Best Lawyers in Connecticut, United States for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Cities
Johanna Zelman’s unique background in health and mental care and in school law results in highly competent, in-depth and knowledgeable advice and representation for her clients. While she has represented a wide variety of private and public sector employers from various industries, Johanna has a specific strength and hands-on experience in the health and mental health fields. Prior to her legal career, she worked for Harvard University’s affiliate hospitals, where she had direct c...
Attorney Paul Testa is a Partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group. He has practiced labor and employment law in Connecticut since 2007. He advises both public and private sector employers on an array of personnel, labor, and employment matters. Attorney Testa counsels management in preventative employment and labor matters as well as litigation of claims on all aspects of employment relationships. He has experience representing employers in state and federal courts an...
Stuart M. Katz is a principal of Cohen and Wolf and Chair of the firm's Litigation Group. He is also a member of the firm's Employment & Labor and Physicians' Practices Groups. Mr. Katz is highlighted in Chambers USA (2017) for the "superb quality of his counsel and representation." He represents employers of all sizes in defending discrimination and harassment suits and litigating restrictive covenant, breach of contract, business tort and wage claims. Mr. Katz also represents profession...
David R. Golder is a principal in the Hartford, Connecticut, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He is co-leader of the Class Actions and Complex Litigation practice group. David has extensive experience handling class and complex litigation, including nationwide, high-stakes wage and hour disputes. David defends employers in class-based, multi-plaintiff, and multi-district wage and hour class and collective actions involving claims for employee misclassification, improper payment of wages, off-the-...
Christopher M. Hodgson is a Senior Partner in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. He has practiced labor and employment law in Connecticut since 1985. Chris is rated as AV by his peers in Martindale-Hubbell, its highest designation, and has been included in Best Lawyers in America since 2010, New England Super Lawyers since 2008, and Connecticut Super Lawyers since 2007. He is a graduate of Choate-Rosemary Hall, the University of Vermont, and the University of Richmond Schoo...
Mr. McHale represents public and private employers and non-profit organizations in all aspects of labor relations and employment law, including union representation elections, collective bargaining, contract administration, personnel policies and practices, wage and hour disputes, equal employment opportunity, employment litigation, occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation and related matters. His practice includes representation of employers in federal...
For nearly three decades, the emphasis of Mr. Escalera’s practice has been labor and employment law and litigation. Initially, Mr. Escalera served with the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps for nine years where he engaged in extensive criminal and civil litigation. Mr. Escalera was last stationed at the Pentagon where he acted as lead counsel for the Army Litigation Division defending the Department of the Army in employment discrimination suits brought by civilian employees in ...
Russell N. Jarem is of counsel in the Orange County, California, and the Hartford, Connecticut, offices of Jackson Lewis P.C. His practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling. Russell regularly advises and represents employers in a broad range of employment law matters, including litigation under state and federal anti-discrimination statutes in a variety of forums, including state and federal courts, the Department of Labor, ...
Sara Bigman is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law - Employee, Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Sara practices law in Bridgeport, Connecticut Best Lawyers has recognized Sara Bigman since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects ...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
