Profile

Laura regularly counsels school district clients in all aspects of the employment relationship. Her practice includes discrimination and harassment claims brought by or on behalf of students.

Laura defends school districts against harassment and discrimination claims in federal court as well as before the New York State Division of Human Rights, and she represents school district clients in Civil Service (Section 75) hearings, teacher dismissal proceedings (Section 3020-a) and arbitrations pursuant to collective bargaining agreements. Laura's practice includes in-house anti-harassment training for teachers, administrators and other district employees.

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  • Listed in:
    • The Best Lawyers in America®, Education Law; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2010-2024 (listed for 15 years)
      • Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse) Labor Law - Management, 2019, 2024
      • Lawyer of the Year (Syracuse), Employment Law - Management, 2017; 2014; 2023
    • New York Super Lawyers®, Employment and Labor, 2023 (listed for more than 10 years)
    • Chambers USA 2023, Labor & Employment – Upstate New York
    • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Rated
  • Syracuse Law Review Alumni Achievement Award, 2021
  • New York State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section of the Continuing Legal Education Committee
  • Onondaga County Bar Association
  • Order of the Coif

  • 2021 Legislative Update, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, June 10, 2021
  • Valuing Women’s Work, Onondaga County Bar Association, April 21, 2021
  • 2020: The Most Challenging Year, CNY SHRM Annual Conference, Keynote Speech, September 29, 2020 
  • Recruiting & Hiring in a Remote Work World, CenterState CEO, June 10, 2020
  • Legal Questions in the Modern Workplace, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York Winter Conference 2020, January 27, 2020
  • Ethical Considerations in Employment Discrimination Cases, Employment Discrimination Law & Litigation 2018, Practising Law Institute, June 18, 2018
  • Sexual Harassment: What Management Needs to Know in the Current Cultural and Legal Climate, Management by Menu #partnerinchange, 2018 Maines Food Show, May 15, 2018
  • Interviewed in “Preventing Sexual Harassment: A Way Forward,” Connect NY, produced by WCNY, January 29, 2018
  • Panel Member, Sticky Issues in Faculty Discrimination - Legal Update and Practice Pointers, NACUA CLE Workshop, March 30, 2017
  • ADA/Section 504, Employment Law Alliance Webinar, September 22, 2015
  • Employment Law Update, Central New York Society for Human Resource Management, January 27, 2015

  • Quoted in “‘Ugly’ Policy Alleged at NBC: Only Beautiful People Need Apply,” HR Today, August 8, 2017
  • "New NYC Rules For Accommodating Pregnant Employees Take Effect," HR Specialist, New York Employment Law, January 2014
  • Harshbarger, "Employer Liability for Supervisor Harassment, After Ellerth and Faragher," Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, Vol. 6, Spring 1999, No. 1

  • Onondaga County Bar Association, Past Board Member