Posts
June 10 2019
John Assadi, a member of the Firm, specializes in the representation of foreign employees of multi-national corporations, international entertainers, scientists, and professional athletes. His clients include major nonprofit organizations, national sports leagues, major orchestras, larger companies and startups.
Mr. Assadi received international media attention for his work on behalf of several Chinese artists who were aboard the Golden Venture ship. His representation enabled them to obtain permanent residence as artists of extraordinary ability. He has been interviewed about immigration issues by The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, the Voice of America and CBS News. He was the former Vice-Chairman of the American Bar Association Immigration & Nationality Law Subcommittee and is admitted to the Connecticut Bar and Federal District Court.
Mr. Assadi also practices sports law and has lectured at the Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid on being a US Sports Agent and represents several professional soccer players and coaches. He is on the Advisory Board of South Bronx United, a nonprofit seeking to empower underprivileged youth through soccer as a tool for social change aiming to help build character, teamwork and leadership.
Additionally, he serves on the Board of Governance of Florence University of the Arts/The American University of Florence.
Mr. Assadi received his A.B. from The University of Chicago in 1983 and his J.D. from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1987.
Below are select publications written by or featuring Mr. Assadi:
https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/14/weekinreview/making-room-for-the-best.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20150402041403/http://mashable.com/2013/07/12/league-of-legends-visa
https://cardozo.yu.edu/attracting-and-employing-foreign-talent
June 10 2019
Valerie J. Bluth is a member of the Labor & Employment practice group. Ms. Bluth’s labor and employment practice is wide-ranging, as she guides businesses on employment-related issues from employee onboarding through post-termination disputes.
In that regard, Ms. Bluth regularly advises clients regarding employment discrimination and harassment, wage and hour compliance, employment policies and practices, unemployment insurance and Workers’ Compensation claims, internal investigations, reasonable accommodations, leave of absence management, terminations and disciplinary actions, labor-management relations, grievance processing, collective bargaining agreement interpretation and application, alternative dispute resolution and a variety of other workplace issues, including for clients with operations in multiple states and in connection with corporate transactions. Ms. Bluth also routinely drafts employment, restrictive covenant and non-disclosure agreements as well as employment policies and employee handbooks, and develops and presents training programs for managers and staff regarding various principles of workplace law.
Additionally, an experienced litigator, Ms. Bluth defends employers against all types of employment claims asserted in federal and state courts, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. She also represents clients in traditional labor matters, including labor arbitrations and National Labor Relations Board proceedings.
Ms. Bluth has represented and advised both small businesses and large corporations, in both unionized and non-unionized settings, in the hospitality, security, financial services, startup, real estate, analytics, advertising, publishing, automotive, retail, information technology, performing and visual arts, construction, luxury brand, cosmetics, journalism, and healthcare industries, among others, as well as in the nonprofit, education and municipal sectors.
Above all, Ms. Bluth works tirelessly to ensure clients are in compliance with an ever-changing landscape of federal, state and local employment laws, especially with respect to pay practices and employment policies, and to devise practical solutions for any employment problems that might arise.
Ms. Bluth is also a regular speaker on employment-related topics at hospitality industry webinars and has served as a panelist for employment-related CLE classes.
Ms. Bluth received her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and her Juris Doctor degree from Fordham Law School. Ms. Bluth is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, and District of New Jersey.
January 18 2024
Creighton-Elizabeth R. Boggs, an associate of the Firm, focuses on representing employers with claims of workplace discrimination and harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour violations.
Ms. Boggs is licensed to practice in California and Virginia. Prior to moving to California, Ms. Boggs was an associate at a boutique environmental and energy law firm in Virginia. She previously served on the Board of Governors for the Environmental Law Section of the Virginia State Bar and has valuable experience in a variety of regulatory matters.
Ms. Boggs graduated from the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina in 2016 magna cum laude and earned her J.D. from the University of Richmond in 2019. At the University of Richmond, she was a Lead Articles Editor and Manuscript Editor for the Public Interest Law Review. She also studied international law at the University of Cambridge through the Richmond Summer Law Program at Emmanuel College.
