Experience
Joan has been practicing with the firm since 1986 in the areas of labor and employment law, commercial real estate, collaborative law, and mediation. She is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by The Florida Bar, is a Certified Circuit Civil Mediator, and is trained in Civil Collaborative Law.
Distinctions & Memberships
- Admitted to The Florida Bar in 1986
- U.S. District Courts, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law
- The Best Lawyers in America© since 2006, Labor and Employment Law
- Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year”,
2016 Litigation – Labor and Employment
2017, 2022 Employment Law – Management
2019, 2022 Litigation – Labor and Employment
2022 Labor Law – Management
2024 Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment - Selected for Inclusion in Super Lawyers
- AV Rated through Martindale-Hubbel
- Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
- Leadership Pinellas Class of 1993
- Florida Bar Labor and Employment Law Certification Committee, Chair 2004-2005
- Clearwater Bar Foundation, President 2007-2009
- Saint Paul’s School Board of Trustees, Chair 2009-2011
- Keystone Prep High School Board of Trustees
- Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees
- Pinellas County Unified Personnel Board
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
Education
- College of William & Mary, B.A. in Economics
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D. with Honors
- Law Review
- Moot Court Board
- Walter Mann Award
- James Carlisle Rogers, Jr. Award
- University of South Florida Mediation Institute
Joan M. Vecchioli joined Johnson Pope in 1986 upon graduating with honors from Stetson University College of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review and competed on the Moot Court Board. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of William and Mary.
Since joining the firm, Joan has gained experience in the areas of commercial litigation, commercial real estate transactions, education, and labor and employment law. Currently, her practice focuses on labor and employment issues, commercial real estate, collaborative law, and mediation.
Joan has been certified by The Florida Bar in the area of labor and employment law and has successfully handled discrimination and harassment claims involving age, race, sex, religion, marital status, national origin and disability under local, state and federal laws. Additionally, she has drafted sexual harassment policies, drug testing policies, family and medical leave policies, employee termination agreements, personnel manuals and employee handbooks for use by Florida employers. Joan has also counseled clients on federal fair labor standards, employee applications and terminations, polygraph testing, unemployment compensation and employee benefits issues. Joan has taught employment discrimination and legal research and writing courses at Stetson University College of Law and St. Petersburg College (formerly SPJC). Joan has also lectured at seminars and published articles on various labor and employment issues. To view some of these articles, please click on the links above.
In the real estate arena, Joan has represented developers in connection with their acquisitions and developments of residential and commercial properties. Her services have included drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases, construction documents, development agreements, and easement and operation agreements. She has also represented both lenders and borrowers on commercial financing issues and has prepared and negotiated loan documents in connection with acquisitions as well as refinancings and new construction.
Additionally, Joan has handled housing, public accommodations, and education discrimination claims filed under local, state and federal laws. She is also a Certified Circuit Civil and Federal Mediator and has been trained in Collaborative Law.
As a Young Lawyer, Joan organized and served as an advisor to the North Pinellas County Law Explorer Post, a division of the Boy Scouts of America, allowing high school students in the greater Clearwater area to explore potential careers in law. She also acted as a mentor in the Doorways Program sponsored by the Pinellas County School Board and is a graduate of the Leadership Pinellas Program.
