Jackson Lewis Principals Brian L. Hayden and Joseph J. Lazzarotti Named Distinguished Leaders at 2026 Florida Legal Awards
NEW YORK, NY (May 6, 2026) — Nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. is pleased to announce Brian L. Hayden and Joseph J. Lazzarotti have been named Distinguished Leaders by Law.com’s 2026 Florida Legal Awards selection committee. The award recognizes attorneys who have made significant contributions to the legal industry in Florida. Brian and Joe were recognized at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 29, at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami.
Brian is a principal in the firm’s Jacksonville office. His practice focuses on representing employers of all sizes and advising C-suite executives and human resources professionals across the country. He counsels clients on employment policies, wage and hour compliance, remote work, reductions in force and performance management, and defends employers in state and federal litigation involving employment, retaliation, wage and hour, leave and related claims. Brian is a foundational member of the firm’s Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition practice and a leader of the Jacksonville office’s pro bono initiatives, including serving as a member of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida. He has participated in RISE – the firm’s mentoring program designed to ensure equitable, consistent access to mentorship for all associates – since 2023 and has led Jacksonville’s summer associate program for the past two years. Outside of the firm, Brian is the president-elect of the local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.
“I’m honored to be recognized alongside so many leaders in the Florida legal community,” said Brian. “This recognition reflects the collaborative culture of our Jacksonville office and the clients and colleagues I have the privilege of working with every day.”
Joe started at Jackson Lewis working across the New York and New Jersey offices and now serves as a principal in the firm’s Tampa office. He founded and co-leads the firm’s national Privacy, AI & Cybersecurity practice, which was recently ranked nationally by Chambers and Partners. Under his leadership, the group advises on cybersecurity issues, building enterprise-wide privacy and AI governance, risk, and compliance strategies, particularly in highly regulated industries. Joe is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and focuses his practice on the matrix of laws governing privacy, AI and cybersecurity. He is a member of the Florida Bar’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Committee, the Economic Club of Tampa, the Cybersecurity Committee for National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and serves on the leadership team covering legal and privacy concerns for the West Florida Chapter of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). Joe also is a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group.
“This recognition means a lot, especially at a time when our profession is navigating unprecedented technological change,” said Joe. “I’ve been fortunate to work with forward‑thinking colleagues who are committed to building practical, defensible GRC strategies to meet privacy, cyber and AI challenges.”
The Distinguished Leaders award recognizes Florida-based lawyers who achieved impressive results in 2025 and, in doing so, demonstrated clear leadership skills. Honorees are selected through a rigorous process led by ALM editorial leadership, including independent research and evaluation by experienced legal journalists.
Brian earned his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and his B.A. from Yale University.
Joe earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law and his B.B.A. from Pace University.
About Jackson Lewis
Focused on labor and employment law since 1958, Jackson Lewis P.C.’s 1,100+ attorneys located in major cities nationwide consistently identify and respond to new ways workplace law intersects business. We help employers develop proactive strategies, strong policies and business-oriented solutions to cultivate high-functioning workforces that are engaged and stable and share our clients’ goals to emphasize belonging and respect for the contributions of every employee. For more information, visit jacksonlewis.com.
For more information, please contact:
Kendall Melidosian, Public Relations Manager
T: (267) 319‑7831 / E: Kendall.Melidosian@jacksonlewis.com
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