Ed Bonett Quoted in Law360 Employment Authority "New Pope's Name Signals Focus On Work Issues"

Firm Partner Edward J. Bonett Jr., Esq. was recently interviewed by Law360 for an article featured in their Employment Authority section entitled, "New Pope's Name Signals Focus On Work Issues". Mr. Bonett offered commentary on the significance of newly elected Pope Leo XIV’s focus on workers’ rights in the age of artificial intelligence.

A management-side labor and employment attorney and adjunct professor at Villanova University, where Pope Leo XIV also completed his undergraduate studies, Mr. Bonett draws on his legal expertise and Catholic faith to contextualize the Pope’s decision to align his papacy with the legacy of Pope Leo XIII, whose 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum” laid the groundwork for modern Catholic social teaching on labor.

“The papacy is one of the biggest bully pulpits in the world,” Bonett said. “[Leo XIV's is] a message that can resonate for both conservatives and progressives.” Bonett underscores that while the Pope doesn’t legislate, he can powerfully influence public discourse and the moral frameworks of policymakers, especially in the United States, where a significant number of leaders in all branches of government share the Pope's faith.

Mr. Bonett noted the symbolic weight of Pope Leo XIV’s decision to name AI and labor among the top concerns of his papacy. “This message filtering down into the congregation,” he explained, “gives a sense that they should act on it. It’s like, ‘Here’s your direction. Your direction is to make society less isolated, less antagonistic.’”

Mr. Bonett’s commentary highlights the vital role attorneys play not only in advising clients through complex workplace changes but also in interpreting broader societal shifts that shape the future of labor law. At Genova Burns, his work reflects a commitment to helping employers navigate these complexities responsibly, ethically, and strategically.