Phillips & Associates

­­­Attorney William K. Phillips

William K. Phillips is a New York employment discrimination attorney, and is the Managing Partner of Phillips & Associates. His law firm Phillips & Associates has handled thousands of employment cases including, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, race discrimination, disability discrimination and other employment law cases.

He was selected as a 2017 and 2018 “Top 100 Labor & Employment Lawyer in New York” by the American Society of Legal Advocates, one of the “10 Best Labor and Employment Attorneys in New York” by the American Institute of Legal Counsel and was recently selected as a member “Lawyers of Distinction” in Employment and Labor Law. Mr. Phillips is also a member of the “Million Dollar Advocates Forum”. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements.

Recognized as a stellar employment lawyer by his peers, he also serves in an “Of Counsel” capacity to other law firms, providing litigation supervision in connection with their employment law cases. He works hard to obtain the best possible results for his clients, and has had great success in securing millions of dollars in damages and settlement awards.

Mr. Phillips has strong roots in New York. He was born in Brooklyn and attended the College of Staten Island, graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in sociology and anthropology. He studied entertainment law and landlord-tenant law at New York Law School and graduated from St. Thomas School of Law in Miami in 1993.

Mr. Phillips was admitted to the New York Bar in 1996. He is admitted to practice in the federal courts for the Eastern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Western District of New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Before focusing on employment law, Mr. Phillips gained experience in business and other areas, giving him a valuable frame of reference from which to analyze the industries in which his clients and their employers work. From 2006-2010, he served as the Principal of Real Estate Development at TPG Design. There he was responsible for the creation, management and development real estate projects. In recent years, he has purchased and sold over $17 million of property for his own account.

Before his work in real estate development, Mr. Phillips served as Vice President of the Fieldstone Private Capital Group, a boutique investment bank in New York. There he was responsible for originating and executing all investment banking mandates, managing a portfolio of aircraft assets, negotiating with airlines regarding early terminations, defaults, and working with assets subject to bankruptcies, litigation, and repossession. His professional accomplishments while in this position include the 10 million sale of a Turkish charter airline; a $24 million sell-side advisory for the sale of a British entity’s U.S. Airport Services division; global placement of over 30 Boeing and Airbus aircraft for sale and/or lease; and the restructuring of 26 MD-80 aircraft resulting in a 60% rent reduction and $16 million in debt forgiveness, with the structuring of $10 million in debt, for a U.S. airline. Prior to this experience, Mr. Phillips served as the business development director for a bar exam review company in New York, and also as a professional model in Europe and the U.S.

Mr. Phillips is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), and the American Society of Legal Advocates. He is also active in his local legal community, with memberships in the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York County Lawyers Association, Brooklyn Bar Association, and the New York Chapter of NELA.

In addition to his passion for employment law, Mr. Phillips is a benefactor of the arts and education, supporting various organizations. He enjoys weight training, swimming, tennis, basketball, boxing, and racquetball. He is also a published fashion and portrait photographer.

Attorney Marjorie Mesidor

Marjorie Mesidor is the Managing Partner at Phillips & Associates’ Long Island office. She has been a member of Phillips & Associates since 2011. Ms. Mesidor oversees a group of senior attorneys’ multi-million-dollar books of business spread over more than 250 cases.

Marjorie is recognized for her outstanding service to clients who have been subjected to sexual harassment or discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and other protected characteristics. Ms. Mesidor regularly prosecutes employment actions against Fortune 500 companies and smaller organizations accused of discrimination including claims of sexual misconduct. She has had overwhelming success, achieving over $47,000,000 in awards and settlements for her clients. Marjorie rose to notoriety in 2013 when she procured a unanimous jury award in Johnson v. STRIVE, a landmark case decidedly settling the issue of whether those of the same race can discriminate against one another. In addition, her work against the disparate impact of "poor door" policies on rent stabilized tenants has earned her recognition by the Office of the Public Advocate. Her most recent verdict of $2.31 Million dollars was awarded Top 50 Verdict in New York, Labor and Employment for Sooroojballie v. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in for a race and national origin based hostile work environment claim. Marjorie’s greatest impact is the hundreds of cases and disputes resolved privately and efficiently protecting her clients’ preference for discretion and anonymity.

