The Employment Law & HR Summit: New York
New York is one of the most complex and closely watched employment law markets in the country. With aggressive enforcement, expansive worker protections, and constant regulatory change, employers face growing pressure to get workplace policies, documentation, and decision-making right. The Employment Law & HR Summit in New York brings together senior in-house legal and HR leaders for a focused day of insight, strategy, and practical guidance on navigating risk in a high-stakes environment.
From pay transparency and wage disclosure compliance to discrimination claims, whistleblower risk, and wrongful termination exposure, New York employers must navigate increasing legal and operational complexity. This summit explores the legal and operational issues shaping today’s workplace, including AI in hiring and performance decisions, wage and hour risk, training and culture, and managing compliance across multi-jurisdictional teams.
Designed for General Counsel, Chief Human Resources Officers, Employment Litigation Counsel, Corporate Legal Executives, and Senior HR leaders, this summit offers an opportunity to benchmark with peers, stay ahead of enforcement trends, and build strategies that are practical, defensible, and ready for what’s next.
* 5 NY State CLE
- Performance Management in the Age of Transparency & Scrutiny
- Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation in a High-Enforcement Jurisdiction
- Training, Culture & Compliance in a Regulated Workplace
- Wrongful Termination & Whistleblower Risk Under NY Law
- AI, Automation & Bias: Managing Legal Risk in Hiring and Performance Decisions
- Immigration, Workforce Mobility & Global Talent Considerations
- New York Pay Transparency, Equity & Wage Disclosure Compliance
- 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
Performance management has become a legal risk area as employees increasingly challenge evaluation processes tied to compensation, promotion, and termination decisions. In jurisdictions like New York, where transparency, pay equity, and discrimination claims are under heightened scrutiny, employers must ensure performance reviews are structured, consistent, and defensible. Organizations are also reevaluating traditional review systems as they incorporate new technologies and continuous feedback models. This panel will explore how employers can modernize performance management while maintaining legal compliance and fairness.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• Designing performance review frameworks that reduce bias and litigation risk
• Aligning evaluations with pay transparency and promotion decisions
• Documentation practices that support disciplinary and termination actions
• Integrating digital tools and analytics while maintaining fairness and compliance
• Building transparent feedback systems that strengthen trust and accountability
Julia Hanft is the general counsel at Wego Chemical Group, a global distributor of ingredients and chemicals, headquartered in Great Neck, New York. Julia has over 30 years of experience in the legal field, having previously worked in the telecom and defense industries. Julia was recently appointed to the Advisory Board for Women in Chemicals, a non-profit organization with a mission to create and identify opportunities to empower women in the chemical industry.
Julia earned a B.S. in Business and Management from Redlands University and J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. Julia is passionate about mentoring others and paying forward the amazing mentorship she has had throughout her career. In addition to mentoring those she works with, she is currently a mentor with Women in America and the Association of Corporate Counsel and has previously served as a mentor with Women in Chemicals.
Fred Polirer is Vice President, People & Culture at NineDot Energy, a leading battery storage developer building community-scale energy infrastructure in New York City. He leads the company’s People strategy, overseeing talent acquisition, organizational development, performance management, total rewards, and DEIB initiatives. In addition, Fred oversees NineDot’s ESG strategy, Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), and corporate Compliance & Reporting functions, ensuring alignment across people, operational, and investor priorities.
Fred brings experience across Fortune 500 companies, high-growth organizations, and advisory environments, including roles at Con Edison, Insperity, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and KPMG. He began his career at Con Edison in Leadership Development and later advised senior leaders across industries through Insperity. He has also held leadership and organizational development roles within large, complex organizations and has consulted with small and mid-sized businesses on HR and business operations strategy. Fred also served as an Adjunct Professor at Nyack College, teaching courses in the college’s school of business.
He holds a BA in Communications from Queens College and an MS in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College. Fred is SPHR-certified through HRCI and has completed additional executive education and certification programs through Cornell, Korn Ferry, and DDI.
Fred lives in upstate New York with his wife and two sons.
New York employers operate under one of the most expansive and aggressively enforced anti-discrimination frameworks in the country. With the New York State Human Rights Law, New York City Human Rights Law, and active enforcement by state and city agencies, employers face heightened exposure to harassment, retaliation, and discrimination claims. Even well-intentioned workplace decisions can trigger litigation when policies, documentation, or investigations are not handled with precision. This panel will help legal and HR leaders understand how enforcement trends, evolving legal standards, and workplace expectations are shaping risk and how organizations can proactively strengthen policies, investigations, and internal response strategies.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• Key developments under NYSHRL and NYCHRL and how enforcement standards differ
• Investigation protocols that withstand agency scrutiny and litigation
• Retaliation risk and how protected activity is expanding under NY law
• Managing discrimination claims in hybrid and remote workplaces
• Lessons from recent New York litigation and enforcement actions
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.
