About

About LE Blog

LE Blog features Greenberg Traurig’s coverage of key, national labor and employment developments.

Virtually every week, some case is decided, or bill introduced, or regulation changed — or something else happens — that members of the national labor and employment law community need to take into account.

These are the “nuggets” that LE Blog shares with you — weekly “take aways” we think are essential, drawn from all the information you, and we, see each week. As one of our clients told us — “it would be great if I could just get a few weekly headlines.”

So, as a way to get you those headlines, LE Blog comments on critical developments every few days, placing them in the context of the broad spectrum of labor and employment law, the way we do internally when we give a head’s up to any of our more that 100 employment lawyers in our 30+ domestic and foreign offices — “hey, here’s one you need to know about — and why.”

Let us know what you think; tell us how we can be better; comment on our posts. Welcome to LE Blog.

Our Team

Jonathan L. Sulds is co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Labor and Employment Practice in New York City. He has represented leading employers since 1974 in virtually every aspect of their engagement, protection, management and reward of workforce resources. Jon is experienced in the areas of collective bargaining and traditional labor relations; ERISA litigation; wage and hour matters; discrimination complaints; restrictive covenant, duty of loyalty and trade secret litigation; SOX and whistleblower matters; global and domestic executive employment arrangements and corporate campaigns, as well as the labor and employment aspects of corporate transactions and class and collective actions that arise in these contexts.

Peter W. Zinober, co-chair of Greenberg-Taurig’s Labor and Employment Practice, is a labor and employment lawyer specializing in the defense of employment discrimination cases in state and federal court, both jury and non-jury, as well as wage and hour, disability discrimination, age and all other types of employment litigation. Pete also specializes in “traditional” labor management relations law, including the representation of employers in connection with unfair labor practice and representation case proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, labor and non-union arbitrations, collective bargaining and counseling.

Jerrold F. Goldberg has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law, including the traditional labor/union-management area, employment discrimination, executive employment and severance agreements, and wage and hour laws. His areas of concentration include EEO litigation, collective bargaining negotiations and arbitration, rafting of employment agreements/severance and release agreements/non-compete and non-solicit agreements, as well as wage and hour litigation.

Jonathan Israel advises clients on a wide variety of traditional labor and general employment matters, both in the United States and internationally. He practices in diverse industries, including professional, collegiate and Olympic sports, entertainment, media, financial services, hedge and private equity funds, transportation and retail.

Dan Pasternak’s practice focuses on litigating labor and employment claims, as well as working with management to develop effective employment and labor relations policies, practices, and procedures. Dan’s diverse employment litigation experience includes successfully representing employers before the federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and in arbitration and mediation proceedings in discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases, as well as representing parties in other employment-related matters, such as wage and hour, non-compete and non-solicitation, executive compensation, and shareholder and LLC member disputes.

John Scalia is a member of the firm’s National Labor & Employment Group, serving on that group’s Steering Committee. He also is a member of the firm’s National Litigation Practice. John works with companies to find practical, cost-effective solutions to their workforce problems. He routinely advises clients on a broad range of employment issues, such as complying with employment laws (including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FLSA, FMLA, WARN); drafting and analyzing employment and non-compete agreements; developing and implementing personnel policies and procedures; hiring, firing and managing employees; performing labor and employment due diligence for corporate mergers and acquisitions; conducting internal sexual harassment, whistleblower and misconduct investigations; conducting “best practices” audits and human resources/management trainings; handling OFCCP and DOL investigations; and defending discrimination claims before the EEOC and state administrative agencies.

Eric Sigda focuses on the representation of management in litigating federal and state employment matters including claims involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing, Sarbanes-Oxley retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour class actions, and misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of restrictive covenants. He has handled matters in federal and state courts and in arbitration, as well as before various agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, and the New York State Division of Human Rights. Eric also regularly represents management in disputes with labor unions.

Tami Cowden has more than twenty years experience as an appellate attorney, achieving favorable outcomes in the Nevada Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In local state and federal trial courts, she has authored successful briefs resulting in grants of summary judgment, defeating class certification, and obtaining expert witness disqualification. Before joining the firm, Ms. Cowden was a member of the faculty of the University of Denver College of Law. Ms Cowden also served several years as a staff attorney with the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Justin F. Keith is an associate in the Boston office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law, including litigation of discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, reductions in force, and numerous other personnel and workplace issues. He frequently represents employers in wage & hour class and collective actions in state and federal court.

Jay P. Lechner is a board-certified labor and employment lawyer, specializing in the defense of discrimination, whistleblower, harassment, and wage and hour cases, as well as restrictive covenants, retaliation, related state tort and contract issues, and other types of employment litigation.

Sarah L. Phillips has experience in assisting with corporate, employment, competition and litigation matters. She has specific interests in the application of UK and EU competition law in various sectors, as well as in advising on both contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

Laura Lawless Robertson focuses her practice on labor and employment issues and on general litigation matters. Laura represents employers facing claims by current and former employees alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and wage/hour violations. She also represents employers against claims of discrimination on the basis of disability, gender, age, race, national origin, and religion.

About Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig’s Labor & Employment Practice provides an array of workplace strategies and legal counsel, including practical and efficient consulting, technical assistance and litigation services. Our team understands the business impact of labor and employment issues. We have the broad experience needed to help organizations analyze options, make informed decisions and take effective action.

The practice offers services in such areas as:

• Labor Relations, Collective Bargaining and Union Activities
• Federal and State Agency Practice
• Compliance with federal, state and local employment laws
• Litigation / Defense
• Business Immigration
• Labor and Employment Services

In addition, we offer clients the benefits of GT’s culture of collaboration — our attorneys frequently join forces, between offices and cities, to deliver the services clients need and expect. In this way, GT provides both national and international capabilities from a single point of contact.