The Legal 500

Within Labor and employment litigation, tier 4

Over the past five years alone, Jackson Lewis LLP’s employment litigators have defended more than 8,000 individual lawsuits and 600 class actions in every conceivable cause of action relating to the workplace. It is ‘an excellent firm that rates high’. Vincent Cino’s litigation team recently won a pregnancy discrimination case before the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and favorably settled two collective action FLSA lawsuits against The Pantry (a Fortune 500 company). The firm also acted for the defendant in Saridakis v South Broward Hospital District, where the plaintiff, a former trauma surgeon, sued the Hospital System asserting gender discrimination and retaliation claims under the Equal Pay Act, Title VII and the Florida Civil Rights Act, after the Hospital System declined to renew her employment agreement in 2006. After a two and a half week federal jury trial, the firm successfully obtained a highly-favorable jury verdict for the Hospital System. Kevin Lauri, Joan Ackerstein, Ashley Abel and Thomas Walsh are all recommended. Also of note, the firm recently welcomed e-discovery expert Ralph Losey to the partnership.

Within Labor-management relations, Jackson Lewis LLP is a second tier firm,

At Jackson Lewis LLP, ‘the level of service is fantastic’. ‘Calls are returned promptly with competent advice provided’. ‘The firm put me in touch with attorneys who are experts in the areas I am dealing with – there is not a territorial feeling – just whoever can do the best job for me the most quickly’. ‘The value for the price is the best I’ve found – and after using many different firms for the past 20 years – I feel confident that I get the best work for the best price’. The firm advises clients whether they are union-free, partially unionized or fully unionized on strategic, proactive preventive labor relations programs. Its labor lawyers have represented employers in thousands of matters before arbitrators, mediators, the National Labor Relations Board, state labor boards, government agencies, and in state and federal courts. More generally, the firm advises employers regarding legislative initiatives such as the Employee Free Choice Act, corporate campaigns, neutrality agreement requests, union organizing, NLRB elections, contract negotiations, grievance and arbitration proceedings, unfair labor practices, traditional third party pressures (such as picketing or hand billing), new age public appeals (such as websites and blogs), work stoppages, purchase/sales, reductions and reorganizations, as well as the entire range of pre and post-hire employee relations issues. Leader of the firm’s labor practice group Philip Rosen is an ‘expert labor lawyer – he has impressive presentation skills and knows how to talk with high-level executives and gain their confidence’. Peter Moss is ‘an incredibly knowledgeable labor attorney – fabulous writer, trainer and legal strategist’. In White Plains, Tom Piekara is ‘responsive, knowledgeable and provides advice with the practicalities in mind of the business involved. He provides excellent subject matter expertise’. Managing partner of the firm’s San Francisco office, Bradley Kampas’ ‘strengths are in the area of traditional labor law; in organizing campaign strategy and contract negotiation’. Atlanta-based Jeffrey Mintz is also highly recommended.

Within Workplace and employment counseling, Jackson Lewis LLP is a third tier firm,

The ‘excellent’ Jackson Lewis LLP places a high premium on preventive strategies and positive solutions in the practice of workplace law. It partners with employers to devise policies and procedures promoting constructive employee relations and limiting disputes. The firm recently counseled a large hedge fund regarding an allegation of quid pro quo sexual harassment lodged against the head of operations by his secretary. The information provided by the secretary did not establish conclusively that an affair occurred or that she entered any relationship against her will. However, the nature of the allegations and the reporting relationship involved led to the conclusion that the head of operations needed to be terminated. The termination memo based the dismissal on the head of operations’ egregious lack of judgment, not a violation of the firm’s harassment policy, to avoid an admission that the head of operations harassed his subordinate. In another matter, the firm counseled a large medical center regarding the separation of a long-term employee with multiple disabilities who had significant performance issues. The employee also raised several allegations of harassment and discrimination regarding events at work, as well as how the medical center administered her leave. The firm was able to negotiate a very modest severance at an amount comparable to what the employee would have received had she been laid off – a fraction of what the medical center would have paid had the matter proceeded to litigation. Gregory Alvarez is ‘prompt, reliable and competent’. David Islinger, Michael Jacobster, Ashley Abel, Lewis Silverman and Jane McFetridge all have impressive experience in this field.