Ms. Mesidor has been a Guest Legal Correspondent appearing on ABC Nightline, FoxNews @Night, ET LIVE, WPIX Morning News, Dan Abrams Live on Newsnation, Cheddar News, WBLS "Cafe Mocha" and 103.9 Long Island News Radio "On the Docket". Marjorie is one of the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 Attorneys Civil- Plaintiff, National Black Lawyers' Top 100 Black Lawyers, National Women Trial Lawyers- Top 25, Avvo’s Client Choice Award recipient 20022, a "Rising Star" and "Top Woman Attorney" by New York Super Lawyers every year since 2013. Ms. Mesidor was named CRAIN Magazine's Top Women Attorneys in New York City. She has been a continuing legal education panelist for the Practising Law Institute (PLI), the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) National Bar Association's (NBA) Labor and Employment Section and NELA NY on various topics in law practice management, negotiations, trial advocacy, punitive damages and jury awards. She authored an op-ed article published in Lawyers’ Monthly, Downtown Magazine and the online publication, Motto, from the editors of Time® Magazine.

With almost 20 years of experience and practicing on the appellate and trial level of state and federal courts, Ms. Mesidor understands the stress and fear that plaintiffs experience when their jobs are threatened by a coworker or employer's inappropriate conduct. She handles complex employment law matters in these areas at all stages of the litigation process, serving as a forceful advocate at the negotiating table, and a formidable opponent in the courtroom.

­­­Attorney Bryan Arce

Bryan Arce is a New York City employment discrimination attorney and a Managing Partner at the law firm of Phillips & Associates. Mr. Arce is committed to representing workers who have been subject to harassment and other misconduct, such as wage and hour violations. Through his prior law firm, Mr. Arce and his associates have been part of million dollar plus verdicts - Including a $1.6 million verdict, a $2.5 million verdict, a $2.2 million verdict, and a $4.25 million verdict. Unlike many other litigators, Mr. Arce has first-hand experience with these violations. He spent 12 years working as a chef in the food service and hospitality industry, and he understands the kinds of harm that may result.

Mr. Arce, originally from Torrance, California, grew up in Holmdel, NJ, and attended college at the University of Michigan. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1993. After his time working as a chef, he attended Brooklyn Law School, obtaining a Juris Doctorate in 2009. He worked as a Judicial Intern at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the Honorable Erin M. Stilp, an experience that gave him insight into the administrative and judicial processes and how judges evaluate workplace discrimination and wrongful termination cases.

The EEOC is the governmental body responsible for enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws, including those that prohibit discrimination and retaliation on the basis of national origin, race, color, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, and age. Laws enforced by the EEOC include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The EEOC is authorized to investigate employees' charges of discrimination against any employers covered by the pertinent laws. It is also empowered to make findings about whether discrimination has occurred and to try to settle the charge, or to file a lawsuit at its discretion. It offers guidance about how the laws should be applied to different kinds of workplace situations. For example, it recently explained that "sex discrimination," outlawed by Title VII, covers not only sex discrimination but also gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination.

Most employers that have a minimum of 15 employees, as well as employment agencies and labor unions, are covered by some of the laws enforced by the EEOC. Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, for example, workers who are 40 years old or older are protected from age discrimination if an employer has a minimum of 20 employees. It is unlawful under the ADEA to discriminate against workers due to their advanced age with regard to hiring, promotion, layoffs, benefits, job assignments, or firing. However, it is permissible to favor an elderly worker based on his or her age, even if this results in adverse effects for a worker under the age of 40.

Mr. Arce founded his own firm in 2011, focusing on fighting for employees in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania who could not fight for themselves. He is admitted to practice in those states, as well as the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Second Circuit. He then joined Phillips & Associates as an employment law attorney to continue his work for employees.

Mr. Arce is a member of various associations, including NELA/NY, NITA, NYSBA, and PBA. He is fluent in Spanish and German and enjoys teaching his son Spanish.

Attorney Laura Bellini

Laura E. Bellini is an associate with Phillips & Associates. Like our other dedicated New York City employment discrimination lawyers, she aims to eradicate unfair, adverse treatment from the workplace. Adverse treatment is illegal when it stems from protected characteristics such as a worker’s race or sex.

Ms. Bellini graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. She made the Dean’s List in Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, and received the Senior Dedication Award. She served as President at Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority.

She graduated with a Juris Doctor from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. While in law school, her interest in workers’ rights was sparked as she participated in the Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal. She is a Samuel M. Kaynard Fellowship Recipient and also received a Gold Level Public Service Certificate for completing more than 1000 hours of pro bono work.

Ms. Bellini participated in the Veteran’s Legal Assistance Project in 2018 and Hofstra Law in D.C. Program in 2019. She volunteered in different regions for the National Labor Relations Board, further cementing her concern for workers. In Region 5, Washington, D.C., for example, she investigated charges on behalf of the Board and presented recommendations and analyses for supervisory approval.

Prior to joining Phillip & Associates, she worked as a law clerk at a firm in New York. While there, she reviewed and analyzed complex legal documents and handled discovery matters. She also interned for a class action firm handling motion work.

Ms. Bellini is admitted to practice in New York state.

Attorney Max Bracero

Max Bracero is a New York City employment discrimination lawyer with the firm of Phillips & Associates. He understands how humiliating and financially difficult it can be when an employer judges you on an aspect of your identity or life history, rather than the skills, experience, and talents you bring to the table. In most situations, employers have substantially more power and resources than do employees. Mr. Bracero is dedicated to fighting for your rights. Whether you weren’t hired because of your race or you were subject to harassment based on your sex, you should consult Mr. Bracero or one of our other attorneys about the viability of a lawsuit.

Mr. Bracero attended Rutgers University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in history. He was named to the Chi Alpha Epsilon Honor Society, Dean’s List 2013-2015. He graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While attending law school, he served on National Law Guild Expungement Committee and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. He also served with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) Program.

Mr. Bracero brings a wide range of legal experience to his work as an attorney with the firm. He worked as a legal researcher and contributor at a law-based media company and as a legal proofreader for the American Intellectual Property Law Association. He also served as a Judicial Intern at the United States District Court of New Jersey in 2018. He was a hearings intern for Administrative Judge Allyson Jozwik in the same year. He also worked as a paralegal for the New York City Law Department.

Attorney Michelle Caiola

Michelle Caiola is an accomplished employment discrimination attorney at Phillips & Associates. She skillfully handles all facets of litigation, from inception through successful resolution, and is dedicated to a client-focused practice.

As a Senior Trial Attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Michelle expertly handled individual and class-action lawsuits pertaining to sexual harassment, race, national origin, age, and disability discrimination in the workplace. Among the many notable cases from her years at EEOC, she led a high-profile glass-ceiling sex discrimination lawsuit against Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley, which settled for $54 million. She also played a key role in litigating a large precedent-setting sexual harassment suit against Mitsubishi, a car manufacturing plant in Illinois, which settled for $34 million, and an important class-wide age discrimination suit against a major retailer, which settled for $3.5 million. Michelle was awarded EEOC’s highest honor, the EEOC Chair’s Organizational Award, three times.

While overseeing legal departments at Legal Momentum and then Equal Rights Advocates, two women’s rights non-profit organizations, Michelle focused on winning pregnancy and sex discrimination lawsuits on behalf of women law professors and service workers, as well as women working in non-traditional jobs, such as police officers, firefighters, shipyard workers, and tradeswomen. Michelle has been a strong advocate for women receiving workplace pregnancy accommodations and job protections related to domestic violence.

Michelle also has a wealth of experience litigating on behalf of people with disabilities. While serving as Managing Director of Disability Rights Advocates in New York City, she achieved numerous court victories and negotiated impactful settlements. In 2020, she was personally awarded the Law360 MVP based on highly significant legal rulings she obtained while litigating five separate class-action cases brought against the Metropolitan Transit Authority to achieve subway access for individuals that cannot use stairs due to a disability.

As a long-standing workplace advocate, Michelle has testified at government hearings and presented at employment discrimination conferences. She has co-authored several employment discrimination Amicus Briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court: Women’s Rights Organizations in Support of Respondent, Mach Mining, LLC v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (regarding a woman applicant for a coal mining position), November 2014; Law Professors and Women’s Rights Organizations in Support of Petitioner, Peggy Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc. (supporting pregnancy accommodations at work), May 2013.