August 28 2019
Mitchell F. Borger, of counsel to the Firm, has more than twenty-seven years of experience practicing Employment Law. Mr. Borger advises clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, drafts employment agreements, severance and release documents, handbooks, and policies, is well versed in alternative dispute resolution (with an emphasis on mediation and arbitration programs), and performs employment-related corporate due diligence. He also has extensive experience conducting complex investigations into harassment and compliance allegations and providing engaging training and managerial seminars on the prevention of violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, The Family and Medical Leave Act, Sexual Harassment, and Title VII Civil Rights Act.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Borger practiced with several in-house legal departments, starting with positions at the NY Power Authority, United Merchants & Manufacturers, Inc. and the last twenty-four years at Macy’s, Inc., where he served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. His responsibilities included managing the employment practice for Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s eastern US operations, including management of employment lawyers and paralegals, representation of the Company before State and Federal administrative agencies, defense of pre-litigation employment claims and providing strategic counseling to senior-level clients. In addition, his previous Macy’s responsibilities included management of the non-insured litigation portfolio of the Company and thirteen-member in-house litigation team. Mr. Borger started his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, where he prosecuted child abuse and domestic violence crimes. His prosecutorial experience included more than twenty trials to verdict, including a matricide prosecution.
Mr. Borger is the immediate past Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s (“NYSBA”) Corporate Counsel Section, served as its 2005 Chair and is a twenty-year member of its Executive Committee. In 2010-11, he was a member of NYSBA’s Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct, and in 2011-2012, Mr. Borger chaired a Commercial & Federal Litigation Section Working Group which issued a “Report on Faster, Cheaper, Smarter Litigation Practices”.
Mr. Borger has been a past CLE speaker on topics such as emerging issues in employment law, sexual harassment in the post #MeToo movement, employment arbitration programs, consumer racism, corporate public relations in the electronic age, litigation management and retail loss prevention training. In addition, Mr. Borger has been a frequent guest lecturer at Fordham Law School and Brooklyn Law School.
Mr. Borger is admitted to the New York Bar and to the Bars of the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of New York. He received a Juris Doctorate degree from Albany Law School of Union University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Oneonta.
January 31 2024
Lawrence R. Cagney, a member of the Firm, has over thirty years’ experience in employment and business litigation, including complex class actions. Mr. Cagney also represents contractors in both public and private construction settings. He has successfully litigated matters ranging from labor compliance issues to multi-million dollar public works disputes with State and local agencies as well as school and university districts. Mr. Cagney advises construction industry clients regarding contract drafting and interpretation.
Mr. Cagney has served as lead appellate counsel in numerous matters. Reported examples of his appellate work include Hughes Electronics Corp. v. Citibank Delaware (2004) 120 Cal. App. 4th 251 in which Mr. Cagney represented Citibank Delaware and succeeded in overturning an adverse trial court ruling, and Aral v. EarthLink, Inc. Inc. (2005) 134 Cal. App. 4th 544 in which Mr. Cagney successfully argued against EarthLink’s attempt to impose onerous arbitration requirements on California consumers.
Larry received his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and has deep roots in Long Beach, having attended Cal. State Long Beach. He enjoys sailing and fitness training and is a former member of the Ball/Hunt/Schooley Inn of Court, Lambda Legal, and the Long Beach LGBTQ Attorneys and Allies chapter of the Long Beach Bar Association.
June 10 2019
Saul H. Finkelstein, a member of the Firm, represents multi-national financial institutions and other secured lenders, as well as companies in a broad range of industries, in financing and merger and acquisition transactions. In his more than 25 years of practice, he has represented lenders and borrowers in complex debt financings and buyers and sellers of both public and private businesses. He has been the featured speaker at training sessions sponsored by the American Bankers Association and has published in a variety of legal and other periodicals.
Of particular note, Mr. Finkelstein has also worked extensively with private banking institutions, professional sports franchises, players and coaches, principal shareholders of public companies, significant collectors of fine art and media personalities in innovative financing matters.
He has served on the Boards of several start-up companies in the fitness industry and was a member of the Executive Committee of a not-for-profit summer camp in upstate New York.
Mr. Finkelstein received a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Yeshiva University and his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where he was an editor of the Law Review. Prior to joining the Firm, he was associated with Weinstein Smith LLP and practiced for 20 years at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
June 10 2019
Amanda M. Fugazy, a member of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, is head of the firm’s Labor & Employment Law Group and co-head of the firm’s Hospitality Practice Group. As such, Ms. Fugazy represents businesses (both for-profit and not-for-profit) and executives in litigation, arbitration and mediation, and provides counseling and preventative education with regard to wage-hour compliance, discrimination, harassment, labor relations, leave laws, internal investigations, contracts, manuals, and severance agreements.
Ms. Fugazy is one of the most experienced practitioners in New York in the highly litigated area of wage and hour law, having litigated dozens of federal and state court cases involving claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law. Because of her experience in this area, Ms. Fugazy was invited by the mediation office of the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York to teach on wage and hour laws, and has been named one of the “Top Women in Metro NY Foodservice & Hospitality” by Total Food Service magazine every year since 2017.
One of Ms. Fugazy’s strengths is valuing and resolving cases. As such, Ms. Fugazy also serves as a mediator, and has successfully resolved many cases privately and by appointment through the Federal Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Ms. Fugazy also has extensive experience in developing and delivering custom tailored management and employee-training seminars, and is routinely asked to serve as guest speaker by trade groups on a variety of employment related topics, including, but not limited to, illegal harassment, hiring, disciplining, firing, exterritorial application of US employment laws, wage hour compliance, employment discrimination, interviewing, family medical leave, administering a collective bargaining agreement, and matters pertaining to unions.
Ms. Fugazy is admitted to practice in multiple jurisdictions, and received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.
Ms. Fugazy is proud to serve on Executive Council of The Alumni Association for The George Washington University (B.A.) and on the Board of Trustees for Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.
Amanda M. FugazyRated by Super Lawyersloading …
Representative Recent/Upcoming Speaking Engagements
Corporate Counsel Institute
NYS Bar Association
November 9, 2023NYS Restaurant Association Leadership Symposium
NYS Restaurant Association
November 6, 2023We’ve come this far: What’s the next challenge?
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
September 20, 2023Disability Accessibility for Websites and Places of Public Accommodation
EGS
September 19, 2023Family Leave and Providing Reasonable Accommodation in New York City
EGS
June 20, 2023We’ve come this far: What’s the next challenge?
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
June 7, 2023Restaurant Law – Labor and Employment Considerations
NYC Bar Association
May 10, 2023Wage & Hour Update
Cornell HR in Hospitality
May 2, 2023Where Do We Go From Here: Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
March 9, 2023Leaves and Accommodations for NYC Employee with Mental Health Conditions
Women in Hospitality
NYS Restaurant Association
March 8, 2023NYS Bar Association – Annual Meeting – Hot Issues in Wage-hour Law
NYS Bar Association
January 20, 2023Employment Law Basics for Restaurant Operators & Managers
EGS
January 18, 2023Where Do We Go From Here: Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
December 1, 2022Where Do We Go From Here: Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
September 21, 2022Where Do We Go From Here: 8.0- Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
August 10, 2022Cornell Tipping Policies
HR in Hospitality Conference
June 14, 2022Restaurant Law – Labor and Employment Considerations
NYC Bar Association
June 1, 2022Where Do We Go From Here: 7.0- Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
May 10, 2022HR Legal Update
Just now Solutions
March 9, 2022Employment Law Institute – Wage & Hour
NYC Bar Association
March 4, 2022Where Do We Go From Here: 6.0- Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
February 10, 2022Where Do We Go From Here: 5.0- Hospitality Trends, Concerns & FAQ’s
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
December 1, 2021Breaking Down the OSHA Vaccination Mandate and 80/20/30 Tip Credit DOL Regulation: What Restaurants Need to Know
EGS Client Webinar
November 23, 2021DOL 80/20/30 Federal Rule Changes
NYS Restaurant Association
November 19, 2021DOL 80/20/30 Federal Rule Changes
ROAR
November 10, 2021Compliance Amidst the Pandemic 3.0 (Roundtable Discussion)
Philanthropy New York
November 2, 20219th Corporate Counsel Institute: Best Practices – Hot Topics
NYSBA
October 28, 2021Not-For-Profit Employment Law Update
EGS Client Webinar
October 19, 2021Where Do We Go From Here 4.0
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
September 21, 2021Strategies For The Hospitality Industry In Negotiating And Drafting Event Contracts Post Covid-19
EGS Client Webinar
June 29, 2021Reopening, Hybrid work and Why are the Guidelines Constantly Changing? Aaaaarrrrgh!
