Laura is a labor and employment law attorney whose practice includes all aspects of labor and employment law. She regularly advises colleges and universities with respect to Title IX (policy development, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct investigations and hearings), as well as accommodating students with disabilities. Laura is chair of the firm's labor and employment practice.
Laura has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars on such topics as Title IX compliance, sexual harassment/misconduct investigations and dealing with emotionally distressed and suicidal students.
Laura represents clients in Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigations and represents higher education clients in federal and New York state court litigation. She regularly represents clients involved in litigation in the state and federal courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the New York State Division of Human Rights. Laura also represents clients in arbitrations and mediations, negotiates collective bargaining agreements and advises clients with respect to labor relations issues.
For five years, Laura served as Governor Andrew Cuomo’s appointee as Chair of the Fourth Department Judicial Screening Committee and a member of the Governor's State Judicial Screening Committee. These Committees evaluate the qualifications of judicial candidates and make recommendations to the Governor with respect to which candidates are highly qualified to hold judicial positions.
The Best Lawyers in America®, Education Law; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2010-2025 (listed for 15 years)
Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse) Labor Law - Management, 2019, 2024
Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse), Employment Law - Management, 2017; 2014; 2023
New York Super Lawyers®, Employment and Labor, 2024 (listed for more than 10 years)
Chambers USA 2023,Labor & Employment – Upstate New York
Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Rated
Syracuse Law Review Alumni Achievement Award, 2021
New York State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section of the Continuing Legal Education Committee
2021 Legislative Update, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, June 10, 2021
Valuing Women’s Work, Onondaga County Bar Association, April 21, 2021
2020: The Most Challenging Year, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, Keynote Speech, September 29, 2020
Recruiting & Hiring in a Remote Work World, CenterState CEO, June 10, 2020
Legal Questions in the Modern Workplace, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York Winter Conference 2020, January 27, 2020
Ethical Considerations in Employment Discrimination Cases, Employment Discrimination Law & Litigation 2018, Practising Law Institute, June 18, 2018
Sexual Harassment: What Management Needs to Know in the Current Cultural and Legal Climate, Management by Menu #partnerinchange, 2018 Maines Food Show, May 15, 2018
Interviewed in “Preventing Sexual Harassment: A Way Forward,” Connect NY, produced by WCNY, January 29, 2018
Panel Member, Sticky Issues in Faculty Discrimination - Legal Update and Practice Pointers, NACUA CLE Workshop, March 30, 2017
ADA/Section 504, Employment Law Alliance Webinar, September 22, 2015
Employment Law Update, Central New York Society for Human Resource Management, January 27, 2015
Quoted in “‘Ugly’ Policy Alleged at NBC: Only Beautiful People Need Apply,” HR Today, August 8, 2017
"New NYC Rules For Accommodating Pregnant Employees Take Effect," HR Specialist, New York Employment Law, January 2014
Harshbarger, "Employer Liability for Supervisor Harassment, After Ellerth and Faragher," Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, Vol. 6, Spring 1999, No. 1
Laura is a labor and employment law attorney whose practice includes all aspects of labor and employment law. She regularly advises colleges and universities with respect to Title IX (policy development, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct investigations and hearings), as well as accommodating students with disabilities. Laura is chair of the firm's labor and employment practice.
Laura has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars on such topics as Title IX compliance, sexual harassment/misconduct investigations and dealing with emotionally distressed and suicidal students.
Laura is a labor and employment law attorney whose practice includes all aspects of labor and employment law. She regularly advises colleges and universities with respect to Title IX (policy development, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct investigations and hearings), as well as accommodating students with disabilities. Laura is chair of the firm's labor and employment practice.
Laura has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars on such topics as Title IX compliance, sexual harassment/misconduct investigations and dealing with emotionally distressed and suicidal students.
Laura represents clients in Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigations and represents higher education clients in federal and New York state court litigation. She regularly represents clients involved in litigation in the state and federal courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the New York State Division of Human Rights. Laura also represents clients in arbitrations and mediations, negotiates collective bargaining agreements and advises clients with respect to labor relations issues.
For five years, Laura served as Governor Andrew Cuomo’s appointee as Chair of the Fourth Department Judicial Screening Committee and a member of the Governor's State Judicial Screening Committee. These Committees evaluate the qualifications of judicial candidates and make recommendations to the Governor with respect to which candidates are highly qualified to hold judicial positions.
The Best Lawyers in America®, Education Law; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2010-2025 (listed for 15 years)
Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse) Labor Law - Management, 2019, 2024
Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse), Employment Law - Management, 2017; 2014; 2023
New York Super Lawyers®, Employment and Labor, 2024 (listed for more than 10 years)
Chambers USA 2023,Labor & Employment – Upstate New York
Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Rated
Syracuse Law Review Alumni Achievement Award, 2021
New York State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section of the Continuing Legal Education Committee
2021 Legislative Update, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, June 10, 2021
Valuing Women’s Work, Onondaga County Bar Association, April 21, 2021
2020: The Most Challenging Year, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, Keynote Speech, September 29, 2020
Recruiting & Hiring in a Remote Work World, CenterState CEO, June 10, 2020
Legal Questions in the Modern Workplace, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York Winter Conference 2020, January 27, 2020
Ethical Considerations in Employment Discrimination Cases, Employment Discrimination Law & Litigation 2018, Practising Law Institute, June 18, 2018
Sexual Harassment: What Management Needs to Know in the Current Cultural and Legal Climate, Management by Menu #partnerinchange, 2018 Maines Food Show, May 15, 2018
Interviewed in “Preventing Sexual Harassment: A Way Forward,” Connect NY, produced by WCNY, January 29, 2018
Panel Member, Sticky Issues in Faculty Discrimination - Legal Update and Practice Pointers, NACUA CLE Workshop, March 30, 2017
ADA/Section 504, Employment Law Alliance Webinar, September 22, 2015
Employment Law Update, Central New York Society for Human Resource Management, January 27, 2015
Quoted in “‘Ugly’ Policy Alleged at NBC: Only Beautiful People Need Apply,” HR Today, August 8, 2017
"New NYC Rules For Accommodating Pregnant Employees Take Effect," HR Specialist, New York Employment Law, January 2014
Harshbarger, "Employer Liability for Supervisor Harassment, After Ellerth and Faragher," Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, Vol. 6, Spring 1999, No. 1