The Employment Law & HR Summit: New York
The Employment Law & HR Summit
New York | September 17, 2025
New York remains one of the most dynamic and complex legal environments for employers in the nation. At the Employment Law & HR Summit: New York, senior in-house legal and HR leaders will come together for a full day of practical guidance, strategic insight, and peer-to-peer learning focused on the state’s rapidly evolving workplace laws and compliance requirements.
This summit is built to equip employers with the tools and strategies they need to stay compliant, mitigate legal risk, and lead confidently in 2025 and beyond.
The program will address New York’s most urgent employment law and HR challenges—from ensuring compliance with pay transparency and equity mandates, to minimizing wrongful termination and retaliation claims, and supporting mental health in the workplace. Attendees will explore how to manage overlapping leave laws, implement effective employee training policies, and navigate legal and ethical concerns surrounding automated hiring tools under NYC’s AI bias audit law.
Designed for General Counsel, HR Leaders, Employment Counsel, Corporate Legal Executives, and Senior HR Professionals, this summit offers exclusive access to expert legal perspectives, compliance guidance, and real-world strategies. It’s a vital opportunity to benchmark with peers, stay ahead of policy shifts, and shape workplace strategies that are compliant, equitable, and built for the future.
* 3.5 HRS NY CLE [Pending Approval]
- Navigating Leave Laws: Coordination and Compliance in NY
- Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation: Complying with NY’s Expansive Protections
- Pay Transparency & Pay Equity in New York: Building Trust While Minimizing Risk
- Wrongful Termination & Retaliation Risks: What Employers Must Know
- Automated Hiring Tools: Legal and Ethical Risks
- Training Mandates & Best Practices in Workplace Education
- Non-Competes, Restrictive Covenants, and Trade Secrets: Navigating the Legal Frontier
- Chief Legal Officer
- CHRO
- C-Suite Executives
- SVP Human Resources + Legal
- General Counsel
- Associate + Assistant General Counsel
- VP, Human Resources + Legal
- HR Director
- Senior Employment Counsel
- Corporate Counsel
- Counsel
Agenda
One-to-One Meetings begin. If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
With overlapping entitlements under NY Paid Family Leave, paid sick leave, FMLA, and ADA accommodations, employers face a growing challenge in leave administration. Add mental health-related absences, remote work complications, and evolving manager expectations, and the risk of noncompliance escalates quickly. Legal and HR leaders must ensure consistent, compassionate, and lawful approaches to handling leave—before a misstep turns into a lawsuit. This session will offer clear strategies to streamline coordination and stay compliant.
This panel will explore:
- How to effectively coordinate NY Paid Family Leave, FMLA, and city sick leave laws
- Legal obligations around leave for mental health and stress-related conditions
- Common pitfalls in managing intermittent leave and how to avoid them
- Training strategies for frontline managers navigating sensitive leave conversations
Madison Hart-Susser is the Manager of People Operations at RapidSOS. She leads the People Team and manages cross-functional initiatives focused on performance management, compensation, organizational development, and employee experience. After earning her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University, Madison began her career supporting older adults through systems navigation and trauma-informed care. That foundation continues to shape her approach to people operations, centering empathy, equity, and communication. Prior to joining RapidSOS, Madison held roles in both nonprofit and tech organizations, where she built scalable people programs that balance employee needs with strategic business priorities. Madison draws on her multidisciplinary background to develop people strategies that are both operationally sound and deeply human.
New York State maintains some of the most employee-friendly anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws in the country. As remote and hybrid work environments complicate oversight and communication, retaliation claims have spiked—particularly from employees asserting rights related to disabilities, harassment, or workplace fairness. Employers must stay ahead of rapidly evolving legal interpretations and overlapping claims to reduce liability and preserve culture. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to strengthen internal protocols and stay ahead of legal pitfalls.
This panel will explore:
- How to manage rising retaliation claims in remote and hybrid settings under NYC/NYS Human Rights Laws
- Legal and HR best practices for handling complex complaints involving harassment, bullying, and disabilities
- Recent case law and liability trends employers need to learn from
- Proactive recordkeeping and response protocols to reduce legal exposure
Michael grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the son of a small businessman with an entrepreneurial spirit.
