Jackson Lewis P.C. > New Orleans, United States > Firm Profile

Jackson Lewis P.C. > The Legal 500 Rankings

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 2

Jackson Lewis P.C. continues to make progress defending an increasing number of ERISA claims being brought, particularly those relating to 401(k) plan fees and recordkeeping costs as well as ESOP cases. The practice leverages its close connections to the firm’s employee benefits group and the class actions and complex litigation practice to support the full range of clients’ needs in ERISA matters. Stacey C.S. Cerrone is a key name to note at the firm, concentrating on defending ERISA class actions brought against public and private single employer plan sponsors and fiduciaries. Charles Seemann shares this focus in addition to advising on multi-employer plans and financial institutions providing services to ERISA plans. Howard Shapiro and René Thorne co-lead the practice, with Thorne being active in health plan organization and litigation following the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs. All named lawyers are based in New Orleans.

Labor and employment > Labor-management relations Tier 2

Healthcare, energy, transport, construction and media are industries of particular focus for the practice group at Jackson Lewis P.C., working on management-side mandates relating to both contentious and transactional work including organization and representation, labor litigation, collective bargaining and contingency planning matters. Working out of the Atlanta office, co-leader of the labor-relations practice group, Jonathan Spitz, is vastly experienced in handling unfair labor practice trials and advises employers in complex labor relations issues. Fellow co-leader, Hartford’s Richard Vitarelli, is known for his work in the space on strategic labor relations, collective bargaining, multi-employer pension benefits and withdrawal liability issues. Elsewhere in the group, Orange County-based Laura Pierson-Scheinberg focuses on traditional labor issues, union elections and unfair labor practice charges. Phoenix-based Alan Feldman and Maryland's Stephen Silvestri are other important ports of call within the team.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 2

Jackson Lewis P.C. helps employers to develop proactive strategies, strong policies and business-oriented solutions throughout the lifecycle of the employment relationship. The team is experienced in drafting documents such as applications, background check paperwork, employee notices and agreements, and is also competent in contentious matters, providing litigation support in relation to discipline and terminations. The team is led by a trio of partners with Richard Greenberg advising clients on compliance with federal and state issues. Susan Groff counsels management on matters relating to disability and leave while Tasos Paindiris is an experienced litigator. They head the practice out of New York, Los Angeles and Orlando respectively.

Labor and employment > Immigration Tier 3

Jackson Lewis P.C. routinely assesses the implications of state and local immigration laws, and is extensively experienced in representing significant key executives in matters concerning immigration detention and removal. The team also advises on regulatory compliance concerning immigration and represents employers in Department of Homeland Security civil and criminal workplace investigations. Michael Neifach works from Washington, DC and his diverse client base features high profile individuals, law firms, private equity funds and significant companies with immigration and visa issues. Otieno Ombok is located in White Plains and assists employers operating in the Big Pharma and healthcare, manufacturing and telecommunications with the development of their immigration programs. Amy Peck is based in Omaha and is often engaged workplace immigration and compliance matters.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 3

Boutique firm Jackson Lewis P.C. is headed by Kevin Lauri of the New York office and is able to advise on the full spectrum of employment matters, including arbitration proceedings, class action cases, harassment and discrimination matters, and trade secret issues. 2022 saw the firm establish two new practice groups last year to further benefit employment work – a dedicated trials and appeals group, co-led by Donald English and formed to exclusively deal with multi-jurisdictional cases and significant class actions, and the ESG practice group, led by Laura Mitchell. The firm has experience within a wide variety of industries such as retail, automotive, technology, and transportation, with prominent clients within the healthcare, pharma, and higher education industries in particular.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 4

Jackson Lewis P.C. advises a diverse range of clients such as Howard University and Equinor USA on a wide range of employee benefit matters. The firm has been active on a number of current market trends, such as handling issues arising after the Dobbs v Jackson decision. Baltimore’s Joy Napier-Joyce, who has considerable expertise in employee benefits, and New York’s Melissa Ostrower, who concentrates on general compliance and administration of qualified retirement plans and nonqualified retirement plans, lead the team.