The Society received the sad news that our beloved member and twice President of SFLERP, JOSEPH V. KAPLAN, passed away on April 21, 2020, at the age of 66 from complications with COVID-19. Mr. Kaplan was President of SFLERP from 1986 – 1987, and then again from 1993 – 1995, after having served multiple terms on the Board of Directors as a Board member, First Vice President and Second Vice President. He spoke regularly at DC, Hampton Roads and New York/New Jersey Chapter meetings and every year at the National Symposium. Joe, with SFLERP member Ed Passman, were founding principals of Passman & Kaplan, P.C.
A native of Philadelphia, Joe received his undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University in 1975, and his Juris Doctor in 1978 from Gonzaga University. In 1979, he received a Master of Laws from the George Washington University National Law Center, specializing in Labor and Employment Law. He concentrated his practice in the areas of employment, labor, and discrimination law. While primarily representing Federal Government employees and labor unions, he also represented private sector employees. Joe’s practice involved litigation in the U.S. Courts of Appeals, the U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court, and such administrative agencies as the MSPB, the FLRA, and the EEOC. In addition to practicing law, Joe was active in NELA’s Federal Employees Task Forces. Moreover, Joe was the lead editor and co-author of the Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide and was co-author of Litigating Federal Sector Employee and Labor Disputes: A Practitioner’s Handbook by Dewey Publications. In 2008 Joe was selected to be a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Inc. Since 2009, Joe served on the adjunct faculty of American University’s School of Public Affairs teaching graduate courses in legal issues in public administration.
Mr. Kaplan was again named one of Washington, DC’s Top Lawyers by Washingtonian Magazine in December 2018, and again named a Washington DC Super Lawyer for 2019.
In his personal life, is survived by his wife, Ellen, three daughters and two grandchildren. He was a passionate student of Civil War history and an avid cook. He was also actively involved in community theater, in particular, as longtime president of Hexagon, actively contributing to and participating in their musical-comedy revues while raising money for worthy charities.
The Society extends condolences to his wife Ellen, his daughters Liza, Ashley and Amanda, as well as to his colleagues at Passman & Kaplan, P.C.