Overview
Before William Barrett founded his own firm in Raleigh, he spent four years as a trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in St. Louis, Missouri, litigating labor violations on behalf of the federal government. That experience as a government enforcement attorney gives Barrett Law Offices, PLLC a foundation that distinguishes it from employment law practices staffed entirely by private-sector lawyers. The firm is a boutique practice located in Suite 910 of a downtown Raleigh building at 5 West Hargett Street, where Barrett and his partner Josh Krasner concentrate on employment law, mediation, and veterans assistance.
The firm’s stated approach is early resolution and preventive counsel. Rather than positioning litigation as the default path, Barrett Law Offices describes its strategy as identifying and addressing workplace legal problems before they ripen into court cases. When litigation is necessary, both attorneys have trial and appellate experience in federal and state courts.
Barrett Law Offices, PLLC is located at 5 West Hargett Street, Suite 910, Raleigh, NC 27601. The main phone number is 919-999-2799. The primary contact email is [email protected]. The firm’s website is https://www.barrettlawoffices.com
Practice Areas
Employment Law
Employment law is the central focus of the firm’s practice, spanning both employer-side representation and employee-side advocacy depending on the matter.
Traditional labor law matters include representation in union organizing campaigns, NLRB proceedings, collective bargaining, union avoidance strategy, and arbitration of labor contracts. William Barrett’s time at the NLRB gave him direct government experience with these proceedings before he brought that knowledge into private practice.
Discrimination and harassment litigation covers claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (race, sex, national origin, religion), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The firm litigates these matters before the EEOC and in federal and state courts. Josh Krasner has substantial experience in race discrimination, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, age discrimination, and disability discrimination cases.
Wage and hour cases are a significant component of Josh Krasner’s practice. He has represented clients in unpaid overtime and minimum wage claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act, including collective action and class action litigation on behalf of groups of employees. He has also represented employers audited by the North Carolina Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor for wage and hour compliance.
Non-compete and employment agreement matters include drafting, reviewing, and litigating restrictive covenants, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality provisions. The firm advises employers on enforceability and represents clients seeking to challenge or enforce non-compete restrictions in North Carolina courts.
Hiring and firing matters, including wrongful termination, retaliation claims, and structured separation processes, fall within the firm’s practice. The firm also conducts workplace investigations and provides counseling on managing internal disputes.
Compensation and severance negotiations involve disputed final pay, bonus claims, and the terms of separation agreements. The firm represents both employers structuring exits and executives or employees negotiating departures.
Mediation
The firm offers mediation services for employment disputes. Both attorneys have backgrounds that lend themselves to serving as neutral mediators: Barrett from his government and private practice career, and Krasner from his experience representing clients across both sides of employment disputes. Mediation provides a structured, confidential process for reaching negotiated resolutions without litigation.
Veterans Law
Barrett Law Offices identifies veterans assistance as a distinct service area alongside employment law. The specific scope of veterans matters handled by the firm is best confirmed by contacting the office directly at 919-999-2799.
Attorney Profiles
William Barrett
William Barrett is the founding attorney of Barrett Law Offices, PLLC. He began his legal career as a trial attorney with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in St. Louis, Missouri, where he spent approximately four years prosecuting federal labor law violations. Following that government role, he relocated to North Carolina and spent more than 22 years in private practice at a large firm before establishing his own boutique practice.
His practice covers union representation proceedings before the NLRB, EEOC discrimination charge litigation, non-compete and severance negotiation, collective bargaining, and trial and appellate litigation in federal and state courts. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 919-999-2799. His specific law school and year of bar admission are not publicly listed on the firm website. The North Carolina State Bar directory at https://www.ncbar.gov can be consulted for bar membership verification.
Josh Krasner
Josh Krasner is a partner at Barrett Law Offices, PLLC. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his law degree from Wake Forest School of Law, where he was a member of Law Review and the Moot Court Board. After graduation, he clerked for the Honorable I. Beverly Lake, Jr., who served as both Justice and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Krasner spent a significant portion of his career at Jackson Lewis P.C., a large national employment law firm, where he worked as Of Counsel in the Raleigh office. At Jackson Lewis, he concentrated on employer-side employment law and labor relations, representing companies in discrimination and harassment litigation, FMLA and ADA matters, EEOC proceedings, and Department of Labor audits.
At Barrett Law Offices, Krasner represents individuals, class and collective action plaintiffs in wage and hour cases, executives, and selected employers. He has been recognized multiple times among North Carolina’s Legal Elite in employment law. He is also a contributing author to The National Law Review. His specific year of bar admission is not publicly listed on the firm’s website.
Location and Service Area
The firm is located at 5 West Hargett Street, Suite 910, Raleigh, NC 27601, in the heart of downtown Raleigh. The location places it near the Wake County Courthouse and within the central business district. The firm serves clients throughout North Carolina, with a concentration in the Raleigh metro area and the broader Research Triangle region, which includes Durham and Chapel Hill.
Client Focus
Barrett Law Offices serves both employees and employers. Employees facing discrimination, harassment, wage violations, or wrongful termination disputes can engage the firm to evaluate claims and pursue appropriate remedies. Employers and businesses managing non-compete enforcement, workplace investigations, severance negotiations, or NLRB proceedings can retain the firm for counsel and representation.
Veterans are specifically identified as a client group the firm serves, separate from its general employment law practice.
The firm’s boutique structure means clients work directly with attorneys rather than being channeled through large associate teams. The firm describes this direct-access model as part of its appeal relative to larger employment law practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of employment cases does the firm handle?
The firm handles discrimination and harassment claims under federal and state civil rights statutes, wage and hour violations under the FLSA and North Carolina Wage and Hour Act, wrongful termination and retaliation claims, non-compete and non-solicitation disputes, NLRB proceedings, EEOC charge responses, collective bargaining, workplace investigations, severance negotiations, and employment agreement drafting and review.
Does the firm represent employees or only employers?
The firm represents both. William Barrett has experience representing employers and executives. Josh Krasner has represented employer-side clients in his prior firm work and now also represents employees and plaintiffs in wage and hour class actions and other employment matters.
Does the firm offer mediation services?
Yes. The firm lists mediation as a distinct service area. Parties seeking a mediator for employment disputes can contact the firm directly at 919-999-2799.
Does Barrett Law Offices assist veterans?
Yes. The firm identifies veterans assistance as a separate service alongside employment law. Prospective veteran clients should contact the firm to discuss the specific nature of their matter.
How can I contact the firm?
The firm can be reached at 919-999-2799 or by email at [email protected]. Additional information is available at https://www.barrettlawoffices.com
Closing
Barrett Law Offices, PLLC combines the regulatory background of a former NLRB trial attorney with the litigation experience of a former national firm partner who clerked at the North Carolina Supreme Court. The combination produces a boutique practice capable of handling the full range of employment disputes, from individual discrimination claims and executive separations to collective wage actions and union proceedings. Employers and employees with employment law questions in the Raleigh and Research Triangle area can reach the firm at 919-999-2799 or through https://www.barrettlawoffices.com