Joan formerly served as a chair of a Florida Bar grievance committee and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Lawyers’ Section of the Clearwater Bar Association. She is a former Chair of the Board Certification Committee for the Labor and Employment Law Section of The Florida Bar, a past President of the Clearwater Bar Foundation, and a past Board Chair for Saint Paul’s School in Clearwater. She currently serves as a Trustee for the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Personnel Board for the Pinellas County Unified Personnel System. Joan is AV rated through Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
- Structuring Group Medical Practices: Labor and Employment Issues The Medical Staff Counselor, 1993 (co-authored)
- Securities Regulation: The Sale of a Closely-Held Business in Light of Landreth Timber v. Landreth, Stetson Law Review, 1986
Articles
- Important Update: Employers Are No Longer Required To Comply With The DOL’s 2024 Increased Salary Thresholds
- The Laws, They Are a Changing, Part IV: What Employers Need to Know about the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace
- The Laws, They Are a Changing, Part III: What Employers Need to Know about the EEOC’s Final Rule Implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- Florida’s 2024 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 28 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- The Laws, They Are a Changing, Part II: Increased Minimum Salary Requirements Begin July 1, 2024
- The Laws, They are a Changing, Part I: The FTC’s Ban of Post-Employment Non-Competes
- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Creates New Obligations for Employers
- Florida’s 2023 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 22 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- Florida Enacts E-Verify Requirements for Employers
- 2023 Employment Law Watchlist
- Best Employment Practices 2022
- COVID-19: Updated CDC and EEOC Guidance
- Florida’s 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 18 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- The Stop W.O.K.E. Act Affects Employers Too
- Florida Enacts New Law Affecting Mandatory Vaccine Policies in the Workplace
- Employers – Are You Properly Reporting Your Newly Hired or Re-Hired Employees and Independent Contractors?
- Labor and Employment Update: Path Out of the Pandemic
- Save the Date – Best Employment Practices 2021
- COVID-19 Summer Update: OSHA and EEOC Guidance and Vaccine Litigation
- COVID-19 Update: Masks, Vaccines, and COBRA Guidance
- Joan M. Vecchioli Elected Chair of the Pinellas County Unified Personnel Board
- The Future of the Workplace under the Biden Administration
- COVID-19 Update: What Employers Need to Know for 2021
- Employment Webinar Series Invitation 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Department of Labor Revises FFCRA Regulations
- No Summer Break for the Department of Labor: Tracking Hours Worked by Teleworking/Remote Employees; FFCRA Eligibility when Schools are Open; and DOL Guidance Documents
- Landmark Ruling: Gay and Transgender Individuals Protected by Title VII
- COVID-19 Updates: Reopening Guidance from the CDC for Employers in Office Buildings and DOL Developments
- Considerations for Preparing to Return to the Workplace
- Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Employers: Week Ending April 17, 2020
- Important Government Covid-19 Updates Affecting Employers
- Employer Updates on Stay-at-Home Orders and Implementation of the Paid Leave Provisions of the FFCRA
- DOL Issues Further Guidance On The FFCRA Paid Provisions
- Federal And Local COVID-19 Developments Affecting Employers
- An Employer’s Guide to Frequently Asked Questions about Reductions in Force and Unemployment Compensation Related to COVID-19
- What Employers Need to Know About The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Breaking Workplace Developments On The COVID-19 Pandemic
- Don’t Be Caught Red Handed: Be Aware of New Wage Theft Rules and Pay Perils
- Best Employment Practices 2019
- Lions and Tigers and Miniature Horses, Oh My!
- Wage and Hour Update
- EEOC Enforcement Priorities
- Shielding Employers from Liability: Tips for Maintaining Your Armor
- Fair Labor Standards Act Update
- Labor and Employment Law Watch 2018
- Best Employment Practices: Conducting Self Audits and Protecting Trade Secrets.
- Countdown to Compliance: Are You Prepared for the New Overtime Regulations?
- Fifty Shades of Gray: Employment Discrimination is Not Black and White
- Supreme Court Update
- Joan Vecchioli speaks to myLawCLE about Facebook Firings
- Orange is the New Trap: Considering Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions
- Employee Handbooks: Shields or Swords?
