Randy C. Sparks Jr.
Biography
Randy is Chair of the Labor and Employment Practice Group and Co-chair of the Government & Municipal Law Practice Group at Kaufman & Canoles. With over two decades of experience as a litigator, Randy concentrates his practice on the representation of employers of all sizes and industries, local governments, and state agencies in all types of work-related and civil rights matters. He has represented clients in a diverse array of cases, including claims under federal and state civil rights, wage and hour, and other employment-related laws and claims for defamation, breach of contract, violation of non-competes and restrictive covenants, and business-related torts, in courtroom litigation and arbitration and before various state and federal administrative agencies throughout Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Randy also advises and trains clients on lawful employment practices and other workplace issues. He is frequently asked to speak to various human resources and business associations and conducts seminars and lectures for small business development centers and local colleges.
Representative Matters
- Represent state university in race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought in federal court
- Represent state university in retaliation lawsuit brought in state court
- Represented unit of regional hospital system in defamation and insulting words matter filed by former employee in state court
- Represented local community services board in breach of contract action filed in state court and on appeal to state appellate court
- Represented city in wage and hour matter lawsuit brought in federal court and on appeal to federal appellate court
- Represented franchisee in breach of contract and violation of non-compete case brought by former franchisor
- Represented police officer in civil rights lawsuit filed in federal court and on appeal to federal appellate court
- Represented regional home builder in retaliation and wrongful termination action brought in state court
- Represented national training company is race discrimination action brought in arbitration by former employee
- Represented private educational institution in arbitration action by former student for removal from program
- Represented national law firm in gender discrimination case brought in arbitration and in subsequent proceedings in federal court
- Represented government contractor in labor arbitration brought by multiple employees for breach of collective bargaining agreement
- Represented restaurant and medical transport company in U.S. Department of Labor investigations of pay practices and potential overtime violations
- Represented laboratory in action brought against former employees and competitor for breach of restrictive covenants and unfair competition torts
- Represented government contractor in disability discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit brought in federal court
- Represented restaurant franchisee in age discrimination case in federal court and on appeal to federal appellate court
- Represented government contractor in breach of contract lawsuit filed in state court
- Represented various employers in discrimination matters before the EEOC and state civil rights agencies
Recognition & Honors
- Best Lawyers in America, 2010–2025
- Go To Lawyer for Employment Law; Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2024
- Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2019-2023
- Virginia Super Lawyers; Employee Litigation: Defense, 2015-2019
- Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2014
- William & Mary Law Review
Associations
- Society for Human Resource Management, Fredericksburg Regional Chapter; Legal Representative
- Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation, Inc.; Board of Directors
- Professional Services Council; Member
- Stafford Area Soccer Association; Board of Directors (2011-2021)
- Virginia Retail Merchants Association; Board of Directors (2018-2020)
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- United States Claims Court
Education
- University of Virginia; B.A.,, 1993
- William & Mary Law School; J.D., 1996
Press & Publications
- Employment Law Alert – Join Us at the 40th Annual ELU as Seminar Leader Burt Whitt Turns Over the Helm to Randy Sparks
- 55 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2025, 7 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 13 Named “Ones to Watch”
- Randy C. Sparks Jr. Named as Virginia’s Go To Employment Law Lawyer
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2023
- 54 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America© 2024, 6 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 10 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2022
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers In America© 2023, 5 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 8 Named “Ones to Watch”
- Clark J. Belote, Lauren S. Kadish, Randy C. Sparks Jr., and Benjamin A. Wills Elected Members at Kaufman & Canoles
- 52 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2021
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America© 2022, 4 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 8 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2020
- 46 Attorneys Named “Best Lawyers in America 2021”, 5 Named “Lawyer of the Year” and 7 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2019
- 45 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2020 and 3 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
- Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys: 18 Named as Super Lawyers & 6 Named as Virginia Rising Stars in Virginia Super Lawyers & Rising Stars 2019
- 43 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named “Best Lawyers in America 2019” and 8 Named “Lawyers of the Year”
- 31 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers and 5 Named As Rising Stars 2018
- 46 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2018
- 29 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2017 and 5 Named as Rising Stars 2017
- Government Contracts Update – New Paid Sick Leave Regulations
- Employment Law Update – New OSHA-VOSH Poster and Injury Reporting Rules
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2017
- 32 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2016 and 4 Named as Rising Stars 2016
- 42 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers in America 2016
- 32 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers 2015 and 7 Named as Rising Stars 2015
- 42 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers in America 2015
- 42 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers in America 2014