Best Lawyers in Connecticut, United States for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Joshua A. Hawks-Ladds is chair of the firm’s Labor, Employment Law and Employee Benefits Department. His practice includes counseling on and litigating business, construction, labor and employment and civil rights matters and municipal law. Attorney Hawks-Ladds has tried cases in numerous state and federal courts, argued before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the Connecticut Supreme and Appellate courts and litigates extensively before administrative tribunals. Attorney Hawks-La...

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...

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 ...

Jonathan B. Orleans, chair of the Labor & Employment Law practice, has over 30 years of experience as a litigator and counselor in a broad range of matters, particularly relating to the employer-employee relationship. He represents businesses and individuals in disputes arising out of employment contracts, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and other commercial agreements. Jon litigates cases arising under federal and state statutes governing employment, advises businesses o...

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...

Tanya A. Bovée is a principal in the Hartford, Connecticut, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Tanya represents employers in a wide range of issues related to employment law, bringing a practical approach that is focused on achieving clients’ goals and based on almost 20 years of employment law experience. Tanya advises employers in a wide range of industries, including life sciences, retail, automotive, manufacturing, and hospitalit...

Kurosh L. Marjani is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Kurosh L., who practices law in Stamford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kurosh L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Patricia E. Reilly represents clients in a range of employment law matters, with an emphasis on the litigation of employment discrimination and related torts; wage and hour issues; and trade secrets, restrictive covenants, and unfair trade practices disputes. She appears in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the Connecticut Department of Labor, and the Connecticut Commission on Human Righ...

A graduate of Harvard and Yale, and a four-time Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for employment law, Josh Goodbaum represents Connecticut employees and other civil rights plaintiffs in litigation and negotiation. Josh’s experience as a Connecticut employment lawyer who represents employees runs the gamut, from discrimination (on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, pregnancy, or national origin) and sexual harassment, to wro...

Mike Spagnola focuses his practice on solving difficult and complicated labor and employment problems for management clients. Mike represents employers exclusively in connection with all aspects of labor and employment law, and in particular, litigation and preventive counsel. He has appeared on behalf of clients in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies, for cases relating to discrimination, retaliation, harassment, whistleblowing, wrongful discharge, wage and hour law, ...

Employment attorney Todd Steigman, a partner at Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau, represents employees whose workplace rights have been violated. In particular, he has extensive experience representing whistleblowers and employees who have opposed or exposed wrongdoing in the workplace. He has represented clients who were subjected to retaliation for exercising their right to speak on matters of public concern in violation of the First Amendment and the free speech provisions of the Connectic...

Megan Youngling Carannante is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Construction and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Megan Youngling, who practices law in Hartford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Megan Youngling is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mr. McQuade represents and counsels private and public employers with respect to a wide-range of employment, civil rights and business issues. Mr. McQuade has extensive experience in defending employers, municipal entities and government officials in state and federal court and in administrative tribunals, against a variety of employment law claims, including civil rights claims, First and Fourteenth Amendment claims, race discrimination claims, disability discrimination claims, age discrimin...

Margaret (Peggy) J. Strange is a Shareholder in the Hartford office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She also manages client relationships including litigation for clients on a national or regional basis. Ms. Strange joined Jackson Lewis in 1996. She has experience in all areas of litigation. Her practice covers the spectrum of employment litigation, including both state and federal claims, and individual and class action suits. Her experience includes both suits by private parties and by the Equal Empl...

John G. Stretton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. John G., who practices law in Stamford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.