Michael A. Miranda

Firm: Miranda Slone Sklarin Verveniotis LLP (MSSSV)
Location: Mineola – NY

• 240 Mineola Boulevard
  The Esposito Building
  Mineola, NY 11501

Michael Miranda attended Colgate University, graduating in 1983. He graduated from The New York Law School in 1986. He was Articles Editor of The New York Law School Journal for Comparative and International Law. His article, “An Analysis of the Tort Exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act,” was published at 7 N.Y.L.S.J. INT’L COMP L. 281(1985).

He was admitted to practice in New Jersey in 1986 and in New York in 1987, as well as the relevant Federal courts for these jurisdictions.

EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING & LITIGATION

Mike leads the employment practices counseling and litigation group. He serves as outside counsel to a number of private companies to deal with their everyday employment issues, as well as defend them when they face litigation. He also has helped companies set up HR departments and establish appropriate protocol. He has given numerous seminars to clients to ensure compliance with the Federal and State wage and hour laws; sexual harassment seminars to employees and management; and as well as overall anti-discrimination training. His goal is to avoid litigation in giving these seminars and to educate the business and municipal community.

EMPLOYMENT / MUNICIPAL LITIGATION / TRIALS

He also has developed a specialty in defending wage, overtime, uniform, and spread of hours claims pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law. Mike has often defended private and public employers in disputes ranging from sexual harassment to racial discrimination to retaliation. In particular, he has achieved the following victories:

• Bartels v. Lloyd Harbor et al: In a hard-fought 3 week Federal jury trial, Mike prevailed over the substantial claims of a media personality who believed that his First Amendment free speech rights were trampled by a Village and its police force. The plaintiff made a myriad of clams including false arrest. The jury appreciated the client’s legitimate reasons for regulating his speech and/or otherwise dealing with him.
• Lynn v Pomona: In a Federal retaliation case that garnered substantial media attention since plaintiff’s house was unfortunately burned down during in course of the ligation, Mike prevailed on summary judgment dismissing all of the plaintiff -developer’s Retaliation and Fair Housing Act Discrimination claims. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals also agreed after oral argument that plaintiff’s claims should be completely dismissed.
• Tara v. Village of Briarcliff Manor: Plaintiffs gained substantial press notoriety by alleging that the Village of Briarcliff Manor was anti-Irish in opposing their application for a Gaelic facility. Mike obtained summary judgment, arguing that the plaintiffs had not sustained any constitutional injury. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York agreed, and dismissed the entire complaint before one deposition was taken or one document exchanged.
• Puglisi v. Tuckahoe: Plaintiff asserted that the Village was selectively enforcing its building code in retaliation for his renting to African-Americans. The District Court, by Judge Motley, disagreed, and dismissed the complaint before trial. Mike not only obtained a complete victory, he convinced Judge Motley that the case was utterly frivolous, and he succeeded in obtaining over $30,000 in attorney’s fees from plaintiff. Mike retained both the dismissal and attorney’s fees award on appeal in the Second Circuit.
• Griffin v. Liberty: Plaintiff was the President of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce, and he claimed that various police officers falsely arrested him. Mike obtained a verdict for the defense.
• Kovalsky v. Haverstraw: Mike obtained a defense verdict for the Village of Haverstraw and its police officers, who were charged with breaking the arm of a prisoner during an arrest. Mike used a doctor to demonstrate that the injury suffered by the plaintiff could not have been sustained in connection with the arrest.
• Shim v. Village of Lynbrook: Mike obtained a defense verdict in a racial discrimination/false arrest case. Plaintiffs had asserted that they were arrested solely because they are black and that, in reality, at the time of the arrest, they were simply returning important belongings to plaintiff’s house. The jury deliberated less than an hour in reaching a verdict for the Village and the officers on qualified immunity grounds.
• Ricciutti v. The City of New York and Henry Lopez: The case involved serious charges of fabrication of police records and police misconduct. Mike and co-counsel obtained federal court defense verdicts for all defendants.
• Summit and Schechter v. Village of Pomona: After a two week jury trial, a Rockland County jury rejected a developer’s claims that he had been stymied in his development of a large subdivision. The developer claimed, in a hard-fought 10 year battle, that the Village of Pomona had repeatedly and illegally asked for money in lieu of the donation of parkland. The developer thus sought damages for a substantive due process violation under 42 U.S.C. 1983. The case was modeled on the famous Magee v. Orangetown $5.3 million verdict.

MSSSV

Founded in July, 1998, Miranda Slone Sklarin Verveniotis has grown to a firm of over twenty lawyers. We are continuing to grow because we understand that our clients hire us for service, and we listen to their needs. We have the size to handle substantial matters while still maintaining the personal touch and partner supervision that makes MSSSV unique.

