Gregory Kirschenbaum is a Partner at the law firm of Phillips and Associates who can handle the full spectrum of cases arising from violations of workplace rights. Mr. Kirschenbaum is passionate about helping people who need a sexual harassment lawyer or assistance with another claim and has recovered millions of dollars for his clients through pre-suit negotiations, litigation, and trial. He is passionate about advocating on behalf of those in need and uses his years of litigation experience, as well as his mastery of the law, to obtain the best results possible for his clients.
Along with his strong negotiation skills, Mr. Kirschenbaum also has significant trial experience. In fact, he has served as trial counsel in a number of cases, and in 2015 obtained a $2.2M Plaintiff verdict: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ex-truck-driver-wins-2-2m-sexual-racial-harassment-suit-article-1.2452761. More recently, in 2022, Gregory served as trial counsel in a race discrimination case in the Southern District of New York captioned, Pardovani v. Crown Building Maintenance Co., Jazz at Lincoln Center, et al., 15-cv-09065. After hearing evidence that the Plaintiff was repeatedly subjected to racial slurs, the jury returned a unanimous Plaintiff verdict in the amount of $1.8M.
Because of his extraordinary results for his clients, Gregory has been selected by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” every year since 2017, awarded the Clients’ Choice Award by Avvo, and recognized for his contributions in Employment Discrimination Law by Lawyers of Distinction.
Mr. Kirschenbaum received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Delaware. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School, where he was drawn toward the area of workers' rights. In law school, he won the Cali Award for a Collective Bargaining Workshop and obtained a prestigious Peggy Browning Fund Fellowship. He spent a 10-week fellowship working on labor law issues, contracts, and intellectual property issues at the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Mr. Kirschenbaum is admitted to practice in the state courts of New York, New Jersey, and Florida, as well as the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the District Court of New Jersey, the Southern District of Florida, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Although his main practice is in New York, Gregory handles all types of employment cases in Florida and New Jersey. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, as well as spending time with his friends and family.
Many New York employers fail to meet their legal obligations to workers. Their misconduct ranges from harassing employees who belong to protected classes to failing to pay minimum wage or overtime. Employees may be afraid that they will lose their jobs if they complain about being mistreated, and that fear is often justified. In some cases, employers retaliate against employees who complain to HR or an agency, or file a claim in connection with legal violations. Retaliation is illegal under anti-discrimination and wage and hour laws, and it includes many types of adverse employment actions taken by employers to punish employees. At Phillips & Associates, we can help employees bring harassment, discrimination, wage and hour, and retaliation claims against their employers.
In addition to receiving fair wages, you are entitled to work in a place that is free from discrimination and harassment. There are both federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Federal laws include Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against employees due to their race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. Although Title VII applies only to businesses with 15 or more employees, New York state and local laws may offer more expansive legal protections to many employees of smaller businesses.
Except for the Equal Pay Act, all laws enforced by the EEOC require employees to file a charge before suing an employer for discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. It is possible to file a charge yourself, but often it may be in your best interest to consult a New York City employment lawyer to understand your options and how best to frame your charge. The EEOC may not find a violation, but this does not necessarily mean that your lawsuit would not be successful. Mr. Kirschenbaum and his colleagues can review your case and give you a knowledgeable opinion about your options.