Michelle attended Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and received her Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law. She completed her undergraduate degree at Kent State University in Ohio. Michelle is a member of the bar in New York and Missouri. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, Northern District of California, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States. She is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Disability Rights Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the City Bar of New York, and New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Attorney Greg Calliste

Gregory Calliste, Jr. is a Partner and employment discrimination attorney at Phillips & Associates. He possesses 17 years of experience handling criminal law and civil law matters, including employment law cases, at the federal, state and administrative levels. In addition to litigation it the trial courts, Mr. Calliste’s experience also includes appellate work in the New York State and federal courts.

Mr. Calliste graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Business Systems & Management from the State University of New York at Old Westbury in 1998. Following college, he worked at JP Morgan Chase. He received his J.D. from New York Law School in 2003. During law school, he was an associate at a NYC law firm, moving among multiple practice areas, including torts, personal injury and civil rights. Mr. Calliste also volunteered support (including help with estate and probate matters and obtaining federal assistance) to victims of the World Trade Center attack.

From 2004-2016, Mr. Calliste served as senior associate, managing a large caseload for a New York firm, wherein he litigated mostly complex civil rights cases against municipalities, private companies and individuals. Among other things, he successfully represented labor unions and union members in collective bargaining and employment-related matters. Mr. Calliste represented both Plaintiff and Defendants, including corporate and not-for-profit clients, in employment related matters. In 2010, he received the Public Interest Attorney of the Year award from the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center at Touro College.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Calliste has been involved in at least 100 trials and hearings, which includes proceedings in employment discrimination, police misconduct, municipal liability, personal injury / torts, criminal defense, family law and civil rights cases in various areas.

Attorney Dorina Cela

In advocating for employees, Dorina follows her passion and commitment to fighting for human rights in the workplace.

Dorina attended Hunter College in New York where she earned a B.A. with a double major in political science and psychology.

She decided to attend law school motivated by her ingrained desire to dedicate her work and career to advocating for human rights.

Dorina obtained her law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she earned awards for her study of international human rights law and pro bono legal services.

Since beginning her work as a zealous employee rights advocate with Phillips & Associates in 2014, Dorina has tirelessly and successfully represented clients who have been subjected to discrimination in the workplace in state and federal courts, mediations, arbitrations, and administrative agencies.

Dorina is fluent in Albanian, conversational in Italian, and familiar with French, German, and Spanish. She is admitted to the New York Bar, Federal Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of New York and is a member of the National Employment Lawyers' Association/New York and the New York City Bar Association.

Ms. Cela utilizes the rights given to employees by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State and New York City Civil Rights Laws to pursue legal action against employers for unlawful conduct. The Civil Rights Act and other state and local laws prohibit unequal treatment based on an individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, and other personal characteristics. Discrimination and harassment are two major categories of unlawful employer behavior. Discrimination occurs when an employer treats an employee or group of employees differently because of a protected personal trait. It may manifest through hiring, firing, demoting, providing benefits, or other employment decisions. Essentially, if an employer makes a decision based on a protected personal characteristic, it may have engaged in unlawful discrimination.

Employers may be liable for sexual harassment if they allow or create a hostile work environment, which is formed by behavior that either unreasonably interferes with the victim’s ability to do his or her job or creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile environment in the office. Another legally recognized form of sexual harassment is referred to as “quid pro quo” harassment, or behavior intended to elicit certain conduct from employees, such as going on a date with a supervisor, in exchange for a particular benefit, such as a raise or promotion. Sexual harassment is technically a form of gender discrimination, and employees affected by it may be able to receive a wide range of remedies, ranging from compensatory damages and backpay to potential reinstatement.

Ms. Cela attended Hunter College in New York and earned a B.A. with a double major in political science and psychology. She continued her education by obtaining a law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she earned awards for her study of international human rights law and pro bono legal services.

During law school, Ms. Cela advocated for the rights of indigent clients. As a certified law student at the San Diego Alternate Public Defender, she gained court experience by appearing on behalf of clients in probation hearings, under the supervision of senior attorneys. At a San Diego nonprofit, she studied the impact of economic, political, and social conditions of selected nations on individual clients’ pursuits of justice and assisted in the preparation of their asylum cases. These internships gave her a unique insight into individual struggles for human rights and dignity, which remain her inspiration for legal advocacy.

As an active member of her school’s Alternate Dispute Resolution team, Ms. Cela also learned valuable negotiation skills and strategies that have equipped her with the right tools to negotiate efficiently on behalf of her clients.

Since her graduation from law school, Ms. Cela has worked on a variety of cases, including immigration, securities, bankruptcy, and breach of contract matters. She is fluent in Albanian, conversational in Italian, and familiar with French, German, and Spanish. She is admitted to the New York Bar and is a member of the National Employment Lawyers’ Association in New York, the New York City Bar Association, the New York Women’s Bar Association, and the New York County Lawyers’ Association, where she serves on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, the Labor Relations & Employment Law Committee, and the Law and Literature Committee.

Attorney Shawn Clark

Shawn R. Clark is an experienced New York City employment lawyer at Phillips & Associates. Mr. Clark graduated in 2010 from New York University School of Law, where he was a Dean’s Scholar and an Articles Editor for the Journal of Legislation and Public Policy. He graduated magna cum laude from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts. He is admitted to practice in New York, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star on a yearly basis since 2015.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Clark began his legal career at the New York City Police Department and New York City Law Department as a legal fellow and Assistant Corporation Counsel. He then worked as an employment lawyer at a different law firm starting in 2014 before joining Phillips & Associates. There he frequently appeared as first and second chair in bench and jury trials in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. In one jury trial, he obtained a judgment of more than $500,000 as lead trial counsel for three plaintiffs. Mr. Clark has dedicated his career to securing justice for workers.

Attorney Joshua Friedman

Joshua M. Friedman is a New York City employment attorney at Phillips & Associates and an advocate for employees wronged by their employers. He graduated from Bentley University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance in 2009. He graduated from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center with a Juris Doctor in May 2012. He is admitted to the New York Bar and Massachusetts Bar, and is also admitted in the Eastern and Southern District Courts of New York.

Joshua started his career working at an employment litigation firm representing federal government employees in employment related disputes. Prior to joining Phillips and Associates Joshua also served as Senior Counsel for the New York City Law Department, where he resolved over 80 federal actions and tried four cases to verdict. Joshua has extensive appearance appearing in federal courts of the Southern and Eastern District of New York through all phases of discovery, motion practice, and trial.

Joshua’s practice focuses on employment related disputes including discrimination in the workplace. Discrimination occurs when an adverse employment decision is made based on an employee’s membership in a protected class, rather than his or her qualifications and experience. For example, if you are qualified but have been repeatedly passed over for a promotion to a management level position because you are a woman, since your boss does not think that women are appropriate for leadership roles, you may have a claim of sex discrimination.

Attorney Steven Fingerhut

Steven Fingerhut is a Partner at Phillips & Associates. He takes an aggressive approach in the representation of his clients and is proud to give a voice to those who may otherwise have none. Mr. Fingerhut has obtained over $7 Million in settlements for his clients in the past four years.

Most recently, Steven Fingerhut successfully tried a sexual harassment case to verdict in Queens County Supreme Court. He obtained a unanimous jury verdict for his client who was employed by the Defendants for less than 2 weeks. The Defendants were found guilty of sexual harassment, assault, battery, and an unlawful constructive discharge of the Plaintiff. The case was Grant v. Pexie Enterprises, Inc. and Carl A. Lashley, Index No.: 704041/2015. Defendants were represented by the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington. On March 30, 2022 the jury reached a verdict and awarded $112,000 in damages to the Plaintiff. The jury further found that the Plaintiff was not guilty of any of the counterclaims that were filed against her.

Previously, Steven Fingerhut, with co-counsel, also obtained a judgment at trial in the amount of $77,054.64 for their client who was discriminated against by her supervisor and wrongfully terminated from her employment due to her pregnancy. They successfully presented sufficient evidence and testimony for the jury to return a unanimous verdict in Plaintiff's favor. Weng v. Fancy Lee Sushi Bar & Grill, Inc., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 183657 (E.D.N.Y., Nov. 18, 2017).

Steven is committed to providing vigorous representation to individuals who have suffered from employment discrimination in New York City and need an attorney to protect their rights. He is a zealous advocate of those who have suffered sexual harassment or discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, disability and other protected traits. He is an active member of the National Employment Lawyers Association. In 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 he was selected by SuperLawyers as a "Rising Star" in New York. Super Lawyers recognizes no more than 2.5% of attorneys as Rising Stars in each state. Mr. Fingerhut has also been recognized by various other legal organizations such as the American Institute of Legal Counsel and the Lead Counsel Review Board.