Philanthropy New York
June 23, 2021Get Ready to Party Like it’s 2021: Hosting Private Events in the COVID-19 Era
EGS Client Webinar
May 3 and 12 2021Where Do We Go From Here 3.0
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
May 10, 2021Compliance Amidst the Pandemic
Philanthropy New York
April 7, 2021Preparing For the New Hospitality Normal
Bayside Business Association
March 24, 2021Where Do We Go From Here 2.0
HUB International, NYSRA and EGS
February 9, 2021Minimizing Restaurants’ Legal Liability in 2021: COVID-19 Considerations & Beyond
EGS Client Webinar
January 26, 2021Employment/Wage & Hour Mediation Training:
New York County Lawyers Association
August 11, 12 and 14, 2020FLSA /NYLL Issues for the Hospitality Industry
EGS
July 13, 2020Preparing For the New Hospitality Normal
HUB International
June 23, 2020New York Restaurant Reopening: Compliance Considerations
EGS
June 15, 2020New York Office Reopening: Compliance Considerations
EGS
June 11, 2020COVID-19 Employment Concerns & CARES ACT for Employers
Chamber of Commerce
April 28, 2020Hospitality Wage & Hour Seminar: FLSA & New York Labor Law Issues in Restaurants
EGS Client Webinar
April 23, 2020COVID-19 Employment Concerns & CARES ACT for Employers
City of Glen Cove
April 6, 2020What You Should Know About Emergency Sick Leave and The Corona Virus Stimulus Package
Vanguard Insurance
April 2, 2020Outsourcing Restaurant Delivery & Staffing: Pros, Cons & Liabilities
HUB International
February 12, 2020Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Training
Philanthropy New York
January 28, 2020What You May Have Missed In 2019 and What Should Be On Your Radar In 2020
EGS
January 23, 2020Hot Topics in Labor & Employment Law
NYSBA Corporate Counsel Institute
October 17, 2019Opening a Restaurant in New York City: Legal Issue Bootcamp
NYC Bar Association
May 17, 2019Employment Law Legal Update
HRPANO
May 16, 2019A Road Map: Revisiting Arbitration Agreements in Light of Epic
New York State Bar Association
January 18, 20192019 Outlook: Navigating the Current Landscape of Complex Hospitality Exposures
HUB International
January 17, 2019The Anatomy of an Age Discrimination Case
New York County Lawyers Association
December 4, 2018Hospitality: Tipped Employees, Tip Pooling, Service Charges/Banquets
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
November 15, 2018TimesUp: Learning From #MeToo & Building An Anti-Harassment Practice For Your Org
Humentum 2018 Annual Conference
July 26, 2018How to Handle a Discrimination Case
New York County’s Lawyers Association
June 13, 2018Employment Arbitration after Murphy Oil: Charting the Future Course of Class Actions
American Arbitration Association, NY Law School & Cornell Scheinman Institute Conference
May 23, 2018Wage & Hour MythBusters
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
April 25, 2018Hospitality Spotlight: What’s Trending in Wage and Hour Claims
HUB International
April 9, 2018Restaurant Employment Law Compliance: A Guide to 2018 NYS Changes
Valiant Payroll Sponsored Webinar
March 8, 2018Learning From #MeToo – Building An Anti-Harassment Practice For Your Foundation
Philanthropy New York
February 23, 2018Issues In Social Media
HUB International
October 2, 2017New York Paid Family Leave Benefits Law
Humentum HR Roundtable
September 19, 2017Updates in Employment Law
InsideNGO- HR Roundtable
September 19, 2017Employment Law 101 For The Non-Employment Lawyer
Gottlieb, Rackman & Reisman, P.C.
July 25, 2017Hiring & Vetting: How Well Are You Checking?
InsideNGO
March 16, 2017Restaurant Management Employment Law Overview
The NYS Restaurant Association & HUB International
November 2016Paying Non-Exempt Employees For Travel & Events
InsideNGO
July 2016Getting To Great: Building a Better Intern, Fellow, and Skills-Based Volunteer Program
InsideNGO Annual Conference
July 2016Updates in Employment Law
InsideNGO- HR Roundtable
June 2016How To Handle A Discrimination Case
New York County’s Lawyers Association
May 2015Representative Recent Publications
Restaurant Assistant Managers and Sous Chefs Lawsuits Are On The Rise
Total Food Service, April 2018
Have Your Voice Heard In The Battle to Keep the Tip Credit
The NYS Restaurant Association E-magazine and Total Food Service, February 2018
Understanding Sexual Harassment In The Restaurant Workplace
Total Food Service, January 2018
Creating A Strategy To Comply With NY’s Pay Stub Mandates
Total Food Service, November 2017October 02 2023
Gregg Kligman, a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment practice group, focuses on management side employment litigation and counseling. Mr. Kligman’s practice includes defending clients in federal and state courts, before administrative agencies and in arbitration and mediation in cases alleging discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and other employment related claims, including class action litigation. Mr. Kligman regularly counsels clients of all sizes, from family businesses to multinational corporations, across the spectrum of employment issues from pre-hire to termination, including recruiting, responding to harassment and discrimination issues, advising on managing leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance and benefits and drafting and reviewing policies and handbooks. Mr. Kligman also assists clients with risk assessment and due diligence in connection with wage and hour matters and corporate acquisitions, advising clients on potential exposure based upon the incoming company’s employment practices.
