David Fortney represents employers in employment and labor matters and hosts a podcast, DC Insider—Employer Update. Recent projects include: representing and counseling employers addressing Trump Administration new policies and Executive Orders, representation of employers in a wide range of EEOC, DOL and DOJ investigations and related matters; DOL audits -- Wage & Hour on FLSA and prevailing wage matters; regular interface with senior leadership and staff for Federal agencies; and, conducting sensitive workplace investigations.
He is a co-founder of Fortney & Scott, LLC with a broad-based practice representing and counseling employers in employment and labor matters, including equal employment opportunity requirements, wage and hour matters, federal contractor's obligations, collective bargaining, and workplace health and safety.
David has been widely recognized for my professional accomplishments, including being named one of the leading employment lawyers in Washington, D.C. by the CHAMBERS USA survey of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business from 2005 through the present. He was selected for inclusion beginning in 2009 in The Best Lawyers in America, Washington D.C.’s Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. He was also awarded an AV rating (the highest level) by Martindale-Hubbell.
Before co-founding the firm, he previously served as the chief legal officer of the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. during President George H.W. Bush's term. As Acting Solicitor of Labor, David was responsible for enforcing over 140 laws regulating the nation's workplaces and managing an agency with 800+ attorneys and support staff. Additionally, he advised Secretaries of Labor Elizabeth Dole and Lynn Martin and the Department of Labor agencies on a broad range of legal, policy, legislative, regulatory and enforcement issues.
David has testified before the U.S. Congress on several occasions and a state legislative committee on wage and hour matters. He is also a frequent lecturer and writer on employment-related topics and has appeared on CNN, CBS and Fox News.
