Employment

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Mr. Bosin is a graduate of Rutgers College and Rutgers Law School, and holds a Masters Degree in Corporate Law from New York University School of Law. He was a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission in the New York Regional Office, and an associate at Carpenter Bennett & Morrissey in Newark, New Jersey. He was also Associate General Counsel of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange listed company, where he was primarily responsible for employment and corporate matters.As an undergraduate he attended Rutgers College on an academic scholarship and was a Dean's List student and President of the Senior Class. Mr. Bosin also won a state championship in debating. At law school he was a member of the International Law Moot Court Team, and Research Assistant to Professor Ruth B. Ginsburg, now of the United States Supreme Court.He is admitted to practice in the states of New Jersey, New York and California and the United States District Court for District of New Jersey, and the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York. Mr. Bosin is also admitted to practice law in the Courts of Appeal in the Second and Third Circuits. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the Bergen County Bar Association, and the National Employment Lawyers Association. Mr. Bosin is also a member of the Federal Bar Association.  In May 2008 he became a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.

Berman Law Firm, P.A. is a law firm based out of St. Petersburg, FL. Our firm was established in 1998 and has a reputation of integrity, professionalism, and high quality service. Founding attorney Craig Berman, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in all aspects of employment law. At Berman Law Firm, P.A., we support both Employees and Employers. If you are experiencing troubles in your workplace, we are here to help! Call Berman Law Firm, P.A. today at to schedule a free consultation!

L. ERIC EBBERT is the owner of the Ebbert Law Firm, which he created in 2020. He is licensed in both Tennessee and Florida. He practices in the areas of Labor & Employment law - Management, business litigation, and health care liability. His emphasis on Labor & Employment law includes counseling and defending employers in state and federal courts and before government agencies under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, and state employment laws; conducting high-level investigations; management training; and employment contracts. His litigation practice also includes real property, breach of contract, tort liability, products liability, and health care liability, as well as the full spectrum of business-to-business litigation. Eric has tried more than 30 cases, representing regional, national, and multi-national companies, through all stages of litigation and appeals. Eric received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University and his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee, and the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the U.S. Tax Court. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Litigation/Labor & Employment. Since 2007 Eric has served as a member of the District Investigatory Committee of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. He is a member of the Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Associations, a member of SHRM, and a member of the Board of the Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service, Inc. He devotes his personal time to family and church.

Eric L. Siegel has over 30 years of experience dedicating his practice to the litigation and resolution of business, employment, civil rights, disability rights and whistleblower disputes. Eric has tried jury and bench cases in both state and federal courts in numerous jurisdictions, including but not limited to the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, and Mississippi. He formerly served as a trial attorney in the Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division where he enforced Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In addition, he spent the last decade working part-time in the real estate industry as an owner and developer, working on acquisition, financing, zoning, affordable housing, property management and leasing issues. Consequently, he understands first-hand the challenges facing owners, landlords and developers and approaches legal problems of real estate clients from a broader, results-driven and cost-effective perspective. He works closely with his clients to identify and fully understand their goals. Thinking strategically and creatively on behalf of clients, he uses all available tools to pursue a successful outcome for his clients. Mr. Siegel has been a frequent lecturer and author on a wide array of topics, including employee work eligibility under immigration laws; compliance with wage and hour laws; emerging sexual harassment law issues; English-only rules; arbitrability of jurisdictional disputes in tri-lateral arbitration, ADA case analyses and articles on mental disability, health insurance, pre-employment inquiries under the ADA, which was published in Disability Discrimination in the Workplace (Clark Boardman Callaghan), and medical examinations and reasonable accommodation under the ADA, and litigation tactics to avoid summary judgment, publishing in several employment-related treatises.

William K. Phillips is a New York employment discrimination attorney and is the Managing Partner of Phillips & Associates. His law firm Phillips & Associates has handled thousands of employment cases including, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, race discrimination, disability discrimination, and other employment law cases.

Peter A. Romero has practiced exclusively in the area of employment law for 16 years. Mr. Romero regularly represents both employers and employees in workplace litigation, including trial and appellate practice, administrative proceedings before the Department of Labor, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and New York State Division of Human Rights. He is highly experienced in complex litigation, including collective and class action lawsuits.

Robert S. Bauders specializes in all areas of employment law except workers compensation primarily on behalf of individuals from his office in Cleveland, Ohio. He previously was a Field Attorney in the Cleveland Regional Office of the U.S. National Labor Relations Board for 8 years followed by 4 years as a Supervisory Trial Attorney and 7 years as Regional Attorney of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Cleveland District Office responsible for all Agency litigation in the State of Ohio.

Jamie L. Cox is a partner at Willson & Pechacek, PLC, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Cox’s general litigation practice focuses on personal injury law, employment law, estate and trust litigation, business law, and civil rights law. He represents clients in Iowa and Nebraska. A native of Wapello, Iowa, Mr. Cox graduated with honors and distinction from the University of Iowa, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in history and sociology in 1998. He later obtained his law degree from The University of Iowa College of Law in 2001. Licensed to practice in the state courts of Iowa and Nebraska, Mr. Cox is also admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, the U.S. Tax Court, the Iowa Supreme Court, the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined Willson & Pechacek, PLC, in 2001 and became a partner in 2006. Mr. Cox belongs to a number of professional organizations, including the he American Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association, the Nebraska State Bar Association, the Pottawattamie County Bar Association, and the Iowa Defense Counsel Association. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association section councils for Litigation and Employment Law, and also belongs to the dispute resolution, labor and employment law and state and local governing sections of the American Bar Association. In addition to his professional commitments, Mr. Cox enjoys participating in his local community. He serves as member of the Board of Directors of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, as a soccer coach for the Council Bluffs Soccer Club, and a Boy Scouts adult leader.