Ralph Dawson is engaged in the practice of labor and employment law and civil litigation in the Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.'s New York office. His practice involves the representation of employers in proceedings before the courts and administrative agencies. He also represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations and in grievance and arbitration proceedings under labor contracts. 

In the broader employment law area, Mr. Dawson represents employers in courts and in administrative proceedings involving claims of wrongful discharge and claims of employment discrimination brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and related federal and state statutes. He has also represented clients in a variety of commercial disputes involving non-competition, other restrictive covenants, breach of contract and tort claims. He also provides counseling and training to various companies in the securities industry and other industries.

Mr. Dawson's interest in public policy matters has led him to collaborate with our Public Finance Department of which he is now a part. In this capacity he has been part of Fulbright teams acting as underwriter's counsel for various financial institutions.

Mr. Dawson is also Co-Chief Diversity Officer for the firm, responsible for providing leadership in firm wide internal and external diversity and inclusion activities.

• Represented securities firm in non-competition and other restrictive covenant litigation
• Represented technology firm in disability discrimination cases
• Represented high net worth individuals in IRS investigations regarding alleged tax shelters
• Represented securities firm in age discrimination cases
• Represented inventory monitoring firm in class action alleging rest, meal period and overtime pay violations
• Obtained summary judgment for securities firm in suit by former employees claiming they were entitled to share of proceeds on sale of the firm
• Obtained jury verdict for energy firm in age discrimination suit
• Represented toy manufacturer in patent and copyright infringement litigations
• Represented securities firm in sexual harassment litigation

• American Bar Association
• New York City Bar Association, Past Service on:
  • Judiciary Committee, which evaluates the fitness for office of candidates for all federal, state and city judgeships in courts which sit in the City of New York, U.S. Attorneys for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the District Attorneys for the five counties in the City of New York.
  • Civil Rights Committee
• Metropolitan Black Bar Association of New York
• Court Appointed Merit Selection Panel for Magistrate Judges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department 
• Yale University Council Committee on Workplace Diversity (2005 - 2007)

1976 - J.D., Columbia University Law School 
1973 - B.A., Yale University

Mr. Dawson was licensed to practice law in New York in 1977, and is also a member of the Washington, D.C. Bar. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, various federal district courts and the Courts of Appeal for the Second and Fifth Circuits.