Joan is a Partner whose practice focuses on representation of management in employment litigation and complex commercial litigation. Joan enjoys a distinguished reputation for successfully representing employers in employment litigation and notable experience in employment practices counseling. Her practice also includes insurance coverage disputes and professional liability defense. Practicing law since 1987, Joan has obtained extensive pre-trial, trial, and appellate experience in both individual and class actions in federal and state courts throughout the country. She has been admitted on a pro hac vice basis in numerous state courts throughout the country and often manages complex litigation on a national basis.
Joan is a frequent lecturer for various organizations and clients including the Practicing Law Institute; Tillinghast Towers Perrin; The Professional Liability Underwriting Society; and The New York State Trial Lawyers Association. Joan participated in a panel presentation for human resource professionals on the topic "Mitigating Organizational Risk through Effective Employee Investigation Strategies"; Society for Human Resource Management; Garden State Council on October 25, 2011
Joan is also a frequent author of articles and recently published Pre-Trial Motions and Trial Strategy from the Defendant’s Perspective for the New York County Bar Association and the Practicing Law Institute. She has authored numerous articles on employment issues, such as the “same-actor” defense and attorneys’ fees in Title VII actions, as well as topics of interest to the defense bar and employers, such as amendments to the professional malpractice statute of limitation, which have appeared in the International Insurance Law Review (9 Int. L.R. 1996) and the New York Law Journal (Oct. 29, 1998; Aug. 27, 1997; Oct. 30 1996).
Joan has been featured in the "And The Defense Wins" section of The Voice, DRI's weekly eNewsletter:
Joan was named by New York Super Lawyers as one of the top attorneys in employment law in the greater Metropolitan New York area for 2009 and 2010. Only five percent of the lawyers in the state are named by Super Lawyers.
Practice Areas
Commercial Litigation
Employment Practices Litigation
Insurance Coverage Litigation
Cyber Liability
Education
Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1987
Barnard College, Columbia University, B.A., 1981
Bar and Court Admissions
New York
Connecticut
U.S. District Courts – Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of New York, District of Connecticut
Other Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association, Sections of Labor and Employment Law and Litigation
Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Directors & Officers Sub-Committee, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
Notable Cases
Burkybile v. Hastings, 411 F.3d 306 (2d Cir. 2005), cert denied, 126 S.Ct. 801, 163 L.Ed.2d 628 (2005); Back v. Hastings, 161 Fed. Appx. 96, 2005 WL 3557285 (2d Cir. 2005); EEOC v Rappaport, 273 F. Supp.2d 260 (E.D.N.Y. 2003); Duviella v Counseling Service, 2001 U.S. Dist. Lexis 22538 (E.D.N.Y. 2001); Wolde Meskel v. Argus Community, 2001 U.S. Dist. Lexis 11261 (S.D.N.Y. 2001); Rodriquez v. Graham-Windham, 2001 U.S. Dist. Lexis 362 (S.D.N.Y. 2001); Salvatore v. KLM, 81 Fair Empl. Prac. Case (BNF 873) (S.D.N.Y. 1999).