Employment Discrimination

Ephraim Roy Hess has practicing law for more than 30 years. He has successfully represented both individuals and small to medium sized businesses in matters ranging from sexual harassment and age discrimination to the negotiation of severance issues and the enforcement and defense of non-compete agreements. Some areas of representation include: Employment and Labor Law • Discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) • Drug Testing • Sexual Harassment • Contract review/negotiations • Whistleblowers and Retaliation • Long Term Disability • EEOC/FCHR Charges • Unemployment • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) Business Law and Litigation • Non-Compete Agreements • Severance Agreements • Confidentiality Agreements • Defense and claims of breaches of contract • Response to Administrative Charges • Defense against discrimination charges • Employee vs. Independent Contractor Classification Issues Civil Trials and Appeals • Contract disputes • Malicious Prosecution • Fraud • Breach of Contract • Public Records Actions • Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Please contact the Hess Law Firm at (954) 585.8599 to discuss your individual matter.

Kevin is one of the founders of Douglas, Leonard & Garvey, P.C. Kevin has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers In America in the practice are of Employment Law – Individuals. Kevin has also been named the Best Lawyers’ 2017 & 2020 Concord Employment Law – Individuals “Lawyer of the Year.” Only a single lawyer in each practice in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” He has been chosen for inclusion in the New-England-Super-Lawyers in the Employment Law category for representing employees. Only 5% of the lawyers in New England receive the Super Lawyers honor. Kevin has received an “AV-Preeminent” rating, the highest available in Martindale-Hubbell Directory, a nationwide publication which independently rates lawyers on the basis of their peer’s opinion. He has been recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Woodward and White, a peer-reviewed publication, for his work in representing employees in employment law. In the area of employment law, Kevin focuses his practice on representing employees. He regularly represents employees before the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Kevin is committed to representing employees in all aspects of employment litigation such as Sexual Harassment; Discrimination; Retaliation; Wrongful Discharge; Family and Medical Leave and Whistleblower Complaints. Previously, Kevin was elected by other employment lawyers to serve as President of National Employment Lawyers Association, New Hampshire Chapter and has authored articles and been invited as a lecturer for other lawyers on employment law issues. In addition to representing employees, Kevin also protects the interests of victims in personal injury and automobile accidents, as well as workers’ compensation claims.

Keith Custis is a compassionate and dedicated litigator who founded Custis Law, P.C. to help individuals facing difficult work issues. Keith focuses his practice on the representation of employees in cases involving wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wage and hour laws and violations of the numerous laws that require job-protected leaves of absence. Keith also represents employees and consumers in wage and hour and consumer class actions. Having represented some of the largest companies in the world, Keith evaluates employment law matters from every angle and perspective, including the employer’s point of view. He is a strategic negotiator and effective litigator who provides caring, personalized representation focused on each client’s individual goals and circumstances.

Carmel J. Decker is a Partner with Harwood Lloyd, practicing in its Insurance Defense Litigation and Commercial Litigation Departments. Ms. Decker concentrates her practice in employment law, civil rights violations, construction law, corporate and contract law and insurance law. Ms. Decker’s employment law practice includes complex litigation in state and federal courts involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment/hostile work environment, discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract, corporate and business law, common-law claims, ERISA, CEPA, the New Jersey Law against Discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, hiring practices, restrictive covenants, employee handbooks and workplace torts. Ms. Decker represents companies, public entities and public employees in matters involving civil rights violations, negligence and police conduct. Ms. Decker also handles matters involving directors’ and officers’ liability, particularly employment and civil rights disputes. Ms. Decker lectures on employment matters including sexual harassment/hostile work environment discrimination, hiring practices and litigation of employment issues. Ms. Decker drafts employee handbooks, counsels clients on risk management and regulatory compliance and provides preventive counseling to employers on employment issues. Ms. Decker also appears in matters before the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Decker’s construction law practice includes complex multi-party litigation involving claims of construction defect, professional liability of architects and engineers and construction site accidents. As part of her construction defect practice, Ms. Decker handles matters involving claims of deficiencies in construction and design, latent construction defects, building code violations, breach of contract and insurance. Ms. Decker’s construction law practice encompasses matters arising on public, private, commercial and residential projects. Ms. Decker received her B.S., cum laude, in Business Administration from Montclair State College in 1978 and her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1981. Ms. Decker is admitted to practice before the courts of the State of New Jersey (1982), the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (1982) and the courts of the State of New York (1989). Ms. Decker is a member of the Federal Bar Association, the Bergen County Bar Association and the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

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.

As a partner in the firm, Brent specializes in representing employees in wrongful termination cases. He has worked exclusively in the area of employment litigation since he began practicing law in 1998. Through the years, Brent has successfully represented hundreds of plaintiffs in employment-related litigation, obtaining significant settlements and jury verdicts against Fortune 500 companies, large government entities, as well as small and medium-sized employers. Since he joined forces with Gary Carlin to launch the firm in July of 2004, he has been lead trial counsel in employment cases that generated more than $7 million dollars for his clients. He has handled virtually every type of labor and employment dispute, including claims of sexual harassment, unpaid overtime, whistle-blowing, racial discrimination, age discrimination, disability discrimination, and gender discrimination. In addition, he has also successfully prosecuted cases based on breach of contract, fraud, defamation, and other civil claims that often arise in the context of employment. Brent recently recovered $1.17 million in a well-publicized wrongful termination suit against the City of Pasadena (read more). Brent was also nominated as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles for 2008.Brent was raised in Laguna Beach, and attended Laguna Beach High School, where he played tennis and basketball. In 1994, he went on to earn a bachelor's degree at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he graduated with honors. After college, Brent followed through with his ambition of becoming a lawyer, enrolling at the University of San Diego School of Law, where he earned his law degree in 1997. It was in law school that Brent decided that representing individuals, particularly those who have been wronged, was much more rewarding than defending corporations.