Attorney Jonathan Goldhirsch

Mr. Goldhirsch graduated summa cum laude from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with a Bachelor's in Political Science. At graduation, Mr. Goldhirsch was named Salutatorian and received the Presidential Achievement scholarship.

He graduated from Maurice A. Drake School of Law at Hofstra University, where he received the Labor & Employment Graduate Award. While attending law school, Mr. Goldhirsch served as Research Editor on the Hofstra Law Labor & Employment Law Journal and participated in the Asylum Clinic.

Mr. Goldhirsch brings a wide range of legal experience to his work as an attorney with the firm. He has interned at governmental agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor, New York City Commission on Human Rights, and the New York City Law Department. These experiences have allowed Mr. Goldhirsch to become a knowledgeable, passionate advocate for workers' rights.

Mr. Goldhirsch is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Attorney Greg Kirschenbaum

Gregory Kirschenbaum is a New York City employment attorney at the law firm of Phillips and Associates who can handle the full spectrum of cases arising from violations of workplace rights. Mr. Kirschenbaum is passionate about helping people who need a sexual harassment lawyer or assistance with another claim. He enjoys seeing how cases unfold from start to finish and coming to work daily to advocate on behalf of those in need. Achieving positive resolutions makes the hard work worth it for him.

Mr. Kirschenbaum also has strong trial experience; acting as co-trial counsel in a number of cases, as well in the $2.2M verdict discrimination case: read more

Mr. Kirschenbaum received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Delaware. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School, where he was drawn toward the area of workers' rights. In law school, he won the Cali Award for a Collective Bargaining Workshop and obtained a prestigious Peggy Browning Fund Fellowship. He spent a 10-week fellowship working on labor law issues, contracts, and intellectual property issues at the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Mr. Kirschenbaum is admitted to practice in the state courts of New York as well as the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, running half-marathons, and enjoying down time with friends and family.

Many New York employers fail to meet their legal obligations to workers. Their misconduct ranges from harassing employees who belong to protected classes to failing to pay minimum wage or overtime. Employees may be afraid that they will lose their jobs if they complain about being mistreated, and that fear is often justified. In some cases, employers retaliate against employees who complain to HR or an agency, or file a claim in connection with legal violations. Retaliation is illegal under anti-discrimination and wage and hour laws, and it includes many types of adverse employment actions taken by employers to punish employees. At Phillips & Associates, we can help employees bring harassment, discrimination, wage and hour, and retaliation claims against their employers.

Attorney Darnisha Lewis-Bonilla

Ms. Lewis-Bonilla is seasoned trial counsel at our Long Island office. If you believe you may have a claim because you were treated unjustly at work due to your membership in a protected class, you should call the experienced New York City attorneys of Phillips & Associates. Our team has filed many lawsuits and understands which strategies are most likely to result in success.

Ms. Lewis-Bonilla graduated from the St. John’s University School of Law in Queens, New York with a Juris Doctor in June 2010. While in law school, she received a Ronald Brown Academic Scholarship and made the Dean’s List. She received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Insurance Law, Professional Responsibility & Legal Writing Seminar. She was a finalist in the Edward Hart Civil Internal Trial Competition. She was a semi-finalist in the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. She was a member of the Black Law Students Association, Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and an Advocate with the Courtroom Advocacy Project.

Ms. Lewis-Bonilla received her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, in English-Creative Writing from Hofstra University, Honors College of Arts and Sciences. She served on the Dean’s List during all semesters of college. She received a plethora of scholarships, including Presidential Scholars Award and a Horace & Amy Hagedorn Scholarship. She studied abroad at Hofstra University’s Honors College in Shanghai, China. She served on the Hofstra University Judicial Board as a Student Justice. She also served as a member of the Hofstra University Pre-law Society. She worked as a peer volunteer for Hofstra University Career Center.