While Mr. Kligman’s representation spans many industries including manufacturing, retail and professional service providers, Mr. Kligman has developed a focus representing clients in the hospitality and restaurant industries including multi-venue restaurant groups, fine dining establishments, fast casual restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Mr. Kligman’s experience with the hospitality and restaurant industries allows him to advise these businesses to ensure compliance with their unique wage and hour regulations and the complex issues they face as both an employer and a provider of services to the general public.
Throughout the pandemic, the hospitality and restaurant industry has suffered severely. Mr. Kligman’s employment law background, due diligence and frequent communication aided many of the firm’s clients, but his greatest impact was on our hospitality clients during their time of need and support. The support he provided included assistance initially in advising on layoffs of employees and then onboarding employees in the new work environment, updating workplace policies to ensure compliance with new obligations related to COVID-19, and ensuring wage and hour compliance in the face of new staffing models.
Prior to joining Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Mr. Kligman was associated with the Firms Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC; Fox Rothschild LLP; and Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP.
Mr. Kligman is a graduate of Cornell University and New York Law School. Mr. Kligman is admitted to practice before the courts of the States or New York and New Jersey and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey. Mr. Kligman has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and was a Long Island Business News Leadership in Law Honoree in 2020.
January 31 2024
Linda Guthmann Krieger is a member in the Firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and Hospitality Group. Ms. Krieger has extensive experience representing clients at trial, arbitration and mediation, and has a record of favorable outcomes. She acts as corporate counsel for several small to medium sized businesses, advising them on day-to-day employment issues. Ms. Krieger has completed training by the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine School of Law and has been a mediator for cases in both state and federal court. Ms. Krieger is also a third-party neutral investigator assisting employers with workplace complaints.
Ms. Krieger is a long-time member of the Settlement Officer Panel for U.S. District Court, Central District of California. In addition, she has been Chair of the Federal Nominations Committee and Chair of the Work and Family Issues Committee for Women Lawyers of Los Angeles. She was the president of Women’s Business Council, part of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, for the 2008-2009 term, and was a board member of the Downtown Long Beach Associates (now Alliance) from 2009-2015. She was also on the board of the Long Beach Bar Foundation and was a board member of Women Lawyers of Long Beach. She is very involved in Bruin Professionals, as well, including their Lawyers Affinity Group. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Bar Association for many years and was the President from 2019-2020.
Ms. Krieger grew up in Chicago, Illinois and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Illinois. She received her Juris Doctor from UCLA, graduating in the top twenty percent of her class. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, pickleball, movies, community service work, and she loves to travel.
January 31 2024
Justin D. Lee, an associate of the Firm, focuses on representing employers in cases involving workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour violations, as well as providing legal advice to businesses on day-to-day employment issues.
Mr. Lee graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and earned his Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law. During his time at Santa Clara University, he actively contributed to the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association as a board member and served as a Senior Editor for the Santa Clara University Journal of International Law. He also earned a CALI Excellence for the Future Award for his work at Santa Clara University’s Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic. Mr. Lee was born and raised in Los Angeles County.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Lee was an associate at a boutique employment firm, as well as corporate counsel for a residential construction company. Mr. Lee is also proficient in Mandarin Chinese.
June 10 2019
Paul P. Rooney, a member of the Firm, specializes in employment law and civil litigation, and has nearly 20 years of experience in the field.Mr. Rooney advises clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, drafts employment agreements, handbooks, and policies, and performs employment-related corporate due diligence. His cases have included numerous collective actions under The Fair Labor Standards Act, and claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The New York State and City Human Rights Laws, The New York Labor Law, ERISA, and The Family and Medical Leave Act. Mr. Rooney has also litigated cases involving covenants not to compete, claims of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, and defamation.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Rooney was a founding partner of Fugazy & Rooney LLP (2007-2013) and was an Associate and Counsel at Reed Smith LLP (2000-2007). Paul is admitted to practice in the States of New York and Delaware, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Delaware.