After graduating from The George Washington University with a degree in finance, Michael moved to
California to pursue a career in real estate. Michael later became an attorney and built a successful private
practice in Los Angeles as a corporate attorney, litigator and a transactional attorney. Michael is respected as a
thought-leader in the entertainment and media industries and has represented major television and film studios
as well as iconic individuals such as Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling. In June 2016, Michael and his family
relocated to the East Coast where he served as in-counsel at Complex Networks, a leading digital content
publisher. During his tenure at Complex, Michael oversaw all content, e-commerce, music and events business
and was integral to the global expansion of the Complex brand into Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, The
Philippines, The Netherlands, Africa, and Canada. Michael currently serves as General Counsel to Uproxx
Studios, a thought-leader in the music industry. Michael also serves as a consultant to global media companies
in Asia. Michael is known as a creative problem-solver and a valued strategist.
Nicholas Corsano focuses his practice on federal and state labor and employment litigation and counseling. Mr. Corsano advises and counsels clients on employment disputes involving Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FLSA, and related state/local statutes pertaining to wage and hour laws, discrimination, harassment and other employment regulations. He has experience handling single-plaintiff and class and collective actions brought through alternative dispute resolution programs, state and federal courts, and before administrative agencies. Mr. Corsano also counsels clients on complex employment agreements, helps implement tailored policies and procedures, and conducts trainings to promote a more inclusive workplace.
Mr. Corsano also has experience handling single-plaintiff and class action litigations concerning contested finance agreements, the FDCPA, the TCPA, insurance coverage claims, and other complex commercial disputes.
Tracy Udell is the Chief Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She is responsible for addressing and resolving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation concerns, and educating more than 3,000 employees across four states. As the first person to hold this role, Tracy built the Bank’s EEO program from the ground up – developing trusted processes, streamlining investigations, and creating innovative, engaging methods to connect with employees and foster a culture of respect and accountability. A practicing attorney for 20 years, Tracy previously served as Employment Law Counsel at the Bank for a decade, where she advised on a myriad of complex matters. She is committed to “pulling back the curtain” on EEO policy and procedures through relatable training and candid conversations that encourage employees at all levels to speak up.
Grace M. O’Donnell is a counsel in Akin’s New York office. She advises public and private companies and investment funds on a variety of labor and employment matters, including drafting handbooks and employee policies; conducting anti-harassment trainings; handling employment-related disputes in state court, federal court and arbitration; drafting employment-related documents, including employment agreements, offer letters and separation agreements; and implementing reductions in force. Grace also has experience handling complex internal workplace investigations and litigation involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and employee misconduct.
If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
New York’s Pay Transparency Law now mandates salary range disclosures in job postings, even for remote roles that could be performed in the state. With enforcement efforts ramping up in 2025, employers must not only comply with technical requirements but also address internal pay equity gaps that may come to light. In a labor market that demands fairness and openness, how organizations communicate compensation will directly affect retention, reputation, and risk. This panel unpacks how legal and HR teams can proactively align internal practices with external expectations.
This panel will explore:
- What the NY Pay Transparency Law requires for job postings and how enforcement is evolving
- How to conduct internal pay equity audits across race, gender, and disability categories
- Preparing for potential state audits and responding to employee or public inquiries
- Strategies for framing compensation conversations to build employee trust and reduce legal exposure
Maria represents employers in all areas of employment law. She defends companies in employment litigations, assists organizations with external and internal investigations, and provides strategic and practical advice on workplace legal issues, with a focus on pay equity matters and nationwide pay transparency law compliance.
As employers contend with layoffs, RTO policies, and growing concerns around “quiet firing,” wrongful termination and retaliation claims are on the rise across New York. Courts are closely scrutinizing how terminations are handled—particularly when tied to prior complaints, leave requests, or protected activities. Legal and HR teams must ensure that workforce decisions are not only business-driven but legally sound and sensitively executed. This session offers a timely look at evolving risks and how to mitigate them through documentation, training, and process integrity.
This panel will explore:
- Key elements of a compliant termination policy under NYS and NYC employment laws
- Managing risk when terminating employees following protected complaints or accommodations
- Best practices for conducting respectful, lawful offboarding conversations
- Recent NY case studies that highlight what to avoid—and what courts are flagging
Katie Dugan is the head of global labor & employment law at Match Group which is the global leader in online dating with brands including Match, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, The League, and more. Prior to Match, Katie had in-house roles at both Yext, Inc. and Mattel, Inc. At Yext, she led the global labor and employment function. At Mattel, she worked in various roles in the global employment, ethics & compliance function.