After law school she litigated various matters, gaining a strong understanding of how best to present cases and develop winning strategies. Among other things, she worked as an Associate in a Nursing Home Unit, litigating nursing home abuse, neglect, and medical malpractice claims on behalf of injured parties. She prosecuted wage and hour employment law claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and local law on behalf of plaintiffs. She litigated as an Assistant Special Prosecutor, working collaboratively with criminal and civil investigators to investigate allegations of neglect and abuse. She also gained valuable trial experience working for the Bronx County District Office as an Assistant District Attorney and conducting complex investigations, Grand Jury presentations and felony hearings and trials.

Attorney Joseph Myers

Joseph Myers is an experienced Long Island employment lawyer at Phillips & Associates. He is dedicated to fighting for the rights of workers. Mr. Myers graduated in 2010 from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Classical Civilization. He graduated with Honors from the George Washington University Law School in 2014, where he was a Thurgood Marshall Scholar. During law school, he interned for the Honorable Susan G. Braden at the United States Court of Federal Claims. He also interned with the General Services Administration at the Office of Inspector General.

Mr. Myers began his career in litigation by working on complex multi-week arbitration. Subsequently, he worked as an associate at an employment law firm, managing more than 25 wage and hour and employment discrimination lawsuits. Prior to joining Phillips & Associates, Mr. Myers served as a senior associate at another employment law firm, where he also handled wage and hour and employment discrimination cases. Mr. Myers is admitted to the New York State Bar and the Virginia Bar.

Attorney Stefanie Shmil

Stefanie Shmil is a lawyer with the New York City employment discrimination law firm of Phillips & Associates. Ms. Shmil understands that workers are in an unequal relationship of power with their employers. When you are discriminated against by an employer, you may face grave setbacks in your career and face difficulty finding another job to pay the bills. There may be emotional fallout as well. As a worker who has been discriminated against, you may be afraid that nobody will believe you or that your employer will retaliate against you if you file a complaint. It’s important to have an experienced trial lawyer by your side to fight for you.

Ms. Shmil graduated from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology in May 2011. During her undergraduate years, she studied abroad at the University of Richmond in Rome, Italy. Ms. Shmil received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, and graduated with a concentration in trial and appellate advocacy. She was Team Captain for the Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity National Mock Trial Team.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Shmil was an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, where she handled a variety of complex cases and investigations, conducted grand jury presentations, and gained trial experience. During law school, she was a Student Prosecutor at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Shmil was also a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Michael Bolden, First Justice.

Ms. Shmil has been admitted to practice in the State of New York, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Attorney Silvia Stanciu

Silvia Stanciu is an employment litigator at Phillips & Associates, a law firm that serves all five boroughs of New York City and New Jersey. Ms. Stanciu grew up in Romania and has had a long-term interest in advocating for employee rights and fighting against workplace discrimination. She can assist people who need a New York City sexual harassment attorney or an employment attorney if their rights have been violated by their employers in other ways.

Ms. Stanciu graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Hofstra University’s Honors College Program and attended the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, graduating with her Juris Doctorate in 2015. During law school, Ms. Stanciu served as an e-board member of the Dispute Resolution Society and as an oralist in the international Vis Moot Arbitration competition in Vienna. She also graduated from the E. David Woycik, Jr. Intensive Trial Techniques program. Ms. Stanciu worked as a legal intern and later as an associate for Bryan Arcé, also an employment litigator at Phillips & Associates, prior to joining Phillips & Associates.

Ms. Stanciu is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey State and federal courts. She is fluent in Spanish and Romanian, and she is passionate about celebrating New York City’s diversity of language and culture. Ms. Stanciu is also a member of the New York City Bar Association and the New York Women’s Bar Association.

At Phillips & Associates, Ms. Stanciu handles cases involving failures by employers to meet their legal obligations. Employers have a number of obligations to their employees under both federal and state laws, including providing a safe workplace free from discrimination and harassment, and paying their employees according to the pertinent legal requirements.

Attorney Brittany Stevens

Ms. Brittany Stevens is an experienced sexual harassment and discrimination Partner at Phillips & Associates PLLC.  Ms. Stevens is a passionate litigator who believes strongly in civil rights and fairness in the work environment.  She has litigated numerous cases in federal and state court as well as arbitrations.  She regularly represents employees in cases involving discrimination and retaliations claims under Title VII, Section 1981, FMLA, ADEA, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law.  In addition, Ms. Stevens has extensive experience resolving cases prior to litigation where she regularly participates in mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution to achieve the best results for her clients.