Paul received his B.A. from Wesleyan University with High Honors and his J.D. from The College of William & Mary.
June 10 2019
Lawrence A. Rosenbloom, a member of the Firm, is a corporate, securities and broker-dealer attorney who represents clients in all aspects of corporate and commercial law, with a particular focus on securities law compliance, public and private equity finance and mergers and acquisitions.
Currently, Mr. Rosenbloom serves as a leader of the Corporate Department’s ’34 Act Group, where he oversees the Firm’s representations of public companies and their various legal needs. In addition, during his career, he has developed significant experience in the life sciences and real estate sectors, including representations of real estate investment trusts.
Mr. Rosenbloom’s experience includes representation of publicly-listed companies in their securities compliance, stock exchange-related and general corporate and commercial matters and has routine interactions with applicable regulatory authorities, including the SEC and FINRA. In addition to representing issuers of securities, he represents investors, underwriters and placement agents in connection with both public and private offerings of equity and debt securities. In particular, Mr. Rosenbloom has significant experience with registered primary and secondary public offerings (including Registered Directs, CMPO Offerings and SPACs) as well as private placement and PIPE transactions.
In the mergers and acquisitions area, Mr. Rosenbloom has represented both buyers and sellers of businesses and assets in a variety of industry sectors in both public and private transactions. He also regularly advises companies on a wide array of general commercial matters, including joint ventures.
Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Mr. Rosenbloom was associated with the firms of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP and Battle Fowler LLP in New York. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Rosenbloom worked as an investor relations representative for publicly held companies.
Mr. Rosenbloom received his Juris Doctor degree in 1997 from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude, was elected a member of the Order of the Coif and was a member of, and had his thesis published in, the Cardozo Law Review. Mr. Rosenbloom graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester in 1991 with a dual degree in Political Science and American History. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.
February 01 2021
David R. Rothfeld, a member of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, leads the firm’s traditional labor law practice and specializes in the representation of management in negotiating collective bargaining agreements. In this capacity, Mr. Rothfeld serves as Chief Labor negotiator for the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc., and negotiates initial opening and renewal collective bargaining agreements for all types of businesses, including, hotels, restaurants and gaming facilities.
Mr. Rothfeld also provides his management clients:
- Representation at grievance and arbitration proceedings;
- Advice on contract interpretation and compliance;
- Representation before the National Labor Relations Board, in representation proceedings and unfair labor practice proceedings;
- Counsel on a wide range of employment issues, encompassing compliance with applicable local, state and federal employment discrimination, labor, wage-hour and employee benefits laws and regulations.
Additionally, Mr. Rothfeld has conducted numerous seminars for employers, industry groups and trade associations on various labor and employment issues, such as Covid implications, Americans with Disabilities Act, harassment and current workplace issues such as employee discipline, employee privacy and workplace violence. Mr. Rothfeld serves as counsel to Taft-Hartley Pension and Welfare Funds as well.
Mr. Rothfeld represents clients in a myriad of different businesses, with a concentration in the hospitality field, including hotels, restaurants, clubs, catering and gaming facilities. He also represents employers in other industries such as real estate, manufacturing, service industries, schools and not-for-profit organizations.
Mr. Rothfeld is a board member of the Cornell Institute for Hospitality and Labor Relations, and is a frequent participant at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration Round Tables as well as the Law School’s Labor and Employment Law Round Table. He has been selected by his peers to be included in the The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Employment Law, Management and Labor Law and Management. He has also been selected as a “Super Lawyer” for the New York Metropolitan area.
David R. RothfeldRated by Super Lawyersloading …
February 01 2021
Jaclyn K. Ruocco is a member in the Firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Her practice involves representing management in traditional labor relations, employment counseling, and employment litigation defense, including assisting clients against discrimination claims, sexual harassment claims, wage and hour disputes, and wrongful termination suits under both federal and state laws, including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law. Jaclyn has broad experience in negotiating and interpreting labor contracts, conducting management and employee trainings, and devising company policies.
Ms. Ruocco regularly speaks on how to navigate existing and proliferating labor and employment laws and regulations, especially recent COVID-19 government and agency rules and mandates.
Before joining Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Ms. Ruocco was an associate at Kane Kessler and prior to that, an AmLaw 100 law firm, where she defended clients in complex commercial matters and employment litigations.
