Top Rated Employment Litigation Attorney in Washington, DC

R. Scott Oswald is an accomplished trial lawyer who has brought more than 40 trials to verdict and recovered more than $300 million in judgments and settlements for his clients.

As managing principal at The Employment Law Group, P.C., Mr. Oswald litigates employment lawsuits nationwide, with a special focus on whistleblower matters and qui tam law. Over the years, he has broken new ground in whistleblower law, including:

• First jury verdict (more than $2 million) under new whistleblower protections introduced in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013;
• First Sarbanes-Oxley Act liability verdict to withstand appeal;
• First reported successful jury verdict under 2009 anti-retaliation provisions of False Claims Act and;
• First Dodd-Frank Act retaliation lawsuit to reach discovery in federal court.

Mr. Oswald remains an innovator in using anti-retaliation laws to obtain money damages for clients, and even to prevent employers from firing whistleblowers. “We leverage every legal tool to fight for our clients as hard as we possibly can,” he says. “Our goal is to understand and achieve their goals, as long as it’s within the bounds of the law, ethics, and professionalism.”

In 2017, after 20 years practicing law, Mr. Oswald became a fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in his first year of eligibility. He is a ten-time honoree in The Best Lawyers in America and recognized by multiple publications, including Washingtonian Magazine and Lawdragon. In 2021, Mr. Oswald was ranked by Chambers, a global legal directory.

He regularly provides commentary for news articles and has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The National Law Journal, and more. Mr. Oswald often lectures on employment and whistleblower law, and organizations such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor have sought his input on their practices.

Mr. Oswald is chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Qui Tam Section. He is also a proud past president of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, and currently heads its Bench-Bar Committee. He is co-chair of an employment law subcommittee at the American Bar Association and has roles in other professional groups, including the D.C. Bar and the National Employment Lawyers Association.

Mr. Oswald is admitted to practice in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and in numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.