Before going in-house, Katie worked in litigation and advice & counsel roles in the employment law department at regional law firms as well as a boutique management-side labor and employment firm. She began her career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert Polifroni, P.J.Cv. in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
Sarah is a partner in Shipman’s Labor & Employment Practice Group and the Chair of Shipman’s Cannabis Team. Sarah takes a 360-degree, results-driven approach to client service, considering her clients’ budget, business values, risk appetite, reputation, and concerns for precedent-setting action. She regularly represents clients across all industries on a broad array of personnel matters, including accommodations and leaves of absence, complaints of discrimination and harassment, compensation, termination, and severance, with a focus on risk mitigation and optimizing business operations. She also has experience counseling organizations through state and federal investigations and conducting internal investigations into discrimination and harassment complaints. Beyond Sarah’s employment practice, she has a thriving cannabis practice, counseling businesses across all parts of the supply chain on licensing, compliance, and personnel matters.
Jeffrey A. Miller represents and advises clients in employment disputes of all types as Head of Employment Litigation at Golenbock. He also provides day-to-day counseling on best practices, including with respect to hiring, firing, workplace policies, investigations, employee discipline, restrictive covenants, accommodations, and worker classification.
Jeff’s experience includes trial and arbitration victories in employment and commercial cases. As a seasoned litigator, Jeff recognizes where missteps might lead to protracted legal action, so he brings to his engagements a commitment to managing risk and finding practical, efficient solutions to meet his clients’ needs. He strives to not only address problems but also prevent them, by counseling clients to achieve and maintain compliance in an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape.
Meghan Gorman Cohen is Of Counsel in the Executive Compensation & Benefits Practice Group at Benesch, where she advises employers on employment law and executive compensation matters. She brings a business-focused perspective shaped by her prior role as Senior Employment Counsel at Publicis Groupe, where she gained firsthand insight into how organizations balance legal risk with operational priorities. Meghan counsels in-house counsel, executives, and HR leaders on discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, restructurings, compliance, and workplace investigations. She also develops and delivers training for leadership teams on risk management, policy development, and fostering inclusive, compliant workplaces. Known for her practical, business-minded counsel, Meghan helps organizations make confident decisions in complex situations, delivering solutions that protect legal interests while advancing business objectives.
If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
J. Alexander Short, Esq., founder and managing member of Lehigh Valley Immigration Law LLC, established in January 2025, brings a wealth of experience and a reputation for steadfast advocacy to his immigration practice. Alex is committed to delivering tailored, results-driven legal services to individuals, families, and businesses navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration law. Known for his integrity, compassion, and unwavering dedication, Alex has become a trusted advisor to clients seeking solutions in even the most challenging immigration matters.
As companies increasingly rely on AI-driven tools to screen, hire, and promote candidates, scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and advocacy groups is intensifying. New York City’s Local Law 144 has led the charge by requiring bias audits and transparency for automated employment decision tools (AEDTs), but similar proposals are emerging in states like California, Illinois, and at the federal level. With compliance no longer optional, employers must implement robust oversight to ensure these tools are fair, lawful, and aligned with business goals. This session will help in-house legal and HR teams evaluate risk, manage vendors, and stay ahead of the regulatory curve.
This panel will explore:
- What NYC’s Local Law 144 requires—and how it signals future state and federal trends
- How to conduct and interpret bias audits to ensure legal defensibility and fairness
- Vendor management and audit obligations: what questions to ask and what red flags to watch for
- Strategies for embedding equity, transparency, and governance into AI hiring practices
Noga Rosenthal is a seasoned privacy and data ethics professional with a diverse background in the technology and advertising sectors. With over 15 years of experience, she has established herself as a global privacy compliance expert. Her knowledge extends to public policy work, where she has demonstrated a deep understanding of the interplay between data ethics and practical implications of proposed laws.
Throughout her career, Noga has successfully developed and managed global privacy programs for various technology corporations, including Xaxis, Epsilon and Ampersand. Her strategic leadership and operational skills have proven instrumental in ensuring these organizations maintain rigorous privacy standards. Noga has also served as the policy lead for an industry organization, helping to develop responsible data principles for over 100 technology members.
Noga firmly believes in the importance of safeguarding individuals’ privacy and has actively supported privacy legislation at the federal level with practical business implementation and operationalization. Her extensive involvement in managing government relations for technology companies has allowed her to effectively lobby for privacy legislation and critically review proposed privacy bills at both federal and state levels.
Noga’s dedication to privacy extends to her advisory role as a board member for Optimeyes, a privacy and security risk management tool. Her insights and expertise have helped shape the platform’s capabilities in identifying and mitigating privacy and securities risks for technology companies.
Noga Rosenthal is an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), where she has served on several committees. Her engagement in the privacy community demonstrates her commitment to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of industry developments.
