The following list was prepared exclusively for Human Resource Executive ® by Lawdragon, a Los Angeles-based networking site for lawyers and clients. The attorneys were selected on the basis of curriculum-vitae analyses, evaluations by clients and peers, and reporting by the Lawdragon staff.
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Wayne Outten Partner, Outten & Golden, New York
Education and Affiliations: J.D., New York University (1974); B.S., Drexel University (1970); Founding Member and Executive Board, National Employment Lawyers Association; Founder, NELA New York; Governor, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers; Co-founder, Workplace Fairness.Key Cases: The lawyer of choice for Wall Streeters and corporate executives, Outten has handled countless employment and settlement agreements. Praised by plaintiff and defense counsel alike, he “doesn’t just take cases based on how deep the pockets are,” said another employment specialist.His firm handles countless wage and hour, discrimination, retaliation and contract claims, as well as lawsuits and administrative actions challenging working conditions for New York’s poorest employees.
With the EEOC, he secured a $12 million settlement for a female executive who sued Morgan Stanley for sex bias in pay raises and promotions. The case arose when Allison Schieffelin, who had worked for Morgan Stanley for more than 14 years and was a principal in its Institutional Equity Division, filed a discrimination charge and was later fired.
He and his team also brought home $18.9 million for two Wall Street bankers who were fired by Deutsche Bank rather than being paid their due compensation. The arbitration award is one of the largest obtained in an employment case.
Outten is also the author of The Rights of Employees: The Basic ACLU Guide to an Employee’s Rights.
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