Upholding the Rights of Employees and Consumers
Rachel is a partner in our New York office, with a practice primarily dedicated to consumer protection and employment law cases. Currently, Rachel is litigating a series of cases involving consumer fraud in the credit card and mortgage industries, and is representing female employees of Bank of America who allege gender discrimination.
Rachel’s recent successes include negotiating a settlement valued at up to $35 million for 88,000 Wal-Mart workers in Washington State who alleged they were deprived of meal and rest breaks and forced to work off-the-clock at Wal-Mart stores; litigating one of the largest False Claims Act cases in history where the government did not intervene, resulting in a $78.5 million settlement against the University of Phoenix; and resolving a false advertising lawsuit against Dell on behalf of online purchasers of Dell computers.
Rachel has spoken and written extensively on class action and employment law topics. She just completed a term as the Employee-Side Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of the American Bar Association's Labor and Employment section. Rachel has also been an adjunct law professor, teaching international employment law.
Awards & Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America, based on peer and blue ribbon panel review, selected for list of "The New York Area's Best Lawyers," 2011
- "Rising Star for New York," Super Lawyers, 2011
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- Distinguished Honor Award, United States Department of State, October 2001
Prior Employment
- Adjunct Professor, New York Law School
- Special Advisor, United States Mission to the United Nations, 2000
- Law Clerk to Judge Constance Baker Motley, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1997-1998
Publications & Presentations (selected)
- Panelist, "Wal-Mart v. Dukes: Practical Implications of the Supreme Court's Landmark Class Action Ruling," Law Seminars International (2011)
- Panelist, "Drafting Class Action Complaints," New York State Bar Association (2011)
- Participant and Moderator, "Ask the EEOC: Current Insights on Enforcement and Litigation," ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law (2011)
- Moderator, "Hot Topics in Wage and Hour Class and Collective Actions," American Association for Justice Tele-Seminar (2010)
- The New York Employee Advocate, Co-Editor (2005-2009)
- Author & Panelist, "Class Action Considerations: Certification, Settlement, and More," American Conference Institute Advanced Forum (2009)
- Panelist, "Rights Without Remedies," American Constitutional Society National Convention, Revitalizing Our Democracy: Progress and Possibilities (2008)
- Panelist, "Fair Measure: Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations," American Bar Association Annual Meeting (2008)
- Panelist, "Getting to Know You: Use and Misuse of Selection Devices for Hiring and Promotion," ABA Labor & Employment Section Annual Meeting (2008)
- Author, "'Don’t I Think I Know You Already?': Excessive Subjective Decision-Making as an Improper Tool for Hiring and Promotion," ABA Labor & Employment Section Annual Meeting (2008)
- Co-Author & Panelist, "Ethical Issues in Representing Workers in Wage & Hour Actions," Representing Workers in Individual & Collective Actions under the FLSA (2007)
- Author & Panelist, "Evidence and Jury Instructions in FLSA Actions," Georgetown Law Center/ALI-ABA (2007)
- Author & Panelist, "Crucial Events in the 'Life' of a FLSA Collective Action: Filing Considerations and Two-Step 'Similarly-Situated' Analysis," National Employment Lawyers Association, Annual Convention (2006)
- Author & Panelist, "Time is Money, Except When It's Not: Compensable Time and the FLSA," National Employment Lawyers Association, Impact Litigation Conference (2005)
- Panelist, "Electronic Discovery," Federal Judicial Center & Institute of Judicial Administration, Workshop on Employment Law for Federal Judges (2005)
- "Image-Based Discrimination and the BFOQ Defense," EEO Today: The Newsletter of the EEO Committee of the ABA's Section of Labor and Employment Law, Vol. 9, Issue 1 (2004)
- "Fair Labor Standards Act Overtime Exemptions: Proposed Regulatory Changes," New York State Bar Association Labor and Employment Newsletter (2004)
- Chair & Panelist, “Current Topics in Fair Labor Standards Act Litigation,” Conference, Association of the Bar of the City of New York (2003)
- Moderator, “Workforce Without Borders,” ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law EEOC Midwinter Meeting (2003)
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