New York’s training mandates continue to expand, with annual anti-harassment training remaining compulsory and NYC’s AI bias audit law requiring employers to rethink how hiring and promotion decisions are made—and taught. In an increasingly remote and tech-driven world, companies must modernize their training methods while maintaining legal rigor and meaningful outcomes. This discussion will spotlight how employers can meet regulatory standards and foster a learning culture that drives compliance, inclusion, and retention.
This panel will explore:
- Tactics for delivering engaging and legally compliant anti-harassment training across formats
- Integrating findings from AI bias audits into hiring, promotion, and manager training
- Using technology and e-learning platforms to scale and track workforce education
- Building documentation systems to demonstrate compliance and support defense in disputes
Katherin Nukk-Freeman is the Co-Founder and President of SHIFT HR Compliance Training, a leading provider of HR compliance and workplace culture training. A practicing attorney and founding partner of Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, she brings over 30 years of employment law expertise advising Fortune 500 companies on managing risk, avoiding litigation, and fostering accountability. A trusted advisor, speaker, and thought leader, Katherin developed SHIFT to revolutionize compliance training through empathy, storytelling, and legal precision – reframing required education into a lever for cultural transformation. Today, SHIFT’s legally rigorous, behavior-changing courses are trusted by organizations nationwide to meet mandates, reduce risk, and build workplaces rooted in respect and inclusion.
Non-competes and other restrictive covenants are under heightened legal scrutiny nationwide, with New York advancing legislation to significantly limit or ban their use. As federal proposals gain traction and enforcement landscapes shift, employers must balance compliance with the need to safeguard critical trade secrets and proprietary know-how, especially in an era of remote work and rapid employee movement. With traditional enforcement tools narrowing, organizations must adopt a proactive and creative approach: revisiting employment agreements, tightening internal protocols, and embedding risk mitigation into company culture. Panelists will share New York-focused strategies to protect business assets while staying agile in a competitive talent market. Expect insights on evolving case law, policy adjustments, and actionable compliance takeaways.
This Panel Will Discuss:
- How to adapt restrictive covenant strategies amid growing federal and New York state limitations
- Alternatives to non-competes: NDAs, non-solicits, and confidentiality agreements that withstand legal scrutiny
- Trade secret enforcement trends and post-employment litigation realities
- Best practices for minimizing risk during hiring, onboarding, and employee departures
Justin DiGennaro is Of Counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. Trusted by C-suite executives, boards of directors, and private investors, Justin serves as a thought partner to help them navigate their most complex employment challenges. He seamlessly integrates legal, HR, and PR considerations to achieve creative and commercially sound solutions.
Justin focuses on high-stakes employee mobility disputes, including matters related to non-competes, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality restrictions. His experience encompasses executive onboarding and departures, mass exoduses, workforce raids, client poaching, and trade secret misappropriation. He frequently represents employers in single-plaintiff and class action litigation relating to discrimination, harassment, whistleblower retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour disputes, and the WARN Act.
Jenny Bobbit is an associate in the New York office of Latham & Watkins. Jenny partners with corporate clients to navigate complex labor and employment challenges, providing strategic legal counsel that aligns with their business priorities. With a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach, Jenny helps employers anticipate and manage risks.
If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
Rotating, 20-minute discussions hosted by a topic expert
Roundtable 1: Wage & Hour Issues Impacting New York Employers
Hosted by: Kyle Winnick, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw, LLP
Roundtable 2: Training Mandates & Best Practices in Workplace Education
Hosted by: Katherin Nukk-Freeman, Co-Founder & President, SHIFT HR Compliance Training
Kyle focuses his practice on the nationwide representation of businesses in all facets of labor and employment law, with an emphasis on wage and hour matters and independent contractor status.
Katherin Nukk-Freeman is the Co-Founder and President of SHIFT HR Compliance Training, a leading provider of HR compliance and workplace culture training. A practicing attorney and founding partner of Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, she brings over 30 years of employment law expertise advising Fortune 500 companies on managing risk, avoiding litigation, and fostering accountability. A trusted advisor, speaker, and thought leader, Katherin developed SHIFT to revolutionize compliance training through empathy, storytelling, and legal precision – reframing required education into a lever for cultural transformation. Today, SHIFT’s legally rigorous, behavior-changing courses are trusted by organizations nationwide to meet mandates, reduce risk, and build workplaces rooted in respect and inclusion.
Speakers
Michael grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the son of a small businessman with an entrepreneurial spirit.