In 2018, 2019, and 2020 Ms. Stevens was recognized as a "Rising Star" by New York Super Lawyers for her contributions in employment discrimination. Ms. Stevens has also been recognized as a "Best Attorney" by both the Best Attorneys of America Association and by the American Institute of Legal Counsel.   Most notably, Ms. Stevens has been added as a member of the "Million Dollar Advocates Forum" where she is recognized as a top trial lawyer in America.  The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers across America. 

Prior to joining Phillips & Associates, Ms. Stevens graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in business management.   After college, she graduated law school from the University of San Francisco School of Law.  During law school, Ms. Stevens interned for the Honorable Arthur Engoron in New York Supreme Court where she gained valuable insight into motion and trial practice.

Attorney Kelsey Tubman

Kelsey Tubman is an Associate Attorney with Phillips & Associates. Ms. Tubman is committed to fighting for clients who have been wronged or discriminated against. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against by your employer because of your membership in a protected class, you should discuss your situation with Ms. Tubman and the dedicated New York City employment lawyers of Phillips & Associates. We work diligently to determine the best possible outcome for all our clients.

Ms. Tubman graduated from California State University, Chico in Chico, California with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science - Legal Studies.

Ms. Tubman received her Juris Doctor Degree from American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. While in law school, Ms. Tubman was a staff member and Senior Editor on the Criminal Law Practitioner Brief. She was also a student attorney at the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office on the District Court Team and participated in a Judicial Internship at the D.C. Superior Court.

Prior to joining Phillips & Associates, Ms. Tubman was an Associate Attorney representing insurance companies and insured persons in labor law, employment law, medical malpractice, and premises liability matters. Ms. Tubman also served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Trial Division and Child Abuse and Sex Crime Bureau of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office where she gained valuable trial experience.

Attorney Jesse Weinstein

Jesse Weinstein is a Partner at Phillips & Associates. Since joining the firm, he has obtained over twelve million dollars in settlements for his clients through pre-suit negotiations, mediation, and litigation. His clientele has ranged from minimum wage workers to executives, and his multiple bar licenses have allowed him to prosecute employers throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Given his success, Jesse was granted membership to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum after securing a $1,500,000 settlement involving allegations of sexual assault and quid pro quo sexual harassment against a C-Suite executive for a major company in New York City. Some of his other notable results include a $740,000 settlement on behalf of a Fortune 50 company executive who was subject to disparate treatment and tokenization on the basis of her race, an $800,000 settlement on behalf of pharmaceutical company executive who was wrongfully terminated based upon his age, settlements of $675,000, $535,000, and $400,000 against three separate major financial institutions in New York City for sexual assault and sexual harassment, and a $325,000 settlement in a whistleblowing case that resolved on the first day of trial.

Most recently, Jesse tried a race discrimination case to verdict in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case was Pardovani v. Crown Building Maintenance Co. and Jazz at Lincoln Center, Inc., Case# 15-CV-09065. He obtained a unanimous jury verdict for his client for multiple claims of race discrimination. Having heard evidence that the client was repeatedly subjected to racial slurs by his non-Black supervisors, the jury awarded him $1,800,000 in damages.

He has also been a Super Lawyers "Rising Stars Honoree" in the New York City region since 2020 for his contributions in the field of employment discrimination. Finally, given Jesse's legal expertise, he has appeared on a legal panel for a national news channel and wrote several articles for notable legal publications.

Attorney Melissa Vo

Melissa Vo is a knowledgeable attorney at Phillips & Associates that understands how important it is to fight for those that have faced workplace harassment. If you have been discriminated against by an employer or harassed on the job because of your membership in a protected class, you should discuss your situation with Ms. Vo and the seasoned New York City employment discrimination lawyers of Phillips & Associates.

Ms. Vo graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and went on to earn her J.D. from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. While in Law school, Ms. Vo participated in the Integrated Trial Advocacy Program, was the Vice President of the Media and Communications Law Society, and Director of Community Relations in the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association.

Prior to joining Phillips & Associates, Ms. Vo served as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County’s District Attorney’s Office where she developed a passion for victims’ and civil rights.

Ms. Vo is admitted to practice in the State of New York and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

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