Mr Gary Friedman > Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Offices

767 5TH AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10153
United States
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Mr Gary Friedman
Position
Partner
Career
Gary Friedman, a first-chair trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience, is long recognized as one of the leading employment lawyers in the U.S. He regularly litigates high-profile class, collective and other complex actions in federal and state courts, is a leading lawyer in the restrictive covenant and trade secrets area, where he has handled cases involving more than 35 states’ laws, and is frequently retained by boards of public and private companies to advise and/or investigate high-stakes internal claims. Expertise includes: defending employers in discrimination and wage/hour class actions; litigating restrictive covenant/trade secrets cases nationwide; conducting and advising on internal investigations; and advising corporations, and their boards and HR teams, on sensitive employment matters, including whistleblowing and other claims of misconduct, discrimination and harassment. Notable clients include Marsh & McLennan Companies, Lendlease Corporation, Discovery Communications, Apple, Epiq Systems, Union Pacific, L3Harris, Ralph Lauren, Kroll, Schindler Elevator, Air Methods Corporation, Community Brands, and Vonage Holdings.
Education
Duke University (BA, magna cum laude); Georgetown University Law Center (JD; Law Review–The Tax Lawyer; Dean’s List; Am. Jur. Award).
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
(Leading lawyers)Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP‘s broad expertise in non-contentious employment and workplace matters complements its strength in labour litigation. The team provides management – including employers, boards, board committees, directors and executives – with assistance across the gamut of employment-related issues. Its lawyers have extensive experience in administrative proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The team is led by New York-based partner John Barry, who joined from Proskauer Rose LLP and brings experience in assisting clients with crisis management and business agreements. Gary Friedman and counsel Ami Zweig are other names to note. Jeffrey Klein retired from the firm in April 2021.
United States > Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense
(Hall of Fame)United States > Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
(Leading lawyers)Praised by clients for their ‘incredibly strong’ performance in high-stakes cases, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP combines expertise from the firm’s employment, technology, IP, and litigation teams to advise on the full range of trade secret matters. In New York, John Barry – a September 2021 from Proskauer Rose LLP – is noted for his capabilities in the private equity and financial services sectors, representing data analytics companies and multinational tech entities in restrictive covenant disputes and misappropriation claims. Also in New York, first-chair trial lawyer Gary Friedman handles trade secrets litigation proceedings across the nation, most recently in the insurance and software sectors, while Nicholas Pappas is recommended for his capabilities in employment disputes at the state and federal level. In Boston, the ‘superb‘ Patrick O’Toole frequently works with various corporate clients and private equity firms on trade secret matters arising from transactions. The Silicon Valley-based Bambo Obaro heads up the firm’s trade secrets taskforce, variously advising clients on non-compete agreements and litigating in state and federal courts.
Lawyer Rankings
- Hall of Fame - United States > Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense
- Leading lawyers - United States > Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Leading lawyers - United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) - United States > Intellectual property
- Workplace and employment counseling - United States > Labor and employment
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Industry focus > Environment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
Firm Rankings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: litigation
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- Tax > Financial products
- Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences
- Tax > International tax
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Industry focus > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Sport
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense