WENDI S. LAZAR is a partner at Outten & Golden LLP where she co-heads the firm’s Executives and Professionals Practice Group. She practices in many areas of employment law with a focus on executive agreements, including retention, expatriate, non-competition, talent, severance, and compensation arrangements. She also represents teams of executives transitioning during mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Ms. Lazar’s practice is international in scope, and she advises clients and attorneys in the U.S. and abroad on employment, contract, and related immigration issues. Her clients are predominantly executives and professionals in the legal, advertising, financial, media, and medical industries.

Martindale-Hubbell recognizes Ms. Lazar as an AV “Preeminent” rated attorney. She was named to Best Lawyers in America 2012 in the field of Employment Law – Individuals. Ms. Lazar was also recognized by Super Lawyers in 2012.

Before she began practicing law in 1993, Ms. Lazar was a film and television producer. Her ten years of experience in that field include many television and feature film credits as well as an Emmy Award. Ms. Lazar graduated magna cum laude from Hunter College and received her J.D. cum laude from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she received a Ford Foundation Fellowship in International Law and was an Alexander Fellow, participating as a federal judicial law clerk.

Bar/Professional Activity

• Co-Chair, International Labor and Employment Law Committee, American Bar Association (ABA) Labor and Employment Law Section
• International Labor Committee of ABA Labor and Employment Law Section
• Subcommittee on Restrictive Covenants of the International Labor Committee of ABA Labor and Employment Law Section
• Chair, National Employment Lawyers Association's (NELA) Executives and Professionals Committee
• Co-Chair, Diversity, New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Labor & Employment Section
• Executive Committee, NYSBA Labor & Employment Section o International Labor and Employment Committee of the NYSBA
• Former Chair, International Women's Rights Committee of the Women's Bar of the State of New York
• Former Member, International Human Rights Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
• Former Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association - National & New York sections

Speaking Engagements (previous two years)

Ms. Lazar frequently lectures on employment issues to bar associations and industry groups, and appears as an expert in the news media.

2013

• Speaker: “Cross-Border Assignments & Employment Agreements.”, Practising Law Institute, International Employment Law 2013 Seminar
• Speaker: "Wrapping Up the Case: Things You Should Know But Don't", Pacific Coast Labor & Employment Law Conference
• Panelist: "Where Have all the Women Gone?", International Bar Association, IBA Employment and Discrimination Law Conference
• Panelist: "It's as Easy as a Day at the Beach: Basics of Restrictive Covenants and Duties", American Bar Association, Section of Labor & Employment Law, International Labor & Employment Law Committee Midyear Meeting
• Speaker: "Tips for Successful Negotiations", Webinar, American Bar Association (ABA) Labor and Employment Law Section

2011

• Commentator: “Economic Dismissal Legislation in Other Countries,” New York University 64th Annual Conference on Labor
• Co-Moderator: “Restrictive Covenants in Employment Contracts,” American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Labor & Employment Law, International Labor & Employment Law Committee Midyear Meeting
• Moderator: “Are You Protected? Privacy, Intellectual Property, Trade Secrets and Non-Competes in Web 2.0,” ABA National Symposium on Technology in Labor & Employment Law
• Lecturer: “Innovative Ways to Incentivize Employees,” International Bar Association Conference
• Lecturer: “Drafting Non-Competition & Non-Solicitation Agreements: Supporting the Agreements & Avoiding the Pitfalls,” American Law Institute-American Bar Association Webcast Lecturer: “Non-Competition Clauses and Restrictive Covenants,” New York State Bar Association 2011 Annual Meeting
• Lecturer: “International Restrictive Covenants in a Global Workplace,” 28th Annual National CLE Conference in Labor and Employment Law

2010

• Lecturer: "Around the World in 90 Minutes: Highlights of Current Peculiarities and Pitfalls of Individual Transnational Employment Contracts," ABA Section of Labor & Employment 4th Annual Law Conference o Lecturer: "International Labor and Employment Law: A Bootcamp for U.S. Attorneys," American Conference Institute (ACI)
• Lecturer: "How to Retain Talent And Survive in a Challenging Economy," Five O'Clock Club
• Lecturer: "Keeping up with the Competition and Keeping the Taxman at Bay: Employment Contracts, Severance Agreements, and 409A," ABA Annual Meeting
• Lecturer: "The Changing Landscape of Discrimination Law: New Developments in Privacy and Technology," Employment Discrimination Law and Litigation 2010 by the Practicing Law Institute
• Lecturer: "Obama's Employment & Labor Rulings, Laws and Enforcements: An Update," Five O'Clock Club
• Lecturer: "Enforcing Post Employment Restrictions Across Borders," ABA International Labor & Employment Law Committee Midyear Meeting
• Lecturer: "Sex Discrimination Behind the Camera: How to Deal With Harassment in the Industry," New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) in New York City

Publications (previous three years)

Ms. Lazar has had numerous articles and book chapters published, as well as several administrative law decisions while an attorney with the Honors Program of the Department of Justice.

• 2011 Co-Author: “Avoiding Pitfalls of Waiving Privilege, Creating Discoverable Evidence and Other Technological Liabilities: An Attorney/ Client Checklist,” Article for National Employment Lawyers Association 2011 Annual Convention
• 2010 Co-Editor In-Chief: "Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets in Employment Law: An International Survey," Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
• 2010 Co-Author: "Employees' Privacy Rights in the Digital Age," Article in New York Law Journal, April 2010
• 2009 Co-Author: "Executive Employment Agreements," Executive Compensation Library Executive & Director Compensation Reference Guide by the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
• 2009 Co-Author: "Changing Economy Impacts Executive Pay," Pension & Benefits Daily by the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
• 2009 Author: "Negotiating and Drafting Expatriate Employment Agreements," International Labor & Employment Law, 3rd Ed., Vol. 1B by Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
• 2009 Author: "Multiple Issues in Corporate Raiding of Employees," New York Law Journal

Awards

• Ford Foundation Fellowship in International Law o Alexander Fellow o Emmy Award

Press (Abbreviated List)

• Author: Wendi S. Lazar, Lessons from Conan, THE FINANCIAL MANAGER, May/June 2010, at 12-14.
• Quoted: Emma Jacobs, Lessons from the Litigants, FINANCIAL TIMES, March 31, 2010, at 14.
• Quoted: Amy Engeler, Older And Out!, MORE, Nov. 2008, at 104, 105, 171.