While studying at Seton Hall School of Law, Ms. Ruocco was selected to participate in the Seton Hall Center for Social Justice, Civil Litigation Clinic and was ranked third in her class. She interned for the Honorable Dolores K. Sloviter of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and for the Honorable Dennis Cavanaugh of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Prior to her legal practice, Ms. Ruocco was the Finance Director of a statewide political party, where she quickly rose as one of the leading party fundraisers. As a result of her work, she has spoken at the Eagleton Institute of Politics on campaign finance and reform.
Ms. Ruocco has been selected as a “Rising Star” in the New York Metro area from 2016- 2019 by Super Lawyers, an annual listing of top-rated attorneys in the United States.
Education
Rutgers University (B.A.)
Seton Hall School of Law (J.D. Magna Cum Laude)
Bar Admissions
New York and New Jersey
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
February 01 2021
Robert L. Sacks is a member of the Firm and practices in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group and in all phases of labor and employment on behalf of management, ERISA, principally as applied to multiple and multi-employer plans, trade association law and antitrust.
Mr. Sacks has authored “Rules Creating a Collective Contract Between an Employer and a Union,” for the American Bar Association Section of Labor Relations Law, Committee on Labor Relations and the Law of Collective Bargaining Agreements.
Memberships and Associations
American Bar Association
American Society of Association ExecutivesDesigned the legal and administrative framework used for a multi-employer welfare arrangement in the freelance commercial production industry.
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo (B.A.)
- Brooklyn Law School (J.D.)
- New York University School of Law (L.L.M. in Trade Regulation)
Bar Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
February 01 2021
Jennifer Schmalz, a member of the Firm, specializes in labor and employment law. She has successfully litigated cases involving employment discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, labor law and wage and hour violations. She provides ADA Title III litigation defense and counseling services to businesses operating in hospitality, retail, transportation and other places of public accommodation. Her experience includes representing clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as AAA, JAMS and private arbitration panels. She also represents employers in proceedings before the US Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and many state and local administrative agencies.
She enjoys working with clients in a wide variety of industries including hospitality, real estate, transportation, retail, maritime, financial services, health care, manufacturing, technology and not-for-profit corporations. An important component of her practice involves preventative advice and business planning. Ms. Schmalz has provided employers with training in current workplace issues including the prevention of discrimination and harassment and providing reasonable accommodations in the workplace. She also has experience working with matters involving multiemployer health, pension and welfare funds and has litigated and successfully resolved ERISA matters.
While in law school, Ms. Schmalz was awarded the Jurisprudence Achievement Award in Labor Law and she served as a judicial extern at the National Labor Relations Board’s Division of Judges in New York City. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers in the area of Labor & Employment in the New York Metro area.
She also serves as a Trustee of the Putnam History Museum and the Desmond-Fish Public Library.
Memberships
American Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar AssociationEducation
- University of Michigan (B.A.)
- Michigan State University (J.D.)
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
Rated by Super Lawyersloading …
June 10 2019
Allen Schole, a member of the Firm, is a real estate attorney involved in a broad range of transactional activities. A substantial portion of his practice is devoted to representing landlords in connection with the leasing of retail space to national, regional and local retailers, the leasing of space to hospitals and medical groups and the leasing of restaurant space. He also represents both landlords and tenants with respect to office leases, licensing arrangements and ground leases. Allen is actively involved in assisting clients with the purchase and sale of, and joint venture investment in, mixed use buildings, shopping centers and undeveloped real estate. His shopping center experience includes expansion and redevelopment of regional and strip malls. In addition, he represents lenders and borrowers in all phases of commercial lending including fee and leasehold acquisition loans, refinancings and construction loans.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Schole was associated with firms Hunton & Williams and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Mr. Schole received a Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from the George Washington University National Law Center, where he was a Notes Editor for the George Washington Law Review. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Middlebury College. Mr. Schole is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.
February 01 2021
Alexander Soric, a member of the Firm, practices in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. As a first chair, Mr. Soric represents management in labor relations, including in numerous arbitration hearings, collective bargaining, mediations and in matters before the National Labor Relations Board. Mr. Soric conducts training for managers in labor relations and anti-harassment. He has represented management in several class actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Davis-Bacon Act and State wage-hour matters in federal and state courts and in federal, state and local agencies.
