Employment Law - Management Litigation - Labor and Employment
William J. "Will" Anthony
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
William J. Anthony is a strategic advisor to employers on complex employment law issues and litigation matters. His thoughtful, practical and legal approach to creatively addressing his clients' needs makes him a valuable resource to them. Will focuses his labor and employment practice on class, collective, and multiparty actions, including a broad spectrum of federal and state law wage and hour claims. He has successfully defended against actions alleging misclassification of independent contractors, misclassification of employees, off-the-clock work, failure to properly calculate the regular rate of pay, and similar claims. He also has defended class claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and discrimination statutes. In addition, Will represents organizations in single plaintiff cases alleging discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and breach of contract.
Will has litigated cases in over fifteen states and has trial experience in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Montana. His trial experience includes defense of class, collective and single plaintiff actions before juries, judges, and arbitrators.
Will has extensive experience advising clients on the full range of employment law issues and provides training on management skills, discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour laws. He is a frequent speaker on employment law topics in front of a broad range of live and remote audiences.
Mr. Anthony was named one of the “Leaders in their Field” in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Chambers USA Legal Guide. He was also given the Hartford Business Journal’s Leadership in Diversity Award in 2010. In both 2006 and 2007, Mr. Anthony was designated a “Connecticut Super Lawyer,” and in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 and 2012 he was named a “New England Super Lawyer.”Mr. Anthony is a Past President of the Connecticut Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity. He is a member of the State Bars of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Mr. Anthony is also an inactive member of the State Bar of California (inactive).
Mr. Anthony graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1989.
Overview
- Boston University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1989
- Hamilton College, BA, graduated 1985
- New York, New York State Bar Association
- Connecticut, Connecticut Bar Association
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association - Member
- New York, New York State Bar Association
- Connecticut, Connecticut Bar Association
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association - Member
- Boston University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1989
- Hamilton College, BA, graduated 1985
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Employment Law - Management, Albany (2019)
- Litigation - Labor and Employment, Albany (2018)
- Employment Law - Management, Albany (2017)
- Employment Law - Management, Albany (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Employment Law - Management
- Litigation - Labor and Employment
Special Focus:
- COVID-19
Awards:
- Selected for inclusion in 2010 Connecticut Super Lawyers
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Class and Collective Action Experience
Mr. Anthony has handled numerous class and collective actions including wage and hour claims alleging claims for improper payment of bonuses, misclassification of customer service employees, dispatchers, assistant retail managers, time share resort salespeople, pharmaceutical sales representatives and installation technicians and failure to pay minimum wage to tipped employees.
- Class and Collective Action Experience Examples
- Defeated Rule 23 class certification motion for class of mortgage underwriters in U.S.D.C. for District of Connecticut.
- Defeated conditional certification of a nationwide class of pharmaceutical sales representatives in U.S.D.C. for the District of Miami.
- Defeated conditional certification of a nationwide class of pharmaceutical sales representatives and obtained summary judgment against the plaintiff for breach of contract which included a class action waiver in U.S.D.C. for the Northern District of Illinois.
- In another national pharmaceutical sales representative case, compelled transfer of a collective action based on a forum selection clause to a Circuit which previously ruled on two occasions that such representatives are administratively exempt.
- Obtained court ordered dismissal of a nationwide class claim alleging wrongful withholding of wages pursuant to the company’s bonus plan based on the differences in various state laws as to when or if a bonus constitutes a “wage” within the meaning of the law;
- Part 2
- Secured voluntary withdrawal of a class claim for violation of the OWBPA’s provisions regarding group releases after deposition of the plaintiff demonstrated incompatibility between the interests of the named plaintiff and the class members’ interests;
- Defeated class certification in two cases related to tipped employees on the basis that the Rule 23 standards were not met and individual interests predominated;
- Obtained extremely favorable resolution of nationwide misclassification claim related to assistant retail managers after conditional certification was granted;
- Obtained dismissal of various state law claims from a nationwide FLSA collective action;
- Obtained voluntary withdrawal of nationwide collective action to include individuals residing only in the state where the case was venued after early and aggressive communications with plaintiffs’ counsel.
- Litigation Experience
Mr. Anthony has been defending employment claims for more than twenty years in a number of federal and state courts around the country. He has helped clients obtain many dismissals and favorable results during that time. Mr. Anthony has trial experience in several states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Montana. He has tried cases involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, failure to pay wages and a variety of other statutory and common law issues.
- Employment Law Counseling and Training
Mr. Anthony advises clients on the full range of employment law issues and provides training on management skills, discrimination, harassment, wage/hour and disabilities management issues.
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