After graduating from The George Washington University with a degree in finance, Michael moved to
California to pursue a career in real estate. Michael later became an attorney and built a successful private
practice in Los Angeles as a corporate attorney, litigator and a transactional attorney. Michael is respected as a
thought-leader in the entertainment and media industries and has represented major television and film studios
as well as iconic individuals such as Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling. In June 2016, Michael and his family
relocated to the East Coast where he served as in-counsel at Complex Networks, a leading digital content
publisher. During his tenure at Complex, Michael oversaw all content, e-commerce, music and events business
and was integral to the global expansion of the Complex brand into Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, The
Philippines, The Netherlands, Africa, and Canada. Michael currently serves as General Counsel to Uproxx
Studios, a thought-leader in the music industry. Michael also serves as a consultant to global media companies
in Asia. Michael is known as a creative problem-solver and a valued strategist.
Katie Dugan is the head of global labor & employment law at Match Group which is the global leader in online dating with brands including Match, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, The League, and more. Prior to Match, Katie had in-house roles at both Yext, Inc. and Mattel, Inc. At Yext, she led the global labor and employment function. At Mattel, she worked in various roles in the global employment, ethics & compliance function.
Before going in-house, Katie worked in litigation and advice & counsel roles in the employment law department at regional law firms as well as a boutique management-side labor and employment firm. She began her career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert Polifroni, P.J.Cv. in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
Noga Rosenthal is a seasoned privacy and data ethics professional with a diverse background in the technology and advertising sectors. With over 15 years of experience, she has established herself as a global privacy compliance expert. Her knowledge extends to public policy work, where she has demonstrated a deep understanding of the interplay between data ethics and practical implications of proposed laws.
Throughout her career, Noga has successfully developed and managed global privacy programs for various technology corporations, including Xaxis, Epsilon and Ampersand. Her strategic leadership and operational skills have proven instrumental in ensuring these organizations maintain rigorous privacy standards. Noga has also served as the policy lead for an industry organization, helping to develop responsible data principles for over 100 technology members.
Noga firmly believes in the importance of safeguarding individuals’ privacy and has actively supported privacy legislation at the federal level with practical business implementation and operationalization. Her extensive involvement in managing government relations for technology companies has allowed her to effectively lobby for privacy legislation and critically review proposed privacy bills at both federal and state levels.
Noga’s dedication to privacy extends to her advisory role as a board member for Optimeyes, a privacy and security risk management tool. Her insights and expertise have helped shape the platform’s capabilities in identifying and mitigating privacy and securities risks for technology companies.
Noga Rosenthal is an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), where she has served on several committees. Her engagement in the privacy community demonstrates her commitment to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of industry developments.
Nicholas Corsano focuses his practice on federal and state labor and employment litigation and counseling. Mr. Corsano advises and counsels clients on employment disputes involving Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FLSA, and related state/local statutes pertaining to wage and hour laws, discrimination, harassment and other employment regulations. He has experience handling single-plaintiff and class and collective actions brought through alternative dispute resolution programs, state and federal courts, and before administrative agencies. Mr. Corsano also counsels clients on complex employment agreements, helps implement tailored policies and procedures, and conducts trainings to promote a more inclusive workplace.
Mr. Corsano also has experience handling single-plaintiff and class action litigations concerning contested finance agreements, the FDCPA, the TCPA, insurance coverage claims, and other complex commercial disputes.
Sarah is a partner in Shipman’s Labor & Employment Practice Group and the Chair of Shipman’s Cannabis Team. Sarah takes a 360-degree, results-driven approach to client service, considering her clients’ budget, business values, risk appetite, reputation, and concerns for precedent-setting action. She regularly represents clients across all industries on a broad array of personnel matters, including accommodations and leaves of absence, complaints of discrimination and harassment, compensation, termination, and severance, with a focus on risk mitigation and optimizing business operations. She also has experience counseling organizations through state and federal investigations and conducting internal investigations into discrimination and harassment complaints. Beyond Sarah’s employment practice, she has a thriving cannabis practice, counseling businesses across all parts of the supply chain on licensing, compliance, and personnel matters.
Maria represents employers in all areas of employment law. She defends companies in employment litigations, assists organizations with external and internal investigations, and provides strategic and practical advice on workplace legal issues, with a focus on pay equity matters and nationwide pay transparency law compliance.
Kyle focuses his practice on the nationwide representation of businesses in all facets of labor and employment law, with an emphasis on wage and hour matters and independent contractor status.