Jan Michele West has been a member of Goldberg Simpson since 2000. She practices in the areas of employment litigation and business/commercial litigation. Ms. West represents employers and employees in litigation regarding race, gender and age discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment and disputes involving non-compete agreements, confidentiality agreements and employment agreements. She also represents employers and employees in EEOC claims.

A large part of her practice involves preventing clients from becoming involved in litigation. For example, she frequently advises employers prior to terminating employees as to their potential liability. She routinely reviews non-compete agreements for employees and also drafts and reviews employment contracts and employee handbooks. Jan advises employers regarding compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers are required to properly classify employees as “exempt” or “non-exempt” from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the statute and she advises employers as to whether they have properly classified employees and assists them in the event of an audit by the Department of Labor.  Jan also advises employers on compliance with other state and federal statutes including the Family Medical Leave Act and the Federal and Kentucky Civil Rights Acts.

Ms. West is an arbitrator and a member of the commercial arbitration panel and the consumer panel of the American Arbitration Association through which she has heard and decided numerous contract disputes. She is also a member of the National Board of Arbitrators of the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and has represented clients in disputes between securities brokers/dealers and their customers.

Ms. West was honored by Business First in 2001 as one of “40 under 40” leaders under the age of 40 who are making significant contributions to the Greater Louisville area. She was a founding member and president of the Executive Women’s Golf Association. Ms. West served as secretary of the National Association of Women Business Owners (“NAWBO”) in 2001 and was elected vice-president in charge of membership in 2002. She was on the board of the Business and Professional Women in River City for two years. Ms. West served as co-chair of the Susan Komen Race for the Cure in Louisville in 1999 and was a board member of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival for three years. In 2019, Ms. West was elected to the Clearpath Mutual Board of Directors, and was selected to be included in the 26th edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Litigation – Labor and Employment. This selection is based on a peer review survey and Ms. West now ranks among the top 5% of private practice attorneys nationwide. Ms. West has been selected as a Kentucky Super Lawyer in business litigation for 2008-2016 and 2019-2021. Ms. West is also a member of the Louisville Zoo Foundation Board, the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Board of Directors, and the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents, where she serves as Board Secretary, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, and a member of the Nominating Committee.

Accolades

• Honors: Delta Theta Phi
• Business First’s “40 under 40” leader in 2001
• Super Lawyer
• Peer elected top lawyer in Louisville
• Featured in Louisville Magazine in 2016

University of Louisville School of Law, J.D. (1990)
Western Kentucky University, B.A., Cum Laude (1987)

Kentucky (1990) U.S. District Court Western District of Kentucky (1991) U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Goldberg Simpson, LLC

“Family,” “community” and “welcoming” are not words that might typically be used when describing a successful law firm. Yet, they are the perfect words to describe Goldberg Simpson. The culture is distinct and unexpected. Clients and associates alike discover a clear sense of community immediately upon walking into the offices in Louisville, Kentucky, and it’s an environment that breeds longevity for both groups. The result is a staff that works in harmony with each other and their clients – in many cases, for decades.

This culture also breeds a natural connection to being involved in the Louisville community. Goldberg Simpson, as a firm, is involved in a number of civic and cultural areas. The firm also encourages attorneys to be involved, individually, in the culture as well. It is the philosophy of Goldberg Simpson that being an active part of the community allows us to serve our clients better.

Raymond M. Deeny

Firm: Sherman & Howard L.L.C.
Location: Colorado Springs – CO

• 90 South Cascade Avenue Suite 1500
  Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
  USA

Raymond Deeny is a leading national employment lawyer, he combines a robust practice in traditional labor law with unrivaled success in federal and state court jury trials on employment-related claims. Each year, Ray arbitrates 50 or more cases across the country, participates in numerous NLRB proceedings, and represents companies in three to four employment-related trials. The vast majority of his trials are presented to juries and result in pro-employer verdicts. Ray has been lead counsel in numerous class and collective actions, including defending litigation brought by the EEOC. Ray also advises nationally known employers on labor- and employee-relations matters ranging from collective bargaining, discipline, and management policies, to layoff and discharge. Ray has built his expertise in this broad combination of practice areas over 40 years of management representation.

Honors And Awards

• Premier Employment Lawyers 
  Featured Attorney Colorado Springs 2019
• Top Attorney – Employment Law Colorado Springs Style Magazine

  2014, 2017-2018

• Super Lawyer Super Lawyers

  2006 – 2018

• Best Lawyer Best Lawyers in America

  2012-2019

• Band 2 – Labor & Employment (Colorado) Chambers USA

  2004-2018

• People’s Choice, Best Employment Lawyer for Defendants Law Week Colorado Barrister’s Best

  2017

• Lawyer of the Year  – Labor Law Management (Denver, CO) Best Lawyers in America

  2012, 2013, 2019

Sherman & Howard L.L.C.

Sherman & Howard L.L.C. is a regional firm with a national practice. Our over 180 lawyers serve a broad range of clients, including individuals, privately held businesses, multi-national corporations and government entities. We also provide counsel to in-house legal departments and to other law firms that require our distinctive experience. Our multidisciplinary attorney teams coordinate between practice groups and offices to provide the scope and depth of legal skill necessary to serve our clients most successfully.

Our client relationships are built on a shared vision that creates and sustains not only individuals, but also organizations with long-term commitments to their communities, their shareholders and their employees. The attorneys and staff at Sherman & Howard are proud to continue the Firm’s long tradition of providing high-quality legal and business solutions.

Daphne Anneet is an experienced litigator, labor negotiator, and investigator.  Daphne is Chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and Vice-Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.  She has also served as a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

A skilled litigator, Daphne has achieved excellent results for clients in state and federal court, as well as in arbitrations and administrative proceedings.  She represents public and private entities in matters ranging from class actions, discrimination, harassment, whistleblower retaliation, wage and hour, worker misclassification, pension, civil rights, unfair labor practice disputes, false claims, and disciplinary appeals.  As lead defense counsel in numerous class actions and complex litigation, Daphne has a proven track record of achieving successful results in a variety of creative and cost-effective ways.  A graduate of the LA County Bar Association’s Trial Advocacy Project, Daphne has served as a pro bono prosecutor.

Daphne serves as the lead negotiator for employers during collective bargaining.  She has successfully negotiated challenging and sensitive issues such as contracting out of fire services and waste management services, salary and health benefit concessions, furloughs, layoffs, changes to retiree medical benefits, and changes to pension benefit formulas and contributions.  Daphne also has experience representing employers during fact finding proceedings.

As an investigator, Daphne has earned the distinction of Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder (AWI-CH). She conducts independent investigations of complaints involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, workplace misconduct, and alleged conflicts of interest.  She also enjoys training and has written and lectured on a wide array of employment issues for many organizations at their annual training conferences and conventions.

In recent years, Daphne has taken on the role of General Counsel to local commissions. She serves as General Counsel to the City of Coronado’s Civil Service Commission.  She has also served as General Counsel to the Simi Valley Disciplinary Appeal Board.

A team builder and team player, Daphne brings together superior litigation skills and subject matter expertise within the firm to develop winning litigation strategies.  Daphne thrives on developing a deep knowledge of the client, its mission, structure and governance, practices and culture, and expectations of defense counsel.  Her success is rooted in her proactive approach and deep commitment to building strong relationships with every member of the defense team, providing regular client communication, and building consensus on the defense strategy.

Daphne received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Southwestern Law School, where she was awarded the Outstanding Woman Legal Graduate Award. She has been honored to serve on Southwestern’s Board of Trustees.

Daphne is a Past Executive Committee Member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the LA County Bar Association, an affiliate member of CALPELRA, and a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators.  She is a Past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, LA Chapter.  She has supported her local community as a soccer coach and member of the boards of AYSO – American Youth Soccer Organization and MHS Arts Angels.

EDUCATION

• J.D., magna cum laude Southwestern Law School
• M.A., University of California, San Diego
• B.A., Trinity College, University of Toronto

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of California
• United States District Court for the Central District of California

AFFILIATIONS

• California Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Affiliate Member
• Association of Workplace Investigators
• Labor and Employment Law Section of the LACBA, Past Executive Board Member
• National Association of Women Business Owners-LA (NAWBO LA), Past President

Dean Falavolito is a leading Pennsylvania employment attorney who has over a 14 years of experience representing businesses and individuals in a wide variety of civil litigation and contract matters. Dean has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star each year since 2014. He has been Peer Rated “AV Preeminent” for the Highest Level of Professional Excellence by Martindale Huddle for each of the past 4 years.

Dean’s litigation experience includes commercial, contact, construction, insurance and employment litigation. Dean’s level of experience extends all the way to the courtroom, where, in the past 3 years, he has first-chaired 2 jury trials to defense verdicts.

In addition to his litigation experience, Dean also counsels his clients on a wide variety of day-to-day legal matters including issues with human resources, contracts, and property agreements. Dean also serves as general counsel for a local construction company where he provides a wide range of legal advice and support.

When not in the office or courtroom, Dean enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, who keep him happily busy.