RONALD J. PRAGUE is Chief Legal Officer at Origin Wireless, Inc., a technology company located in Maryland. www.originwirelessai.com, where is responsible for a all of the company’s legal affairs. Prior to Origin, Mr. Prague was Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Synchronoss Technologies, Inc., a publicly-held software and services company. Prior to Synchronoss, Mr. Prague held several positions with Intel Corporation, lastly as Group Counsel for Intel’s Communication Infrastructure Group. Mr. Prague also practice law with the New York law firms of Haythe & Curley (now Torys LLP) and Richards & O’Neil (now Bingham McCutchen) where he focused on mergers & acquisition, securities and intellectual property and matters.
Mr. Prague is a frequent speaker and has over 25 years of experience doing global transactions in the telecommunications market. He is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and received a B.S., with distinction from Cornell University.
John has over 20 years of investigative and 10 years of HR experience across various sectors and countries. His professional journey includes significant roles in the military, government, and the financial, technology, and pharmaceutical/biotech industries. John‘s expertise lies in complex multifaceted investigations, including EEO investigations, with additional experiences in Employee Relations, Human Resources, and Talent Development. His career has given him the opportunity to work and live in multiple countries, along with supporting numerous global stakeholders. John’s passion is assisting companies navigate the complex labor space when dealing with global employment populations with cross border management and functional relationships.
Outside of work, John is an avid runner and hiker. He resides in New Jersey with his wife, their three children, and their dog. A fun fact about John and his family is their love for travel; they were fortunate enough to spend 2020 to 2022 living in Taiwan enjoying local cuisine while John developed and led an Employee Relations and Investigations function in the region!
Workplace training programs play a critical role in preventing misconduct, strengthening culture, and supporting legal compliance. In New York, harassment prevention training is mandatory, and organizations must ensure programs meet regulatory standards while also addressing evolving workplace expectations around accountability and culture. Employers must move beyond check-the-box training to create programs that reinforce policies, reduce risk, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to compliance. This panel will explore how organizations are designing effective training programs that are both legally compliant and culturally impactful.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• New York harassment prevention training requirements and updates
• Designing training programs that strengthen workplace culture and accountability
• Leveraging digital tools and learning platforms to manage compliance
• Documentation practices that support audits and litigation defense
• Measuring training effectiveness and reinforcing policy awareness
Glen Sproviero heads Verizon’s global ethics organization, where he is senior director and associate general counsel. Prior to his current role, he was a litigator in New York, specializing in white collar criminal defense and investigations. A former federal law clerk, he received an A.B. in philosophy from Fordham University, an M.Phil. in Intellectual History from the University of St Andrews (Scotland), and a J.D. from Rutgers.
Wrongful termination claims in New York are increasingly tied to retaliation and whistleblower protections under evolving state statutes. Recent legislative changes have expanded protections for employees reporting workplace misconduct, creating additional risk for employers navigating disciplinary actions and terminations. Inconsistent documentation, poorly structured investigations, or rushed decision-making can quickly lead to costly disputes. This panel will help legal and HR leaders strengthen termination protocols, improve internal reporting processes, and reduce exposure to whistleblower-related litigation.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• Expanding whistleblower protections under New York Labor Law
• Identifying retaliation risk when employees raise complaints
• Documentation strategies that support defensible termination decisions
• Managing internal complaints, investigations, and reporting channels
• Best practices for conducting separation discussions in high-risk scenarios
Victoria Gorokhovich is Managing Counsel – Labor & Employment at PSEG. In this role, Ms. Gorokhovich leads a team of in-house attorneys responsible for all aspects of Labor, Employment and Benefits law, across the PSEG enterprise.
Immediately prior to joining PSEG in 2022, Ms. Gorokhovich was Senior Managing Counsel, Employment Law & Litigation, at Cigna Corporation. She has also been an associate at the law firms of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
Ms. Gorokhovich graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, Order of the Coif, in 2004, and is admitted to the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Bars.
