Speaker, January 22, 2025, Webinar hosted by Employment Law Alliance (ELA)
Overview
Experience
Insights
News
Education and Credentials
Recognition and Community
Overview
Heather Brochin, chair of the firm's Employment and Labor practice, represents employers in employment and employee benefits litigation and counsels them on day-to-day employment law matters. She represents clients in state and federal courts, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state human rights commissions, primarily in New York and New Jersey.
Heather regularly advises employers with respect to a broad range of personnel issues, including:
- Hiring
- Termination
- Reductions in force
- Employment discrimination
- Unlawful harassment
- Restrictive covenants
- Wage and hour issues
- Internal investigations
- Executive compensation
- Personnel policies
- Disability
- Leave
Heather also has substantial experience negotiating and drafting employment and separation agreements on behalf of both companies and individuals and conducting trainings for employers on various employment law issues. Heather regularly advises clients on the enforceability, meaning and drafting of non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure provisions and agreements and litigates related issues. In addition, she has handled collection and withdrawal liability disputes between multiemployer plans and employers.
Heather has frequently been published and spoken on employment law issues and been cited in several respected business media, including Law360. Heather was formerly the managing partner of the firm’s New Jersey office.
Experience
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Obtained summary judgment for Fortune 100 company in a lawsuit by three plaintiffs alleging disability and race discrimination and retaliation in federal court
Obtained summary judgment (affirmed on appeal) on behalf of a college in a race and religious discrimination case in New York federal court
Obtained summary judgment (affirmed on appeal) on behalf of a pharmaceutical company in an age discrimination case in New Jersey federal court
Negotiated successful settlements of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage and hour claims brought under state and federal law
Counseled employers on implementation of reductions in force, including selection of employees for layoff, legal compliance issues and separation and release agreements
Represented employers and obtained dismissals and findings of "no probable cause" in employment discrimination charges before the EEOC, New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the New York State Division on Human Rights, and the New York City Commission on Human Rights
Reviewed and revised client personnel policies, employee handbooks, employment agreements, employment applications, offer letters, and independent contractor agreements
Conducted internal investigations on behalf of company involving allegations of harassment and discrimination and provided recommendations for redressing improper behavior
Defended companies against improper assessment of deficient benefit contributions in connection with multi-employer fund audits
Conducted confidential internal investigation on behalf of Board of Directors regarding highly sensitive sexual harassment allegations involving C-suite executive
Led independent fact-finding investigation of senior management at a public utility regarding allegations of widespread sexual harassment and bullying
Negotiated and drafted separation agreement for departing CEO and incoming CEO of international business
Insights
News
Education and Credentials
Education
New York University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2001, Robert McKay Scholar
University of Pennsylvania, B.A.,
summa cum laude
, 1998, Phi Beta KappaAdmissions
State of New Jersey, 2001
State of New York, 2002
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 2001
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 2002
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, 2005
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2010
U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 2012
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 2012
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2015
Affiliations
American Bar Association
New Jersey State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Recognition and Community
Recognition
No aspect of these advertisements has been approved by the highest court of any state. See Awards Methodology.
Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), Employment Law - Management, 2023-2025, Labor and Employment - Litigation, 2023-2025
Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2017-2024
Selected to the New York Super Lawyers Women's Edition (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2021
Selected to the list of New York Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2018-2019
Selected to the New York Super Lawyers Women's Edition Rising Stars (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2017
Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2011-2016
Selected to the list of New York Metropolitan Area Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Thomson Reuters), Employment Litigation, Employment and Labor, 2016
Chosen as one of the New Leaders of the Bar by the New Jersey Law Journal (ALM Media Properties, LLC), 2015
Chosen for inclusion in the Chambers USA Legal Directory (Chambers & Partners) of recognized practitioners for Labor and Employment in New Jersey, 2014-2015
Community
Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee