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2014-2018) Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent (2014-2018) Premier Employment Lawyer Featured Lawyer Carnegie (2019)

ALM, “Top Rated Lawyer, Labor and Employment” (2016)

SELECTED TRIAL EXPERIENCE

• Johnson v. NEED (U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania). In this religious discrimination claim, alleging failure to accommodate religious beliefs and retaliation against a Pittsburgh area non-profit, Mr. Falavolito was first-chair for the Defendant. After a week-long trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the employer.
• Baughman v. Cheung Enterprises (U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania). This was a disability and age discrimination case against a McDonald’s franchise. Mr. Falavolito won summary judgment on the disability discrimination claim and first-chaired a three day trial where the jury returned a verdict for the employer on the age discrimination claim.
• Schmidt v. Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania). This disability discrimination case focused on an employer’s obligations when an employee is in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Mr. Falavolito won full summary judgment for the Turnpike Commission, with the Judge ruling that the employer met its obligations under the ADA and was not otherwise prevented from terminating the Plaintiff for failure to follow work procedures.
• Cline v. GAI Consultants, Inc. (U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania). In this disability and age discrimination case, Mr. Falavolito achieved summary judgment on the disability discrimination claim and was able to resolve the age discrimination case the day before jury selection for a fraction of the original amount in dispute.
• National Labor Relations Board v. MCPc, Inc. (Third Circuit Court of Appeals). In this Unfair Labor Practice Charge filed by the NLRB, Mr. Falavolito successfully argued to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that the Administrative Law Judge’s decision against the employer was not based on the correct legal standard and against the weight of evidence. In a precedential decision, the Court of Appeals agreed, and reversed and remanded the ALJ’s decision to apply the correct legal and evidentiary standard.

Ms. White, a partner of Anderson, Julian & Hull LLP, has established an extensive employment and education law practice. She has also completed the training necessary to qualify as a mediator.

In the area of employment law, Ms. White works directly with employers to address:

• Business policies and practices
• Benefits
• Discipline and termination
• Hiring procedures

Ms. White has also handled matters for various employers with the Idaho Human Rights Commission, the EEOC and the Office of Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education.

In the area of education law, Ms. White works directly with school district administrators and board members to provide legal guidance and representation in various areas including:

• Negotiation of Master Agreements
• Student discipline and expulsion
• Evaluation of policies and procedures
• Employee discipline, suspension, probation, and termination
• Investigations
• Due process hearings
• School funding
• Employee mediation
• Employee ADA accommodations and FMLA considerations

She is an active contributor and editor to the publication The Law of Education in Idaho, the leading authority on Education Law.

Ms. White presents numerous times each year to various School Boards, trustees, teachers and administrators.

She has presented to various committees at the Idaho Legislature relative to various proposed education laws, both with regard to traditional public schools and public charter schools. She has additionally provided individual training seminars to numerous groups within the educational arena.

Admissions:

Ms. White is admitted to all state courts in the State of Idaho; United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; the United States District Court for the District of Idaho; and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Ms. White has been a member of the Idaho State Bar; the American Bar Association; the Federal Bar Association, Idaho Chapter; the Idaho Association of Defense Counsel; Phi Delta Phi; American Inns of Court No. 130; and the Defense Research Institute.

Trained and Certified as a Mediator

• Experience in mediating workplace disputes between personnel
• Attorney Fee disputes for Idaho State Bar – both as a Mediator and an Arbitrator
• Works with governmental entities regarding drafting and editing of proposed legislation
• Personnel Investigations
• ADA facilitation of the Interactive Process

Education

• She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University in 1989.
• She completed graduate course work in the fields of Criminology and Public Administration.
• She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1992.
• She was awarded Dean’s Honor Roll (1991-1992).
• Member, Owens, California Forms and Procedures Journal (1989-1990).
• She was selected as Comments Editor by her fellow journal members.

Significant Cases

• Ferguson v. Coregis Ins. Co., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62327 (August 30, 2006)
• Hancock v. Idaho Falls School Dist. No. 91, 2006 U.S, Dist. LEXIS 52243 9 July 27, 2006).
• Dion v. Parma School Disrict No. 137, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13273 (March 9, 2006).
• Martin v. School District No. 394, 393 F. Suppl 2d 1028 (July 14, 2005).
• Rose v. Loos, 130 Fed. Appx. 78, U.S. Supreme Court certiorari denied, 162 L. Ed. 2d 281, 125 S.Ct 2551 (U.S., June 6. 2005).

Anderson, Julian & Hull LLP.

Although Idaho is an “at will” employment state, claims for wrongful termination are not uncommon. Regardless of the employment scenario, the extensive experience of the employment attorneys at Anderson, Julian & Hull will ensure your case will be properly reviewed, analyzed and litigated.