From the first conversation, I listen very closely to my clients and try to place myself in their shoes. More than anything, I need to understand my clients' goals and objectives. That's the way I can best be effective for them. What do they expect to come out of the process they're about to enter into? Do they have valid legal claims that can be leveraged or pursued in some forum? I need to gather the facts because I want to evaluate a claim, yet I also want to have an understanding of the client's goals, produce a workable strategy and execute a plan so that justice is served. Sometimes, my clients' desire is simply to obtain an excellent severance package and to transition out of a work environment with dignity and respect. Sometimes an employee deserves to be recognized for pain and emotional distress they've been put through. As I always tell my clients, my role is to advocate for change in their lives and to help them achieve clear and defined goals. I consider myself an excellent listener, writer, advocate, negotiator, legal technician and court room presenter. I am proud of my success in getting both sides to the table and working in as constructive and productive a way as possible to achieve a strong result.

I have consistently approached my work focusing on justice and equality in the workplace - I have achieved broad settlements for all kinds of employees, as a civil-rights litigator and wage-hour attorney for nearly twenty years and those values have stayed with me my entire career.

There is no question that more of my practice involves negotiation and settlement. Most people want to achieve a settlement, to focus on their own growth, family and lives and gain closure. I stick by our clients and work through every possible issue so that they can move on and enjoy life.

I get involved in a situation as early as possible - gather the facts, build the case, evaluate and identify all of the legal issues, conduct the necessary investigation and research, plan a strategy and achieve a result. I take a lot of pride in helping clients through challenging situations quickly and effectively. I know the law in my field well and have the experience to negotiate the best result possible.

I believe in working extremely closely with my clients and with the opposing party so that we work through a situation and achieve all that is possible in a given situation - whether it be receiving significant compensation or winning damages for emotional distress caused by unlawful harassment.

In recent years our cases have grown more complex and focused on wage and overtime issues - often they involve many plaintiffs against a large employer or groups of employers with a common owner. I feel great about the way we have changed workplace situations and obtained substantial financial awards for our clients in the restaurant industry, media and in financial services companies.

Our firm is small, but every day we take on the Goliaths of New York employment law. I work closely with Bob Lipman and David Robins on all of our clients' matters - we are a very good team. We are proud that our clients are so satisfied with our services that they consistently refer new clients to us. That's a great source of satisfaction to me.