Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2017 
Claudia Reis Understands the Law and the People Behind Affected By It
For over twenty-five years, Claudia Reis has represented employees across New Jersey in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination claims. But what sets her apart isn't just her command of employment law — it's her understanding of what's really at stake for the people she represents.
Work is more than a paycheck. It's a source of identity, pride, and self-worth. When that's stripped away through unlawful treatment, the damage runs far deeper than lost wages — it touches confidence, reputation, and a person's sense of who they are. Claudia has built her career on recognizing that reality and translating it into arguments that resonate with opposing counsel, judges, and juries alike. That combination of legal precision paired with genuine insight into human motivation is what separates an effective employment lawyer from an exceptional one.
Thousands of Clients, Back on Their Feet
Claudia treats every case as personal, because it is. She takes the time to understand who her clients were before an unlawful act upended their careers, who they are now, and what outcome will actually make them whole regardless of path such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or trial. That approach has helped thousands of New Jersey employees rebuild their careers, their reputations, and their financial security. And each resolved case does more than help one client; it raises the cost of unlawful conduct for employers, making workplaces better for everyone who comes after.
An Insider's View of Employer Strategy
Claudia's edge comes from experience most plaintiffs' attorneys don't have: she spent years at one of New Jersey’s largest regional law firms largely representing employers as well as at one of the nation's largest employment defense firms, learning firsthand how employers build their defenses, how they minimize damaging evidence, dismantle plaintiffs' claims, and justify terminations after the fact. She now uses that insider knowledge exclusively on behalf of employees, anticipating defense strategies before they're deployed and dismantling them in turn.
Recognized by Her Peers
Claudia's record speaks for itself. She is often nominated by her peers, colleagues, and adversaries for recognition and awards in the field of employment law. She is also a leader in the employment law community. She is Past President of the National Employment Lawyers Association/New Jersey (NELA-NJ), having previously served as its Secretary, Acting Treasurer, and a Board Member. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Labor & Employment Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association as well as a member of the New Jersey Association for Justice (NJAJ). She is a Board Member of and Gala Co-Chair for the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA) as well as a member of Woman Owned Law.
A Voice in the Field
Claudia is a sought-after speaker and author on employment law, contributing to programs and publications for the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the National Employment Lawyers Association/New Jersey, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America–New Jersey, the New Jersey Labor and Employment Law Quarterly, and numerous county bar and employment defense groups. She has also entered an appearance as amicus curiae in groundbreaking employment decisions including Quinlan v. Curtiss-Wright Corp., 204 N.J. 239 (2010) and Cutler v. Dorn, 196 N.J. 419 (2009).
