Shira Gelfand

Associate

My Legal Practice

I help individual clients facing issues like discrimination, retaliation, or unfair pay in the workplace. I also work on class action suits against employers whose policies result in women and people of color being underpaid.

I bring an attentive and creative ear to every client conversation. Often, clients approach me with a general complaint, but through careful listening and questioning, I uncover deeper legal issues and additional avenues for pursuing justice.

In every case, my goal is to empower my clients with a full understanding of their leverage—so we can pursue the best outcome together and demand accountability for unlawful treatment.

Notable Matters

Member of the trial team that won a $1.15 million federal court victory for a Google Cloud executive who was subject to discrimination and retaliation.
Secured a $26 million pay equity settlement for female, Black, and Hispanic employees of Mastercard.

Credentials

B.A., Binghamton University
J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Admitted to practice law in New York
Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
Member, New York City Bar Association
Member of the National Moot Court Competition (New Lawyers Council) (2022 – 2024)
Member of Law360’s Employment Authority Discrimination Editorial Board (2024-2025)

My Story

I’ve always been interested in social justice for two intertwined reasons. First, I was raised with a strong sense of responsibility to bring good into the world – to help those less fortunate and fight for the underdog. Second, I’ve often seen how women are held to different standards, which sparked my desire to work on gender-related issues.

After getting my law degree, I was attracted to employment law because it allows me to fight for fairness for women – and for everyone – by holding companies accountable for unlawful conduct. It’s a form of civil rights work with a uniquely powerful impact, since a person’s job touches nearly every part of their life: identity, community, and financial security.

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