Practice
Class actions against institutions
Some wrongs are not one person's problem. A pay scale that pays one group less. A program that takes property without paying for it. An industry-wide habit of not paying overtime. When the same practice harms hundreds or thousands of people, the right answer is usually a case that addresses the practice itself.
What I litigate
- Government programs and takings
- Challenges to city and state programs that take property or money without due process or just compensation. Example: Dorce v. City of New York, Third Party Transfer program; proposed $60 million Round 10 settlement pending approval.
- Pay discrimination
- Class claims that a pay structure disadvantages workers because of race or sex, including comparisons across job titles. Example: Chalmers v. City of New York, $29.9 million for FDNY Fire Protection Inspectors.
- Wage and hour
- Collective and class actions under the FLSA and New York Labor Law for unpaid overtime and wages. Example: the Parking Production Assistant cases, more than $28 million in documented settlements.
- Claims against New York State
- FLSA claims against the State in the Court of Claims, where filing rules differ sharply from federal court. Example: the CUNY security officer claims reinstated by the First Department in 2026.
- Disability and civil rights
- Claims that public programs exclude people with disabilities. Example: Charles v. City of New York, Open Streets.
How these cases work
Group cases take different forms, and the choice matters. A class action under Rule 23 binds everyone in the class unless they opt out. An FLSA collective action includes only workers who opt in. Some cases proceed as multi-plaintiff actions with each claimant named. Claims against New York State generally go to the Court of Claims, with its own filing deadlines and pleading requirements. Part of my job is choosing the right vehicle early.
Signs your situation may be a group case
- Co-workers in the same title are paid differently, and the difference tracks race or sex.
- Everyone on a crew is paid a flat day rate no matter how long the day runs.
- A government program applied the same procedure to many owners or residents.
- A written policy, not a single manager's decision, caused the harm.
If any of these sound familiar, get in touch.