James K. Cowan, Jr. is a shareholder with LeClairRyan, Office Leader of the Firm's Blacksburg office located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. His practice focuses on representing management in labor and employment matters, and representing property owners and developers on land use issues. He represents a number of employers and developers in the region, ranging from high-tech start-ups to large manufacturers and from local property owners to national developers.

Mr. Cowan has represented employers in numerous unfair competition cases involving breach of restrictive covenants, confidentiality agreements and employment contracts. Additionally, he specializes in Executive Order 11246 compliance, including preparation of affirmative action plans and responding to OFCCP audits. Mr. Cowan has spent the last decade in federal and state courts across Virginia in the defense of wrongful discharge claims; disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act; age discrimination claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; claims for relief under the Family Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor Standards Act; claims of sexual harassment and race and gender discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. §1981, and has argued successfully before the Virginia Supreme Court. Mr. Cowan also represents employers before the NLRB, the EEOC and the Virginia Employment Commission.

Mr. Cowan has been recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America" and named to Virginia Business Magazine's "Legal Elite". Recently, he was recognized for the second year in a row by Richmond Magazine as a "Rising Superlawyer" in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a frequent speaker and corporate trainer, and member of the Virginia State Bar. Mr. Cowan is on the Board of Directors of the New River Valley Society for Human Resource Management, and serves as General Counsel to the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance.