Lauren is a Business and Employment Lawyer with an expertise in advising business owners and executives on navigating legal issues in the workplace. As a former Federal Prosecutor and Employment Litigator for the U.S. Department of Justice, and a former FINRA Enforcement Counsel, Lauren is intimately familiar with the complex and multi-layered legal and regulatory landscape against which her clients operate. Lauren expertly advises clients on the delicate balance between implementation of fair and consistent workplace norms for multi-state organizations, and observation of employee rights and protections as a product of evolving state and federal law. Lauren works hand in hand with her clients on all matters of employment law, including preparation of custom-tailored policies, procedures, counseling, training, and investigations. As a seasoned trial attorney, Lauren zealously protects her clients’ interests in court when litigation becomes necessary. Lauren also counsels executives in transition with regard to employment agreements, separation agreements, severance issues, and non-competition clauses.
Lauren’s state and federal litigation matters have included disputes concerning restrictive covenants (including non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality/trade secret provisions), as well as complex commercial litigation, business and consumer fraud matters, bankruptcy litigation, employment litigation, government enforcement actions, and resolution of regulatory investigations, including Department of Labor audits. Lauren regularly prepares workplace policies and counsels clients on a wide range of human resources issues, including employee hiring practices, workplace harassment, discrimination, whistleblowing, worker status and overtime issues, independent contractor classification, employee morale and performance management, restructuring, separation, severance, and termination issues. Lauren routinely advises professionals in transition regarding implementation of safeguards and client protections in complex employment agreements, as well as the negotiation of separation procedures and severance agreements.
Lauren was an Assistant United States Attorney for six years. Lauren represented the federal government in criminal, civil and bankruptcy proceedings, leading jury trials and resolving cases involving white collar offenses and financial disputes. Lauren also counseled federal agencies in policy and litigation matters involving defense contracts, entitlement programs, grant funding, and employment and tax issues. During her government service, Lauren handled a variety of employment matters, including prosecution of employees for embezzlement and theft, and defending federal agencies against employment discrimination claims.
Prior to her time at the United States Attorney’s Office, Lauren worked in the New York office of a large law firm, representing businesses and financial institutions in business litigation, bankruptcy, and corporate transactions. More recently, she pursued securities enforcement actions on behalf of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in New York.
Lauren earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, where she served on the Executive Board of the Moot Court Honor Society and was appointed to the Order of Barristers for Excellence in Courtroom Advocacy. Lauren received her B.A., cum laude, from The College of New Jersey. She is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey, and before the United States Supreme Court, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the federal district and bankruptcy courts for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, and the District of New Jersey. Lauren is the Legislative Affairs Chairperson and a Member of the Board of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Gateway Chapter. Lauren is also an active member of the McInerney Inn of Court and the Financial Women’s Association (FWA) & FWA Mentoring Program.