Madison Hart-Susser is the Manager of People Operations at RapidSOS. She leads the People Team and manages cross-functional initiatives focused on performance management, compensation, organizational development, and employee experience. After earning her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University, Madison began her career supporting older adults through systems navigation and trauma-informed care. That foundation continues to shape her approach to people operations, centering empathy, equity, and communication. Prior to joining RapidSOS, Madison held roles in both nonprofit and tech organizations, where she built scalable people programs that balance employee needs with strategic business priorities. Madison draws on her multidisciplinary background to develop people strategies that are both operationally sound and deeply human.
J. Alexander Short, Esq., founder and managing member of Lehigh Valley Immigration Law LLC, established in January 2025, brings a wealth of experience and a reputation for steadfast advocacy to his immigration practice. Alex is committed to delivering tailored, results-driven legal services to individuals, families, and businesses navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration law. Known for his integrity, compassion, and unwavering dedication, Alex has become a trusted advisor to clients seeking solutions in even the most challenging immigration matters.
Tracy Udell is the Chief Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She is responsible for addressing and resolving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation concerns, and educating more than 3,000 employees across four states. As the first person to hold this role, Tracy built the Bank’s EEO program from the ground up – developing trusted processes, streamlining investigations, and creating innovative, engaging methods to connect with employees and foster a culture of respect and accountability. A practicing attorney for 20 years, Tracy previously served as Employment Law Counsel at the Bank for a decade, where she advised on a myriad of complex matters. She is committed to “pulling back the curtain” on EEO policy and procedures through relatable training and candid conversations that encourage employees at all levels to speak up.
Grace M. O’Donnell is a counsel in Akin’s New York office. She advises public and private companies and investment funds on a variety of labor and employment matters, including drafting handbooks and employee policies; conducting anti-harassment trainings; handling employment-related disputes in state court, federal court and arbitration; drafting employment-related documents, including employment agreements, offer letters and separation agreements; and implementing reductions in force. Grace also has experience handling complex internal workplace investigations and litigation involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and employee misconduct.
Jeffrey A. Miller represents and advises clients in employment disputes of all types as Head of Employment Litigation at Golenbock. He also provides day-to-day counseling on best practices, including with respect to hiring, firing, workplace policies, investigations, employee discipline, restrictive covenants, accommodations, and worker classification.
Jeff’s experience includes trial and arbitration victories in employment and commercial cases. As a seasoned litigator, Jeff recognizes where missteps might lead to protracted legal action, so he brings to his engagements a commitment to managing risk and finding practical, efficient solutions to meet his clients’ needs. He strives to not only address problems but also prevent them, by counseling clients to achieve and maintain compliance in an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape.
Justin DiGennaro is Of Counsel in the New York office of Gibson Dunn and a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. Trusted by C-suite executives, boards of directors, and private investors, Justin serves as a thought partner to help them navigate their most complex employment challenges. He seamlessly integrates legal, HR, and PR considerations to achieve creative and commercially sound solutions.
Justin focuses on high-stakes employee mobility disputes, including matters related to non-competes, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality restrictions. His experience encompasses executive onboarding and departures, mass exoduses, workforce raids, client poaching, and trade secret misappropriation. He frequently represents employers in single-plaintiff and class action litigation relating to discrimination, harassment, whistleblower retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour disputes, and the WARN Act.
Katherin Nukk-Freeman is the Co-Founder and President of SHIFT HR Compliance Training, a leading provider of HR compliance and workplace culture training. A practicing attorney and founding partner of Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, she brings over 30 years of employment law expertise advising Fortune 500 companies on managing risk, avoiding litigation, and fostering accountability. A trusted advisor, speaker, and thought leader, Katherin developed SHIFT to revolutionize compliance training through empathy, storytelling, and legal precision – reframing required education into a lever for cultural transformation. Today, SHIFT’s legally rigorous, behavior-changing courses are trusted by organizations nationwide to meet mandates, reduce risk, and build workplaces rooted in respect and inclusion.
Jenny Bobbit is an associate in the New York office of Latham & Watkins. Jenny partners with corporate clients to navigate complex labor and employment challenges, providing strategic legal counsel that aligns with their business priorities. With a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach, Jenny helps employers anticipate and manage risks.
Meghan Gorman Cohen is Of Counsel in the Executive Compensation & Benefits Practice Group at Benesch, where she advises employers on employment law and executive compensation matters. She brings a business-focused perspective shaped by her prior role as Senior Employment Counsel at Publicis Groupe, where she gained firsthand insight into how organizations balance legal risk with operational priorities. Meghan counsels in-house counsel, executives, and HR leaders on discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, restructurings, compliance, and workplace investigations. She also develops and delivers training for leadership teams on risk management, policy development, and fostering inclusive, compliant workplaces. Known for her practical, business-minded counsel, Meghan helps organizations make confident decisions in complex situations, delivering solutions that protect legal interests while advancing business objectives.
Sponsors
Gibson Dunn
Gibson Dunn is a leading international law firm. Consistently ranking among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today’s global marketplace with more than 2,000 lawyers, and 21 offices, in Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brussels, Century City, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. For more information on Gibson Dunn, please visit the firm’s website:
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., is a national law firm with a primary focus on health care and life sciences; employment, labor, and workforce management; and litigation and business disputes. Founded in 1973 as an industry-focused firm, Epstein Becker Green has decades of experience serving clients in health care, financial services, retail, hospitality, and technology, among other industries, representing entities from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Operating in locations throughout the United States and supporting domestic and multinational clients, the firm’s attorneys are committed to uncompromising client service and legal excellence.
Latham & Watkins LLP
Latham & Watkins is a leading global law firm that brings together exceptional legal talent in financial centers around the world to advise on complex transactions, litigation, and regulatory matters. The firm’s deep market and product knowledge, industry experience, vast scale, and commitment to innovation and excellence help clients navigate their most critical challenges and achieve their goals.
Greenberg Traurig LLP
Greenberg Traurig is a global law firm with approximately 2,750 attorneys and governmental affairs professionals in 47 commercial and government centers across the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. Greenberg Traurig provides integrated, business-focused legal services for clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to innovative start-ups. Recognized by Chambers, the Legal 500 and BTI Consulting, our global team of nearly 200 labor, employment, benefits, and immigration practitioners offers an array of workplace strategies and legal counsel, including consulting, technical assistance, and litigation services. For additional information, please visit www.gtlaw.com.
Williams & Connolly LLP
Williams & Connolly is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier litigation firms. Our lawyers routinely handle significant and complex civil, criminal, and administrative cases across the United States and around the globe. The firm maintains a strong tradition of hiring the best and the brightest and training and promoting its lawyers from within, producing closely knit and collaborative teams dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for our clients. Our distinctive approach to litigation has earned the firm top marks from leading publications and ranking services, such as Chambers, The Legal 500, The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, and Benchmark Litigation, both for overall litigation prowess as well as for many practice- or industry-specific types of litigation.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
At Seyfarth Shaw, we are leading the way to deliver legal services more effectively, more efficiently, more transparently.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides thoughtful, strategic, practical legal counsel to client companies and legal teams of all sizes. With more than 850 attorneys in the U.S., London, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney, we offer a national platform and an international gateway to serve your changing business and legal needs in litigation, employment, corporate, real estate and employee benefits.
Seyfarth attorneys are:
- Client-Focused: A constant, unrelenting focus on the needs of our clients
- Forward-Thinking: A commitment to excellence and to constantly seeking better ways to serve our clients
- Innovative: An atmosphere that fosters creative innovative thinking
We have gained acclaim for our innovative SeyfarthLean client service model, which incorporates the core principles of Lean Six Sigma to the delivery of legal services, and we continue to develop new reporting and project management tools for greater transparency and collaboration with our clients.
Our efforts have contributed to our recognition by in-house counsel as ‘Best of the Best’ for client service within the BTI Consulting Group’s Client Service A-Team and being named by the Financial Times U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report among the most innovative law firms.
Seyfarth Shaw. The difference is clear.
Lehigh Valley Immigration Law
Lehigh Valley Immigration Law LLC is an Allentown-based immigration law firm serving the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, and New York City metropolitan areas with a compassionate, results-driven approach to U.S. immigration law. The firm provides comprehensive immigration services including work visas and corporate compliance alongside family-based immigration and deportation defense, positioning itself as a trusted partner for businesses and professionals navigating complex employment-based immigration matters while maintaining personalized legal strategies for individuals and families.
SHIFT HR Compliance Training
SHIFT HR Compliance Training is a leading provider of HR compliance and workplace culture training. Founded by employment law attorneys Katherin Nukk-Freeman and Suzanne Cerra, SHIFT delivers award-winning, eLearning that meets complex federal, state, and local mandates while transforming how employees communicate, collaborate, and perform. Our flagship Preventing Workplace Harassment & Discrimination course, along with a full suite of culture-building programs, blends legal rigor with engaging storytelling and real-world scenarios to drive lasting behavior change. Trusted by legal and HR teams nationwide, SHIFT empowers organizations to reduce risk, foster accountability, and achieve measurable business growth by building safer, more inclusive workplaces.
