Outten & Golden LLP, a preeminent employee rights law firm, is pleased to announce the addition of seven new associates to its growing practice of representing employees in all areas of employment law, including in individual, class action, and WARN Act claims.
Deirdre Aaron, a 2010 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, is a member of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group, representing employees in discrimination and wage and hour litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Aaron worked as a Staff Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Sally J. Abrahamson, a 2009 graduate of American University’s Washington College of Law, is a member of the firm’s Class Action Practice Group, representing employees in discrimination and wage and hour litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Abrahamson litigated collective action and individual wage and hour cases at the D.C. Employment Justice Center, where she won two bench trials. After graduating from law school, Ms. Abrahamson was a law clerk to the Honorable Frank Montalvo, U.S. District Judge in the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division.
Jessie R. Cardinale, a 2011 graduate of Albany Law School, is a member of the firm’s Executives and Professionals Practice Group. Prior to joining the firm, she was previously an associate at the New York office of Baker & McKenzie, LLP, where she advised publicly and privately held entities on mergers and acquisitions, as well as legal matters related to U.S. securities and private equity.
Shirley Lin, a 2010 graduate of City University of New York School of Law, is a member of the Discrimination and Retaliation Practice Group. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Lin completed a Skadden Fellowship with the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund, where she represented low-wage Asian immigrant workers and labor trafficking survivors in connection with wage-and-hour, discrimination, retaliation, and civil trafficking claims. Prior to that, Ms. Lin clerked for the Honorable Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2010 to 2011.
Michael N. Litrownik, a 2010 graduate of Washington University School of Law, and a member of the Class Action Practice Group, represents employees and workers in class actions asserting wage and hour, discrimination, and other claims. Before joining the firm, Mike represented consumers, workers, and victims of police misconduct in individual and class action litigation at Bromberg Law Office, P.C.
Christopher McNerney, a 2012 graduate of New York University School of Law, represents employees in litigation and negotiation in all areas of employment law. In addition, as the recipient of O&G’s NYU Public Interest Fellowship, he also serves on the Firm’s Public Interest Committee, helping to oversee O&G’s commitment to pro bono representation of low-income clients who otherwise could not afford lawyers for their employment-related claims. Prior to joining Outten & Golden, Mr. McNerney clerked for the Honorable Sarah Netburn in the Southern District of New York.
Melissa Stewart, a 2009 graduate of Fordham University School of Law, is a member of the Class Action Practice Group. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Stewart was an associate at Woodley & McGillivary, where she litigated multi-plaintiff class and collective actions against private and public sector employers, and represented labor unions in a wide range of labor-management relations matters. After law school, Ms. Stewart was a law clerk to the Honorable James Orenstein in the Eastern District of New York, and the Honorable Dickinson R. Debevoise in the District of New Jersey.
“We are delighted to be joined by these talented lawyers,” said Wayne N. Outten, the firm’s managing partner. The experience and capabilities of these seven associates will contribute to the firm’s ability to advocate effectively for the rights of employees in individual transactions, employment claims, and litigations and in class and collective actions.
Outten & Golden LLP focuses on advising and representing individuals in employment, partnership, and related workplace matters both domestically and internationally. The firm counsels individuals on employment and severance agreements; handles complex compensation and benefits issues (including bonuses, commissions, and stock/ option agreements); and advises professionals (including doctors and lawyers) on contractual issues. It also represents employees with a wide variety of claims, including discrimination and harassment based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, disability, national origin, religion, and age, as well as retaliation, whistleblower, and contract claims. The firm handles class actions involving a wide range of employment issues, including economic exploitation, gender- and race-based discrimination, wage-and-hour violations, violations of the WARN Act, and other systemic workers’ rights issues.
Outten & Golden has eleven practice groups: Employee Benefits, Executives & Professionals, Financial Services, Sexual Harassment & Sex Discrimination, Family Responsibilities & Disabilities Discrimination, Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender Workplace Rights, Discrimination & Retaliation, Whistleblower Retaliation, Class & Collective Actions, WARN Act, and Appellate Litigation.
Outten & Golden has offices in New York, New York, Chicago, Illinois, and San Francisco, California
For media inquiries, contact Managing Partner Wayne N. Outten at (212) 245-1000.