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John Rainwater
Principal
John Rainwater is a principal in the Denver* office and brings more than 25 years of experience in federal labor law enforcement, litigation and regulatory compliance. Clients benefit from his unique blend of experience involving labor and employment matters, environmental, health and safety matters, public policy and investigations. He is a respected legal and policy expert on matters involving the US Department of Labor (DOL), and has built a reputation for excellence and client service.
A former member of the federal Senior Executive Service, John led the Dallas/Denver region for the Office of the Solicitor at the DOL. He most recently had responsibility for all litigation and legal services to DOL agencies under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Service Contract Act, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, among other federal laws, in eleven states from Texas to Montana. John supervised approximately 50 multidisciplinary lawyers and staff who litigated and provided legal advice under 180 federal statutes and who represent the DOL in federal courts and administrative tribunals. He was also the DOL ethics officer for the Dallas/Denver region. John received the DOL’s Distinguished Career Service Award in 2018.
John regularly litigated routine and high-profile matters, from mining and industrial disasters involving Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal referrals and prosecutions, to COVID-19 workplace enforcement. John has a deep expertise in the ever-changing employment laws and regulations for federal contractors, specifically prevailing wage. John’s substantive knowledge and enforcement experience provides key insight to clients in this space. John has litigated several whistleblower matters and has significant experience in whistleblower enforcement, as well as other investigations (including DOJ, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state criminal prosecutions in the safety and health context). He also has wage and hour litigation experience and is a formidable expert in matters involving US health and safety law. In addition, John has several years of collective bargaining experience, negotiating with various federal labor unions.
*Practice in Colorado temporarily authorized pending admission under C.R.C.P. 205.6.
Education
- University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 1997
- University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, M.S.W., 1997
- St. John's University, B.A., with Distinction, 1991
Admissions
- Kansas, 1997
- Practice in Colorado temporarily authorized pending admission under C.R.C.P. 205.6.
Courts
- U.S. Dist. Ct., Dist. of Colorado
- U.S. Dist. Ct., Dist. of Kansas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
Memberships & Affiliations
- Enrolled Member, Cherokee Nation
- Member, National Native American Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Kansas Bar Association
- Member, Colorado Bar Association
- Distinguished Career Service Award, Given by DOL in recognition of career service marked by sustained high quality and efficiency, 2018.
- Worker Protection Award, Diversified Builders Incorporated Investigation and Litigation Team, Given by DOL in recognition of outstanding achievement in the enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act in the construction/drywall industry, 2018.
- Letter of Commendation from US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis for work on the Crandall Canyon Mine Disaster Litigation, 2012.
- Several Secretary’s Exceptional Achievement Awards, 2004-2011.
- Panelist, “Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Annual Institute,” October 16, 2020.
- Keynote speaker, “Administrative Law and the Workplace Impact,” Texas A&M University School of Law’s Annual Conference on Labor and Employment Law, April 3, 2020.
- Speaker, “Government Ethics,” Presentation to Dallas and Denver Solicitor’s Offices, September 7, 2018.
- Speaker, “Wage and Hour Case Development and Referral,” Presentation to United Brotherhood of Carpenters, April 11, 2018.
- Speaker. “Government Ethics,” Presentation to Denver Solicitor’s Office, August 16, 2017.
- Speaker, “MSHA Special Investigations Training,” Presented to MSHA special investigators and supervisory special investigators, May 12-13, 2016.
- Keynote speaker, “SOX, OSHA and Beyond: Litigating Whistleblower Claims at the U.S. Department of Labor,” American Bar Association Panel Discussion at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, January 14, 2015.
- Speaker, “Operation Safe Bakken,” Represented the DOL at Interagency task force formed Montana and North Dakota US Attorney’s Office to address criminal activity in the Bakken oil producing region of North Dakota and Montana, October 15, 2014.
- Speaker, “Government Ethics for OSHA Managers,” Training for OSHA regional and area managers in Region eight, March 6, 2012.