Mr. Soric has represented numerous employers in employment discrimination and unfair labor practice matters in federal and state courts and agencies. His experience also includes negotiating and drafting employment agreements, non-compete and separation agreements, drafting personnel policies and counseling clients nationwide on federal, state and city labor, wage-hour and discrimination law compliance. Mr. Soric has represented numerous clients in a wide variety of industries, including casino gaming, telecommunications, hotels, restaurants, private clubs, hospitals, nursing homes, manufacturers, construction contractors, as well as universities and not-for-profits. He has served as court-appointed labor counsel to Receivers for hotels in receivership.
Prior to joining Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Mr. Soric served as a Courtroom Deputy during law school in the Eastern District of New York, and he was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy at Brooklyn Law School. After graduation, Mr. Soric served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Raymond J. Dearie, United States District Judge in the Eastern District of New York.
Memberships and Associations
New York State Bar Association
Member, Eastern District Committee on LitigationRepresentative Engagements
- Obtained dismissal on pre-emption grounds on motion to dismiss overtime and gratuities claims under Fair Labor Standards Act and New York law regarding wages under a collective bargaining agreement.
- Obtained summary judgment on Fair Labor Standards Act overtime claims in Eastern District of New York.
- Defeated motions to compel voluminous discovery in a banquet gratuities class action under New York law.
- Settled class action gratuities claims on favorable terms.
- recently represented a casino in a disability discrimination claim in the Eastern District of New York and obtained settlement on favorable terms.
- recently represented a hotel in a gender discrimination claim before the New York State Division of Human Rights and obtained a no probable cause finding and dismissal.
- recently represented a hotel in an unfair labor practice proceeding before the National Labor Relations Board and obtained a withdrawal of the charge.
Education
- Stony Brook University (B.A.)
- Brooklyn Law School (J.D.)
Bar Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
February 01 2021
Joseph Tangredi is an associate in the Firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. His practice focuses on representing management in traditional labor relations, employment discrimination actions, and wage and hour litigation, among others.
Prior to joining Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Mr. Tangredi was an associate at Kane Kessler. Prior to that, he was an associate in a litigation defense firm, where he defended clients in a variety of tort matters in the New York Supreme Court.
While studying at Fordham University School of Law, Mr. Tangredi was a recipient of the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award for his work in Fordham’s Mediation Clinic. He also served as a Staff Member of the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal.
Education
- Gettysburg College (B.A., Cum Laude)
- Fordham University School of Law (J.D.)
Bar Admissions
- New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Joseph TangrediRated by Super Lawyersloading …
June 10 2019
Ilan Weiser is a member in the Labor & Employment practice group. Mr. Weiser exclusively represents businesses of all sizes and sectors on how best to comply with the federal, state and local labor laws that govern their operations. Mr. Weiser’s principal area of expertise is employment law litigation and has vigorously defended hundreds of his clients in federal and state court and before various governmental agencies against claims of employment discrimination and unfair pay practices. Mr. Weiser’s practice also consists of counseling management on a wide range of day-to-day human resource issues involving onboarding, termination, performance management, medical leave, proper pay practices and employee classification. Mr. Weiser also drafts various written policies and employment agreements, such as company handbooks, commission agreements, and non-competition and non-disclosure agreements. Mr. Weiser prides himself on being available to his business clients at all times and provides recommendations and solutions so that they can weigh the benefits and consequences before taking a particular course of action.
Mr. Weiser has particularly in-depth knowledge of wage and hour law and regularly defends and counsels his clients in class and collection action lawsuits concerning claims for unpaid wages. He is a frequent lecturer to owners and operators of hospitality establishments in the New York Tri-state area on how best to comply with certain industry-specific issues such as tip misappropriation, exemptions from overtime and minimum wages, as well as properly addressing claims of workplace harassment with the goal of avoiding litigation altogether. Mr. Weiser is also the Chair of the Labor & Employment Subcommittee of the New York City Bar Association Hospitality Committee.
Prior to joining Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Mr. Weiser represented businesses at a New York-based labor & employment boutique. In the early stages of his legal career, Mr. Weiser represented employees in labor & employment matters and brings a unique perspective to his business clients in that he has experience both prosecuting and defending employment matters.
Mr. Weiser is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Hofstra University School of Law, and is a fluent Spanish speaker and proficient in Hebrew. Mr. Weiser is admitted to practice before the courts of the State of New York, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Mr. Weiser has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Ilan WeiserRated by Super Lawyersloading …