- Facebook Firings: Disciplining Employees for Social Media Posts
News
- 55 Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns LLP Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2025
- Florida’s 2024 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 28 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- 48 Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns LLP Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2024
- Florida’s 2023 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 22 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- 48 Lawyers from Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2023—Four recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” In Their Respective Practice Area
- Florida’s 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 18 Johnson Pope Attorneys
- 46 Lawyers from Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized In The Best Lawyers In America® 2022—Five Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” In Their Respective Practice Area
- Save the Date – Best Employment Practices 2021
- Joan M. Vecchioli Elected Chair of the Pinellas County Unified Personnel Board
- 47 Lawyers From Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized By Best Lawyers® 2021 – Four Recognized As “Lawyer of the Year” In Their Respective Practice Area
- Florida Super Lawyers Recognizes 23 Attorneys from Johnson Pope
- 36 Lawyers From Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized In Best Lawyers In America® 2020 – Three Recognized As “Lawyer Of The Year” In Their Respective Practice Area
- Florida Super Lawyers Recognizes 24 Attorneys From Johnson Pope
- 32 Lawyers from Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized in “The Best Lawyers in America®” 2019 – Three Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in Their Respective Practice Areas
- 30 Lawyers from Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized in “The Best Lawyers in America®” 2018 and Two Partners as “Lawyer of the Year” in Their Areas of Practice
- Johnson Pope Lawyers Named 2017 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year”
- Best Lawyers 2016
- ‘Florida Super Lawyers’ Recognizes 17 Attorneys from Johnson Pope
- Joan Vecchioli Receives Award
- 14 JP Lawyers Listed as “Best Lawyers 2014”
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — September 2021
We know that the announcement of The White House: Path out of the Pandemic: President Biden’s COVID-19 Action Plan (the “Action Plan”) has left many of us with more questions than answers. We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide a more detailed summary when the applicable Occupational Safety […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, COVID-19 task force, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — July 2021
With the rise in vaccination rates and the increased return of workers to the workplace, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) have issued updated guidance for employers and employees relating to safety standards and vaccine policies. Specifically, on May 28, 2021, the […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, COVID-19 task force, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — May 2021
The past few weeks have seen a flurry of activity at both the federal and state level relating to COVID-19. Most recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued updated guidance concerning the use of masks for fully vaccinated individuals. This article will provide you a brief overview […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, COVID-19 task force, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — March 2020
At the end of January 2020, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners made significant amendments to the Wage Theft and Recovery Ordinance, which applies to any entity or person who employs a person (even just one person) within Pinellas County. These amendments became effective in February 2020. With […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — September 2019
Joan M. Vecchioli, Esq., Colleen M. Fynn, Esq., Rachael L. Wood, Esq. invite you to attend their seminar series Best Employment Practices Topics will include Animals in the Workplace Department of Labor Developments Common Employer Mistakes Wednesday, October 23, 2019 8:30 a.m. – Noon Continental Breakfast served Ruth Eckerd Hall […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — September 2019
Many of our clients have been inquiring about their obligations regarding animals in the workplace. For employers, these obligations may vary depending on whether the person wanting to bring an animal into the workplace is a customer or an employee. Customers If the person is a customer and the business […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodColleen M. Flynn, Joan M. Vecchioli & Rachael L. Wood — April 2019
We have seen rapid developments in wage and hour laws over the past several months that will affect a wide range of industries and professions. These developments under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) include Opinion Letters issued by the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) and proposed rules by […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodColleen M. Flynn, Joan M. Vecchioli & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — October 2018
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has long required that its resources be targeted to ensure the strongest possible impact in its efforts to stop unlawful employment discrimination. In 2017, the EEOC revised its Strategic Enforcement Plan (“SEP”) for Fiscal Years 2017-2021 to identify six (6) substantive area priorities and […]
Categories: Blogs, Labor & Employment
By Joan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodColleen M. Flynn, Joan M. Vecchioli & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. WoodJoan M. Vecchioli, Colleen M. Flynn & Rachael L. Wood — August 2018
Welcome to our Labor and Employment Group blog where we will discuss legal issues and address questions that frequently arise in our practice and provide updates and analyses of statutory and case law developments in the area of Labor and Employment Law. Our Labor & Employment Group regularly represents employers […]
Categories: Blogs, Labor & Employment
