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Cynthia N. Sass has been practicing law in Florida over 35 years. She formed the Sass Law Firm in 1993 to exclusively focus on representing public and private sector employees in employment disputes. The mission of her firm is to provide the client with an honest assessment of each case, ensure each client is educated on the options and remedies available to them through the law, and strategize with the client to accomplish his or her goals. In doing so, her firm takes an individual approach to each case, advising clients as to the potential results, costs of litigation and other means of resolving their employee disputes. In order to provide her clients with the best service, Ms. Sass makes it a priority to keep current on the trends affecting employee rights, changes in rules and agency positions, and the most recent applicable case law.

Cynthia is often asked to write or speak on employment law-related topics, especially those related to representing employees. She is the current Editor-in-Chief for the national treatise, Employment at Will, A State-by-State Survey, published by the American Bar Association and Bloomberg. Starting in 2011, Cynthia served as the treatise’s Southeast Regional Editor, while co-authoring the Florida chapter and its annual supplements. Ms. Sass authored a chapter on Discovery and Deposing the Alleged Harasser and Defense Witnesses: The Plaintiff’s Perspective, for the TIPS book Sexual Harassment and Retaliation: A Practical Handbook for Plaintiff and Defense published by the American Bar Association in 2019. She was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court and served on the Standard Jury Instructions Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee of The Florida Bar. During her time on that committee, she was Chair of the Spoliation Subcommittee and a member of the Employment Subcommittee, as well as the Negligence Subcommittee. These committees were responsible for drafting the standard state jury instructions on spoliation, private-sector whistleblowing and the Florida Civil Rights Act. Cynthia Sass is also a successful litigator, with published opinions. Ms. Sass holds various national and regional leadership positions, along with committee appointments, and is an active Federal Mediator/Florida Supreme Court Mediator Circuit Civil.

Sass Law Firm has been nationally recognized as a Best Law Firm in Employment Law for Individuals in Tampa by U.S. News & World Report since 2011. Cynthia Sass has been honored by various local, state and national independent sources including being AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and listed by The Best Lawyers in America® in Employment Law – Individuals since 2007, and named its Attorney of the Year in 2017 in that category for Tampa. Cynthia has also been recognized by Super Lawyers® in Employment Law since 2006, and has made the Super Lawyers® Top 50 Women in Florida list as published by Thomson Reuters. In addition, she has been recognized by Tampa Magazine as a Top Lawyer in Labor and Employment in the Tampa Bay Area. Ms. Sass is honored to be a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment and Civil Rights Lawyers as listed by Lawdragon. The various honors she has received accurately reflect Cynthia’s reputation as an attorney, dedication to assisting her clients and high ethical values.

For a full list of Cynthia’s awards, publications, speaking engagements and associations, check out her profile at https://www.employmentlawtampa.com/attorneys/cynthia-n-sass/