Built for compliance. Designed for change.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Akin is a global elite law firm providing innovative legal services and business solutions to individuals and institutions. We are one of the world’s largest law firms, with more than 900 lawyers and professionals in 17 offices worldwide, yet we strive to provide every client focused and consistent attention. Our firm’s clients range from individuals to corporations and foreign governments.
From reputational defense of headline-makers to powering the energy transition, from precedential class action dismissals to protection of terrorism’s victims, we serve clients in more than 250 areas that range from the traditional, such as disputes, corporate and finance, to the cutting edge, such as technology, renewable energy and cybersecurity.
McDermott Will & Schulte
McDermott Will & Schulte partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. With more than 20 office locations, our team works seamlessly across practices, industries and geographies to deliver highly effective–and often unexpected–solutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
Shipman & Goodwin
Shipman’s value lies in our commitment — to our clients, to the profession and to the community. Our firm lives and breathes our core values – integrity, service excellence, collaboration, collegiality and community – and they truly are the foundation of our success. With more than 150 lawyers in offices throughout Connecticut, New York and in Washington, DC, we serve the needs of local, regional, national and international clients. Our clients include public and private companies, institutions, government entities, non-profit organizations and individuals.
Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe
Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP is a Manhattan-based business law firm with a broad-based practice that offers corporate, complex litigation, labor & employment, real estate, reorganization, intellectual property, tax, and trust & estate expertise. The firm provides high value, sophisticated counsel and representation for its domestic and international clients while maintaining a hands-on, personalized approach to all matters.
The firm represents entrepreneurial, portfolio, and institutional clients, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, with a specific focus on the mid-market segment. Among our clients are private corporations, public companies, private equity firms, venture capital firms, individual investors, and entrepreneurs. Golenbock is a member of the Alliott Global Alliance, which was named to Band 1 of global law firm alliances by Chambers Guides, the prestigious international legal survey. Alliott includes 215 firms in 94 countries on six continents and helps member firms partner with others in countries around the globe.
Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP
Benesch is an Am Law 200 business law firm and limited liability partnership with more than 400 attorneys and offices in Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, New York City, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Wilmington. The firm is known for providing highly sophisticated legal services to national and international clients that include public and private, middle market and emerging companies, as well as private equity funds, entrepreneurs, and not-for-profit organizations.
Venue
Ease
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Pricing
| Register By | In House Counsel | Law Firms & Vendors |
|---|---|---|
| September 17th | $395.00 | Contact info@centerforceusa.com |
- Payment is due in full at the time of registration and includes lunches, refreshments and detailed conference materials.
- Your registration will not be confirmed until payment is received and may be subject to cancellation.
- You may substitute delegates at any time. CenterForce does not provide refunds for cancellations.
- For cancellations received in writing more than seven (7) days prior to the conference you will receive a 100% credit to be used at another CenterForce conference for up to one year from the date of issuance.
- For cancellations received seven (7) days or less prior to an event (including day 7), no credit will be issued. In the event that CenterForce cancels an event, delegate payments at the date of cancellation will be credited to a future CenterForce event. This credit will be available for up to one year from the date of issuance.
- In the event that CenterForce postpones an event, delegate payments at the postponement date will be credited towards the rescheduled date. If the delegate is unable to attend the rescheduled event, the delegate will receive a 100% credit representing payments made towards a future CenterForce event. This credit will be available for up to one year from the date of issuance. No refunds will be available for cancellations or postponements.
- CenterForce is not responsible for any loss or damage as a result of a substitution, alteration or cancellation/postponement of an event. CenterForce shall assume no liability whatsoever in the event this conference is cancelled, rescheduled or postponed due to a fortuitous event, Act of God, unforeseen occurrence or any other event that renders performance of this conference impracticable or impossible. For purposes of this clause, a fortuitous event shall include, but not be limited to: war, fire, labor strike, extreme weather or other emergency.
- Please note that speakers and topics were confirmed at the time of publishing, however, circumstances beyond the control of the organizers may necessitate substitutions, alterations or cancellations of the speakers and/or topics. As such, CenterForce reserves the right to alter or modify the advertised speakers and/or topics if necessary. Any substitutions or alterations will be updated on our web page as soon as possible.
- All discounts must require payment at time of registration and before the cut-off date in order to receive any discount.
- Any discounts offered whether by CenterForce (including team discounts) must also require payment at the time of registration.
- All discount offers cannot be combined with any other offer.