Our boutique firm provides the superb legal experience of a large white shoe law firm, but with the personal attention and individualized strategy which distinguish our exclusive boutique practice.

Our clients hire us for two reasons: to avoid problems before they arise by crafting thorough and specific employment contracts, separation agreements, or company policies; and to resolve disputes when they cannot be avoided – through negotiation, mediation, or litigation. Our firm does not represent large institutional clients, and it only accepts clients for limited engagements, so we avoid the conflicts of interest that commonly encumber large firms.

Some common employment law issues which we handle with clients:

Click on each question to discover its answer. This information is for general scenarios, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. 
We invite you to contact us for answers tailored to your specific concern. 

I am an Employee…

Q: What rights do I have as a worker under federal and New York state labor laws?
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the federal law commonly known for minimum wage, overtime pay, record-keeping, and special minimum wage standards applicable to most private and public employees. The FLSA provides the U.S. Department of Labor with civil and criminal remedies, and also includes provisions for individual employees to file private lawsuits. The New York State Department of Labor also enforces a variety of labor standards, summarized here:

http://labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/labor_standards.shtm

If you are a worker and you believe that your employer is in violation of one or more of these guidelines, please contact our firm. We can help review your particular situation, and assess your legal claims and/or options to advocate for your rights.

Q: I just received a job offer and have been given a draft employment contract from my prospective employer. The contract contains terms and language that I am not sure about. What are some main issues that I should be looking out for?
What employees often do not realize is that the beginning of the employment relationship is the optimal time to negotiate the terms of employment, as well as the terms of separation and prospective non-compete provisions, should the employer and employee decide to go their separate ways. Our firm is skilled at negotiating contracts on behalf of employees who need the leverage of a lawyer to ensure that their interests are well represented, and that they do not forego any important benefits, in the contracts they are about to sign.

Q: I am an employee and I suspect that I am being retaliated against by my employer for making a workplace complaint. What are my rights?
Both Federal and New York State Whistleblower laws prohibit an employer from retaliating against an employee for making workplace complaints, or for reporting illegal practices by an employer. Such retaliation is taken seriously by the Courts. If you have reason to believe that you are being subjected to this kind of workplace retaliation, we can assess your potential legal claims for monetary and other relief against your employer.

Q: I am a corporate employee who has just been terminated, and I need a skilled attorney who can negotiate the terms of my severance package.
Often times, once your company already has notified you of its intent to terminate your employment, your negotiating power may be significantly diminished. However, an experienced lawyer representing you in discussions about the terms of your final severance package often makes a great deal of difference in the outcome. Our firm is skilled in representing corporate employees who have been terminated; assessing the grounds for a wrongful termination suit; and/or negotiating for separation package terms initially denied by the employer.

Q: I am a person with disabilities and I think that I am being discriminated against at work. What are my rights?
Federal, state, and city laws prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and/or disabilities. Here is information about the types of discrimination enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/

If you suspect workplace discrimination, our firm can help you assess your claims, file a charge with the EEOC, and/or pursue legal action. Note that for most categories of discrimination, the law requires that you file a charge with a EEOC field office before you can file a lawsuit. Here is more information:

http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/lawsuit.cfm

I am an Employer…

Q: I am not sure whether my business is in compliance with the latest government regulations about wage and hour requirements.
The different requirements among the various government regulations can be difficult to keep track of. At the same time, wage and hour regulation litigation occupies an overwhelming majority significant portion of the federal courts’ current employment law dockets, not just in New York, but across the country. This means that it is in your business’ best interests to review your current practices and get into compliance immediately, to avoid unnecessary protracted and costly litigation and/or enforcement proceedings. We can sit down with you to review your current practice and advise you on how to ensure that your business complies with the relevant federal, state, or city labor regulations.

Q: What do I do if I receive a notice that my business is being investigated by the government?
Our firm is highly experienced in dealing with government agencies, investigators, and their counsel. If you already have received the notice of an investigation by a government agency, like the U.S. Department of Labor or the New York State Department of Labor, our firm can also guide you through the mechanisms of the investigatory process. Government investigations and enforcement proceedings are notoriously time-consuming and draining on the resources of a business. Our firm will work zealously on your behalf to resolve compliance issues and to prevent any fines or other enforcement measures from being assessed in an excessive manner.

Q: I am an employer who wants to create office policies and procedures to protect my business from liability for claims of discrimination, technology & data breach, and/or privacy violations.
The surest way of avoiding costly litigation and government investigations is to implement business policies and practices that ensure compliance with the law. Our firm is skilled in providing legal counsel and review of your existing policies and practices, to identify potentially problematic areas of your business and employment, and management policies and practices. We review, improve, or create employee handbooks, diversity policies, technology and data practices, and/or privacy safeguards, to ensure that your business is protected from avoidable lawsuits and/or investigations.

Q: I am an employer who recently received a letter from a former employee alleging legal claims against my company. What guidance can you provide?
Where a buisness is on notice of potential claims against it, the principals involved must act quickly. It is essential that employers retain experienced counsel, as mishandling the response to a notice letter can cause a company real damage. An employer facing possible litigation must conduct a proper investigation, develop a legal strategy, and craft an appropriate response, and do it quickly.

Our firm can counsel employers each step of the way by assisting with internal investigations, designing comprehensive legal strategies, and communicating with opposing counsel. Our experience in litigation and negotiation allows us to accurately assess risk and liability and assist employers in resolving legal issues.

Q: As an employer, what responsibilities do I have to provide sexual harassment training to my employees?
In the wake of the MeToo movement, many states now require employers to provide their employees with anti-harassment training. For example,New York State requires all employers to conduct a mandatory annual anti-sexual harassment training. When done properly, these trainings can help improve employee morale, reduce incidences of harassment, and prevent employee complaints. When done poorly, sexual harassment trainings can serve to exacerbate existing problems or even lead to increased incidences of harassment in the workplace.

Our firm can assist with providing resources or conducting trainings, and our experienced attorneys can tailor each training to every clients need.