Contact & Links
Location
  • 601 West Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
    Tampa, FL 33603
Languages
  • English
Education
  • University of Richmond, Juris Doctor, graduated 1987
  • Smith College, Bachelor of Arts, graduated 1984
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, The Florida Bar
Affiliations
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, - Board of Governors Officer – 2024
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Board of Governors Member – 2021-present
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – Technology Subcommittee, Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2021-present
  • The Florida Bar - Executive Council Member – Labor and Employment Law Section, 1998-present
  • American Bar Association - Committee Member – Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2009-present
  • American Bar Association - Committee Member – Employment-at-Will Subcommittee, Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2009-present
  • American Bar Association - Committee Member – Technology Subcommittee, Employment Rights & Responsibilities Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2009-2014, 2018-present
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Fellow – 2011-present
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – Pro Bono and Community Outreach Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2021-2022
  • Tampa Museum of Art - Committee Member – Lawyers for the Arts Committee, 2019-2022
  • American Bar Association - Emeritus Employee Co-Chair – 14th Annual Section Conference Planning Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2019-2020
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Committee Member – Annual 11th Circuit Regional Program Planning Committee, 2019-2020
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – 13th Annual Section Conference Planning Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2018-2019
  • The Florida Bar - Co-Chair – ABA Liaison Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, 2016-2019
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Co-Chair – Labor and Employment Section, 2016-2019
  • American Bar Association - Employee Vice Chair – 12th Annual Section Conference Planning Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2017-2018
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – Webinar Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2016-2018
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Executive Board Member – Trial & Litigation Section, 2010-2016
  • The Florida Bar - Florida Supreme Court Appointee – Standard Jury Instruction Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee, 2010-2015
  • The Florida Bar - Chair – Spoliation Subcommittee, Standard Jury Instruction Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee, Florida Supreme Court Appointee, 2010-2015
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Member – Labor and Employment Section
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Member – Trial & Litigation Section
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - Member – Florida Chapter
  • Federal Bar Association - Member
  • The Florida Bar - Member – Trial Lawyers Section
  • American Bar Association - Member – Section of Labor and Employment Law
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - Member
  • The Florida Bar - Member – Labor and Employment Law Section
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - President-Elect – Florida Chapter, 1998-1999
  • The Florida Bar - Co-Chair – Individual Rights Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, 1999
  • National Employment Lawyers Association - President – Florida Chapter, 1999-2000
  • The Florida Bar - Co-Chair – Judicial Education Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, 2002-2003
  • The Florida Bar - CLE Chair – Labor and Employment Law Section, 2003-2004
  • The Florida Bar - Legal Education Chair – Labor and Employment Law Section, 2004-2005
  • The Florida Bar - Chair-Elect – Labor and Employment Law Section, 2005-2006
  • The Florida Bar - Chair – Labor and Employment Law Section, 2006-2007
  • The Florida Bar - Committee Member – Negligence Subcommittee, Standard Jury Instruction Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee, Florida Supreme Court Appointee, 2011
  • American Bar Association - Participant – Leadership Development Program, Section of Labor and Employment Law Section, 2009-2012
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – Technology in the Practice & Workplace Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2009-2012
  • The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers - Co-Chair – Annual 11th Circuit Regional Program Planning Committee, 2013-2014
  • American Bar Association - Employee Co-Chair – National Programs Committee, Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2014-2016
  • The Florida Bar - Committee Member – Employment Subcommittee, Standard Jury Instruction Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee, Florida Supreme Court Appointee, 2010-2015
  • The Florida Bar - Chair – Spoliation Subcommittee, Standard Jury Instruction Committee – Civil Cases, a Special Committee, Florida Supreme Court Appointee, 2010-2015
Court Admissions
  • The Florida Bar (since 1987)
  • Florida Supreme Court (since 1987)
  • Florida District Courts of Appeal (since 1987)
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida (since 1988)
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (since 1991)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (since 2005)
  • Supreme Court of the United States (since 2006)

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Employment Law - Individuals
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Employment Law - Individuals, Tampa (2017)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Employment Law - Individuals
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
  • Employment
  • Individuals
  • Plaintiffs
Awards:
  • Outstanding Contributor – Bloomberg Law, 2024

  • Best Law Firms™ in Employment Law for Individuals – U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers®, 2011-present

  • Best Lawyers® in Litigation – Labor and Employment – The Best Lawyers in America®

  • Best Lawyers Employment Law – Individuals – The Best Lawyers in America® (2007-present)
  • Florida Super Lawyers® in Employment Law – Thomson Reuters (2006-present)
  • AV Preeminent Peer Rated – Martindale-Hubbell (2005-present)
  • Top Attorney Employment – Superb 10.0 Rating, Avvo (2006-present)
  • The Bar Register of Pre-eminent Women Lawyers – Martindale-Hubbell (2011-present)
  • Top 50 Women in Florida – Florida Super Lawyers®, Thomson Reuters (2008-2014, 2016-2017, 2020-present)
  • The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Law Firm – Martindale-Hubbell, 2005-present

  • 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Lawyers – Lawdragon (2019-present)
  • Top 50 Tampa Bay Attorneys – Florida Super Lawyers®, Thomson Reuters (2014, 2021-present)
  • Top Lawyers – Voted #1 by Peers listed in Tampa Magazine (2017-present)
  • Top 3 Employment Lawyers in Tampa – ThreeBest Rated (since 2016)
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyers – The National Trial Lawyers (2014-present)
  • Who’s Who in American Law– Marquis Who’s Who® (2009-present)
  • Lead Counsel Verified in Employment Law – Thomson Reuters, 2020-present

  • Legal Elite in Labor and Employment Law – Florida Trend (2005-2012, 2014-2016, 2018, 2022)
  • Appreciation Award – Co-Chairing Labor & Employment Section, Hillsborough County Bar Association from 2016 – 2019, awarded in 2022 (delay due to COVID-19)

  • Women in the Law – Labor and Employment – Best Lawyers®, Business Edition (April 2019)
  • Lawyer of the Year • Employment Law • Tampa – The Best Lawyers in America® (2017)
  • Clients’ Choice – Avvo, 2015-2017

  • Client Champion Silver – Martindale-Hubbell, 2017, 2021

  • Outstanding Service Award, as Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section, The Florida Bar (2006-2007)
  • Outstanding Faculty Member, Employment Law Trial Skills Program – Stetson University College of Law (2001)
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Labor Law - Management

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