Joel Glaser is the principal of Joel Glaser APC in the Los Angeles, Newport Beach and San Diego offices. His practice includes Employment and Business Litigation. Mr. Glaser has extensive experience in Employment Practices Liability, including defending whistleblower, wrongful termination, harassment, race, age, disability, and gender discrimination and retaliation cases. He has also defended wage and hour class actions and single plaintiff cases. Additionally, he has counseled employees and employers on employment-related matters such as applications and hiring, sexual harassment policies and training, employment handbooks, internal investigations, compliance issues, employee discipline issues, severance agreements and termination issues. He has represented clients in both state and federal court, and before the California Labor Board, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Unemployment Appeals Board. In the area of Business Litigation, Mr. Glaser has handled issues related to business litigation, real estate, collections and compliance issues. He has brought and defended numerous general business litigation actions, including actions for breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, specific performance, quiet title, landlord-tenant discrimination, insurance bad faith, professional liability, products liability, and collections claims. Mr. Glaser has tried to verdict several employment and personal injury claims, tried to a defense verdict a homeowners’ association dispute, obtained summary judgment for a government contractor on an age and disability discrimination action, and has obtained positive feedback from clients on the excellent results he has obtained in defending allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract and product defects. Prior to forming Joel Glaser APC, Mr. Glaser successfully tried and arbitrated several cases to verdicts favorable to his clients at AmLaw 100 firms. Mr. Glaser represents companies in several industries throughout the United States, including government contractors, hotels, restaurants, appliance stores, hardware stores, electronics stores, industrial manufacturers, banks, private lenders, product manufacturers, distributors and retailers, real estate management companies, and other companies in various industries.

David Sanford has recovered more than one billion dollars for individual clients and the United States government since 2004. Mr. Sanford has represented CEOs, CFOs, and COOs, as well as non-managerial, hourly employees throughout the United States. Mr. Sanford has served as lead counsel in more than 50 class actions and numerous qui tam fraud cases around the United States. David has represented over 50 General Counsels and attorneys (in house and outside counsel) in contract disputes, employment matters, and severance packages.

I live in a great community in New Jersey, where I am actively involved in my community. My wife and I met in high school, went to college together, have been married for over 25 years, and plan to grow old together. We have three beautiful daughters who, as I accept, run my life! I have held several local positions in my town, always staying involved to help others, such as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary club, I have spent time as a baseball, softball, basketball and soccer coach, a member of the YMCA Board and Soccer Club Board. I live and practice law by the theory that if you do right by people, you will do well. This means I take the time to explain to my clients the details of their case, how it is progressing, and the options they may be able to explore. My integrity, high standards, morals, and honesty have made me a caring and skilled attorney who has earned respect from my colleagues as well as my adversaries. I am here to help you. I will offer an honest and fair evaluation of your case up front and discuss whether I believe your case is worth pursuing or if there is an alternate course of action that may provide you with better closure. In trying to produce the best outcome for your situation, I treat you like I would treat my own family. To me, you are more than a client.

Richard Neuworth has been handling personal injury and employment and employee benefit litigation for 35 years. He has extensive experience in employee benefit, discrimination, harassment, personal injury, workers compensation and Social Security disability cases, successfully representing individuals and groups of employees in significant employment disputes. An “AV Preeminent-Rated” attorney, he is listed in “Best Lawyers in America” in Labor and Employment Law in 2010. He is listed in “Super Lawyers,” as well, in Employee Benefits. A graduate of the George Washington University and the University of Baltimore Law School, Richard is general counsel to employee organizations and associations. He is a member of the American Bar Association – Labor and Employment Section, Maryland State Bar Association Labor and Employment Section – Section Council since 2006, Maryland State Bar Association – Elder Law Council in 2010, Maryland Association of Justice, Baltimore City Bar Association and National Employment Lawyers Association. He has been the editor in chief of the “Trial Reporter” of the Maryland Association for Justice since 2006. Richard has presented on the subject of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and Americans for Disabilities Act of 1990 to the Maryland State Bar Association Convention in June 2006 and June 2010. He moderated a program on the new Maryland False Claims Act and federal False Claims Act in June 2015. He presented on both the Maryland False Claims Act and federal False Claims Act in April 2015 for Employment Law Institute. Richard has lectured on disability benefits and employment issues to diverse groups such as the National MS Society, Alzheimer’s Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Lupus Foundation. He has also lectured on the subject of Social Security disability and Maryland Workers Compensation law to those groups, the National Business Institute and the Maryland State Bar Association in September 2010. He has been an adjunct lecturer on both employment law and Social Security disability as part of the Elder Law course at the University of Maryland Law School from 2005 to the present. Richard’s publications include course materials sponsored by the Maryland Institute of Continuing Professional Legal Education for Lawyers (MICPEL) on the subjects of Employment Law and Social Security Disability. His materials on ERISA and Medicare liens were also part of programs sponsored by the Maryland Association of Justice. He has published articles in the Maryland State Bar Association, “Trial Magazine” and the “Trial Reporter’ of the Maryland Association of Justice on topics that include the Medicare Secondary Payer Act and the Private Cause of Action, Employee Termination under the False Claims Act, ERISA Liens and Personal Injury Actions, Medicare, Medicare Secondary Payer Act and Private Cause of Actions, Sexual Harassment, ERISA and Personal Injury Actions.