V. Jonas Urba | New York Employment Lawyer

I help employees across New York State. Most clients are ones I will never personally meet. I think my former clients' reviews speak for themselves on Google, AVVO, Martindale and other sites. '

My YouTube videos help everyone see who I really am. Almost 60 have been posted at Employment Law Reality Check. I think all of my clients appreciate candor and commitment to their claims. Of course, sometimes, they work almost as hard as I do to resolve claims.

Experience, honesty, commitment to a potential client, the desire to conduct extensive research for every complex matter taken, and most importantly the focus on one or maybe two areas of practice. The law is way too complex to jump around and try to be competent in more than a few areas, even for us who have been at this for over 30 years.

It's of very little importance. We are in a new world with new ways of practicing law. Most clients are not local and I think they get better lawyers and we get better clients that way. Face to face, both sides have a tendency to maybe try to do or promise things which are undeliverable. It's just human nature. But when you discuss potential claims on the phone the tough questions are asked. Both sides feel more comfortable in my opinion. It makes for taking better claims and helping everyone understand how complex and challenging the law is. We like it that way because we certainly earn our keep and our clients know that. They write about in in reviews on-line.

Tons. For employment law matters a very, very small percentage of clients have claims which can be handled on a contingent fee basis. Anyone can accept a client who pays a large retainer. But that often leads to buyers' remorse. If a lawyer invests the time to obtain strong facts from a client and hears the commitment a client is willing to make then neither side wants to spend months or years working hard on a claim which is closer to nuisance value. Sometimes smaller or not huge dollar value ones should be pursued. It's not always about the money. But for most cases, strong facts are absolutely necessary if any lawyer familiar with the complexity of employment law wishes to accept a contingent fee client.

Lots. Employer's name to assure no conflict of interest. Employee's name and location to make sure they performed services in New York. Length of employment is very important. The longer the better. Position held and likelihood of re-employment. Every employee has a duty to mitigate or to find another job. Duties performed, performance evaluations, employee policies and employer handbooks, pay rates and wage statements or pay stubs, and other information which only becomes essential once we understand what the potential claims with the highest probability of success may be. Texts are terrible and emails to screen clients are essentially worthless. You need to speak with an employment lawyer.

Experience, service, and a focus on only employment law matters. My community is the entire State of New York. It's all about employment law matters and concerns only New York employees and sometimes a small employer. The community of New York City is very small for being so big and New York State is not that big if you limit lawyers who focus almost exclusively on employment law matters. The city and the state may seem big but in today's post-COVID world they are actually rather small.

People. My clients. If I agree to represent someone there is something about them that I found interesting or compelling. I have worked so many different jobs before I went to law school that I feel I really understand the labor market. I was once a member of the steelworkers union, I have represented teamsters and brain surgeons, bartenders and aviation pilots, food warehouse employees and highly paid technicians, financial experts and IT professionals, auto service repair shop owners and mechanics, and for many of those professionals I have worked in environments very similar to the ones they endure daily. It's all hard work. That's why it's called work. And for anyone who does this work, they know.

Current events, reading, automobiles, running, pets, landscaping, cooking, the study of human behavior, and so much more. I think that having many interests makes a person more interesting and enables them to understand those they serve better.

I am a member of NELA, the New York State and New York City Bar Associations, and have volunteered at many events over the years. Giving back is important which currently demands many hours helping potential clients answer issues which sometimes require referrals or suggestions at no charge. It's what we do. We try to help the public understand what the law can and cannot do. Unfortunately, the best solutions are not always the ones employees or employers want to hear. But then, we don't make the laws, we just apply them to the best of our ability and if we accept a client we try to get them the very best outcome we possibly can. Not often fast nor easy. Just part of what being an employment lawyer is all about.

• New York City Bar Association | Member | 2011 - Present
  New York State Bar Association | Member | 2011 - Present
  Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers | Member | 2008 - Present
  National Employment Lawyers Association | Member | 1999 - Present

• Client Champion Gold | Martindale-Hubbell®
  Peer Reviewed | Martindale-Hubbell®
  Highest Scholastic Achievement - Legal Process | Valparaiso University School of Law

• Soto v. North Six, Inc. et al, No. 1:18-cv-00529-ALC (S.D.N.Y. June 5, 2018)
  Resolved

• Morris v. Town of Eastchester, No. 7:16-cv-06321-VB (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 28, 2017)
  Resolved

• Dominick v. Newburgh Enlarged City School District, et al, No. 7:16-cv-05136-CS (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 7, 2019)
  Dismissed

• Westchester Bar Association, Westchester Lawyer Magazine May 2019 | The Glory Days of Public Service | 2019

V. Jonas Urba has been a Premium Member since June 08, 2021.
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