John Fullerton is a Senior Counsel and member of the Global Employment Law team at Peloton Interactive, Inc. in New York City. His practice includes advice and counsel, litigation, labor strategy, employee benefits, and talent contracts. Previously, he was a labor and employment law partner at Epstein Becker & Green, and has also practiced at Sullivan & Cromwell and Proskauer Rose. He is a frequent speaker and author on various topics, including workplace investigations and Sarbanes-Oxley / Dodd-Frank whistleblower issues.
John has a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Brown University and graduated from New York University School of Law. He has been a Society for Human Resources Management – Senior Certified Professional since July 2024 and an Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder since April 2025.
Artificial intelligence and automated decision tools are increasingly embedded in hiring, screening, and performance management processes. In New York, employers must navigate emerging legal requirements, including AI bias audit mandates and growing scrutiny around algorithmic discrimination. While these technologies promise efficiency and data-driven decision-making, they also create new compliance challenges and litigation exposure if not implemented responsibly. This panel will explore how legal and HR teams can evaluate AI tools, manage bias risk, and build governance frameworks that support innovation while maintaining compliance.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• New York City AI bias audit requirements and regulatory developments
• Legal risks tied to automated hiring and evaluation tools
• Governance frameworks for AI-driven HR technologies
• Managing discrimination risk tied to algorithmic decision-making
• Vendor oversight and contractual protections for AI systems
Access to global talent remains critical for many New York employers, particularly in technology, finance, and professional services sectors. However, shifting immigration policies, visa limitations, and compliance obligations continue to create uncertainty for organizations managing international employees. Employers must balance talent acquisition needs with evolving legal requirements around visa sponsorship, workforce mobility, and employment eligibility. This panel will explore how companies are navigating immigration strategy while maintaining compliance and supporting workforce stability.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• Visa sponsorship strategies for attracting and retaining global talent
• Immigration compliance risks for employers operating in New York
• Managing workforce mobility in hybrid and international work environments
• Policy developments impacting H-1B and other employment visas
• Aligning immigration strategy with long-term workforce planning
New York’s pay transparency and wage disclosure requirements have reshaped how employers approach compensation practices, job postings, and internal pay equity analysis. With enforcement expanding and employees increasingly aware of compensation disparities, organizations must ensure their pay structures are equitable, well-documented, and compliant with both state and city mandates. Employers operating across multiple jurisdictions face additional complexity as transparency laws continue to evolve nationally. This panel will guide HR and legal leaders through practical strategies for maintaining compliant compensation practices while reducing the risk of litigation and regulatory scrutiny.
This Panel Will Discuss:
• New York pay transparency requirements and enforcement expectations
• Conducting defensible pay equity audits and compensation reviews
• Structuring job postings and salary ranges to meet disclosure obligations
• Addressing internal pay disparities before they become litigation risks
• Coordinating pay transparency compliance across multiple states
Interactive discussions hosted by a topic expert.
RT 1: Wage & Hour Watchouts for Multi-Jurisdictional Employers
RT 2: Litigation-Ready Employment Practices: Audits, Documentation & Defense Strategy
Speakers
Julia Hanft is the general counsel at Wego Chemical Group, a global distributor of ingredients and chemicals, headquartered in Great Neck, New York. Julia has over 30 years of experience in the legal field, having previously worked in the telecom and defense industries. Julia was recently appointed to the Advisory Board for Women in Chemicals, a non-profit organization with a mission to create and identify opportunities to empower women in the chemical industry.
Julia earned a B.S. in Business and Management from Redlands University and J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. Julia is passionate about mentoring others and paying forward the amazing mentorship she has had throughout her career. In addition to mentoring those she works with, she is currently a mentor with Women in America and the Association of Corporate Counsel and has previously served as a mentor with Women in Chemicals.
Fred Polirer is Vice President, People & Culture at NineDot Energy, a leading battery storage developer building community-scale energy infrastructure in New York City. He leads the company’s People strategy, overseeing talent acquisition, organizational development, performance management, total rewards, and DEIB initiatives. In addition, Fred oversees NineDot’s ESG strategy, Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), and corporate Compliance & Reporting functions, ensuring alignment across people, operational, and investor priorities.
Fred brings experience across Fortune 500 companies, high-growth organizations, and advisory environments, including roles at Con Edison, Insperity, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and KPMG. He began his career at Con Edison in Leadership Development and later advised senior leaders across industries through Insperity. He has also held leadership and organizational development roles within large, complex organizations and has consulted with small and mid-sized businesses on HR and business operations strategy. Fred also served as an Adjunct Professor at Nyack College, teaching courses in the college’s school of business.
He holds a BA in Communications from Queens College and an MS in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College. Fred is SPHR-certified through HRCI and has completed additional executive education and certification programs through Cornell, Korn Ferry, and DDI.
