - Labor and Employment, "Lawyer of the Year," 2019
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Missouri Labor & Employment, 2003-2024
    • Senior Statesperson, 2024
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005-2024
  • Named to Best of the United States, Lawyers Section, 2006
  • Selected for Best Attorneys Network Directory, 2005
  • Selected by peers for "Best of the Bar," The Kansas City Business Journal, 2003-2004
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal - U.S. Labour and Employment Lawyers
  • Martindale-Hubbell® "AV" Rating
  • Order of the Bench and Robe
  • Articles Editor, UMKC Law Review, 1972-1973
  • Phi Beta Kappa

Presentations

  • Co-presenter, "Wage & Hour Showdown," and "Keeping up with the Board: Labor Law Changes that Impact Union and Non-Union Employers," Lathrop GPM 2024 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 23, 2024 (Minneapolis)
  • Co-presenter, "Keeping up with the Board: Labor Law Changes that Impact Union and Non-Union Employers," Lathrop GPM 2024 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 1, 2024 (Kansas City)
  • Co-presenter, "Current, and Future, Wage and Hour Challenges," and "National Labor Relations Board Puts All Employers Under the Microscope," Lathrop GPM 2023 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 24, 2023 (Minneapolis)
  • Presenter, "Federal Contractors Watch Out! OFCCP Big Time Changes for 2022 AAPs," Lathrop GPM 2022 Employment & Labor Law Seminar, April 12, 2022 (Kansas City); May 4, 2022 (Minneapolis)
  • Speaker, "Employment Litigation Avoidance - Termination Checklist," Lathrop Gage Labor and Employment Executive Briefing, November 2018

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association, Labor Law Committee
  • Heartland Labor and Employment Law Institute
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Labor Law Committee, Past Chair
  • The Missouri Bar, Labor Law Committee

Community Involvement

  • Kansas City Ballet, Board of Trustees, President, 2019 - Present
  • City of Prairie Village, Kansas, City Council, Past Member; Planning Commission, Past Member
  • The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City Tomorrow Leadership Program
  • Johnson County Planning Commission, Past Member
  • Phi Alpha Educational Foundation
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternal Association, University of Kansas, Vice President
  • Village Church, Heritage Committee; former Elder