Fred lives in upstate New York with his wife and two sons.
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.
RONALD J. PRAGUE is Chief Legal Officer at Origin Wireless, Inc., a technology company located in Maryland. www.originwirelessai.com, where is responsible for a all of the company’s legal affairs. Prior to Origin, Mr. Prague was Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Synchronoss Technologies, Inc., a publicly-held software and services company. Prior to Synchronoss, Mr. Prague held several positions with Intel Corporation, lastly as Group Counsel for Intel’s Communication Infrastructure Group. Mr. Prague also practice law with the New York law firms of Haythe & Curley (now Torys LLP) and Richards & O’Neil (now Bingham McCutchen) where he focused on mergers & acquisition, securities and intellectual property and matters.
Mr. Prague is a frequent speaker and has over 25 years of experience doing global transactions in the telecommunications market. He is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and received a B.S., with distinction from Cornell University.
John has over 20 years of investigative and 10 years of HR experience across various sectors and countries. His professional journey includes significant roles in the military, government, and the financial, technology, and pharmaceutical/biotech industries. John‘s expertise lies in complex multifaceted investigations, including EEO investigations, with additional experiences in Employee Relations, Human Resources, and Talent Development. His career has given him the opportunity to work and live in multiple countries, along with supporting numerous global stakeholders. John’s passion is assisting companies navigate the complex labor space when dealing with global employment populations with cross border management and functional relationships.
Outside of work, John is an avid runner and hiker. He resides in New Jersey with his wife, their three children, and their dog. A fun fact about John and his family is their love for travel; they were fortunate enough to spend 2020 to 2022 living in Taiwan enjoying local cuisine while John developed and led an Employee Relations and Investigations function in the region!
Glen Sproviero heads Verizon’s global ethics organization, where he is senior director and associate general counsel. Prior to his current role, he was a litigator in New York, specializing in white collar criminal defense and investigations. A former federal law clerk, he received an A.B. in philosophy from Fordham University, an M.Phil. in Intellectual History from the University of St Andrews (Scotland), and a J.D. from Rutgers.
Victoria Gorokhovich is Managing Counsel – Labor & Employment at PSEG. In this role, Ms. Gorokhovich leads a team of in-house attorneys responsible for all aspects of Labor, Employment and Benefits law, across the PSEG enterprise.
Immediately prior to joining PSEG in 2022, Ms. Gorokhovich was Senior Managing Counsel, Employment Law & Litigation, at Cigna Corporation. She has also been an associate at the law firms of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
Ms. Gorokhovich graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, Order of the Coif, in 2004, and is admitted to the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Bars.
John Fullerton is a Senior Counsel and member of the Global Employment Law team at Peloton Interactive, Inc. in New York City. His practice includes advice and counsel, litigation, labor strategy, employee benefits, and talent contracts. Previously, he was a labor and employment law partner at Epstein Becker & Green, and has also practiced at Sullivan & Cromwell and Proskauer Rose. He is a frequent speaker and author on various topics, including workplace investigations and Sarbanes-Oxley / Dodd-Frank whistleblower issues.
John has a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Brown University and graduated from New York University School of Law. He has been a Society for Human Resources Management – Senior Certified Professional since July 2024 and an Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder since April 2025.
Sponsors
Herrick, Feinstein LLP
Founded in 1928, Herrick, Feinstein LLP is a prominent, full-service law firm, providing comprehensive legal services to businesses and individuals around the world. From its offices in New York City; Newark, New Jersey; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Istanbul, Turkey, Herrick maintains robust commercial real estate, corporate, finance, litigation and financial restructuring capabilities, complemented by significant depth in employment, securities, bankruptcy, government relations, intellectual property, sports, tax, and private clients.
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.
Prinz Law Firm
The Prinz Law Firm is a Chicago-based boutique law firm focused on employment and business law. The firm represents executives, professionals, and businesses in a wide range of workplace-related matters, including employment agreements, non-compete disputes, discrimination claims, whistleblower actions, executive severance negotiations, and workplace investigations. Its attorneys also advise companies on business transactions, compliance, and strategic employment issues affecting leadership and organizational culture.
Founded by employment lawyer Kristen Prinz, the firm is a certified woman-owned business and is known for its client-centered, strategic approach to resolving employment disputes and advising organizations. The firm works with both employers and employees—particularly senior professionals, physicians, and business owners—helping clients navigate complex workplace conflicts while protecting their legal rights and professional interests.
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
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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.