Profile

Riane works in both the firm’s litigation and labor & employment departments. 

In her labor & employment practice, Riane provides training for supervisors and employees, conducts workplace investigations, and provides advice and counsel on day-to-day issues including policy administration, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, managing employee leaves of absence, and wage and hour compliance.

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  • Listed in:
    • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®, Labor and Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2021-2023
    • New York Super Lawyers®, Upstate New York Rising Star, Employment Litigation: Defense, 2020-2022
  • 2017 Recipient, NYSBA Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, The Honorable Judith S. Kaye Commercial and Federal Litigation Scholarship
  • New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section
  • Bar Association of Erie County
  • Women's Bar Association of the State of New York, Western New York Chapter
  • Editor, Syracuse Law Review

  • Currently defending several ongoing employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims in Federal Court and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and New York State Division of Human Rights.
  • Played an instrumental role in securing a seven-figure stipulated judgment in a commercial arbitration involving a former business owner’s breaches of non-competition and non-solicitation obligations and spoliation of evidence.
  • Successfully defended an unfair labor practice charge against a hospital system before the National Labor Relations Board. The case involved inflammatory buttons worn during a Union protest.
  • Won summary dismissal of a religious discrimination lawsuit against a local business in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York and successfully defended an appeal of the decision before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
  • Won summary judgment in favor of a large local municipality in a lawsuit involving claims of retaliation under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.
  • Successfully appealed an adverse summary judgment ruling in a breach of contract action and later got the case dismissed in New York State Supreme Court. The dismissal was unanimously upheld by a five-judge panel at the Appellate Division, Fourth Department.

  • Changes to NYS Human Rights Law, Bond Schoeneck & King Labor & Employment Law Seminar, Buffalo, New York, October 24, 2019
  • Confronting and Controlling Pay Equity Risks for New York Employers, Bond, Schoeneck & King Fall Breakfast Briefing, Buffalo, New York, October 8, 2019
  • Gender Identity and Expression Workplace Issues, Bond Schoeneck & King Workplace 2019, Buffalo, New York, June 13, 2019
  • Taking the Lead 2019: Winning Strategies and Techniques for Commercial Cases, New York State Bar Association CLE, March 12, 2019
  • Practical Tips and Ethical Considerations for Client Representation in the Digital Age: Attorney Advertising & Social Media, University at Buffalo School of Law & the Law Alumni Association’s GOLD Group CLE, February 6, 2019
  • Age Discrimination: Top Issues for Employers, Bond Schoeneck & King Labor & Employment Law Seminar, Buffalo, New York, October 16, 2018
  • Non-Competition and Trade Secrets, Bond Schoeneck & King Labor & Employment Law Seminar, Buffalo, New York, October 17, 2017
  • Documenting the Employment Relationship: From Offer Letter to Termination, Bond, Schoeneck & King Workplace 2017
  • Exploring the Ethical Implications of Social Media Use: Lessons to be Learned from the 2017 Updated NYSBA Social Media Ethics Guidelines, New York State Bar Association CLE, September 18, 2017
  • EEOC/SDHR, Bond Schoeneck & King Labor & Employment Law Seminar, Buffalo, New York, October 18, 2016
  • Safeguarding Employees’ Data and Protecting Your Data from Employees, Bond, Schoeneck & King Workplace 2016
  • FERPA Training, New York State Organization of Bursars & Business Administrators 2016 Annual Conference, June 13, 2016

  • Jessica Copeland and Riane Lafferty, "Recent WDNY Rulings Shine Spotlight on Election Laws and Forum Selection," New York Law Journal Western District Roundup, October 27, 2021.
  • Jessica Copeland and Riane Lafferty, "Cases Tackle Two Discovery Issues: Privilege Waiver and Sanctions," New York Law Journal Western District Roundup, July 29, 2021.
  • Emerging Attorney, Buffalo Business First, February 4, 2019, https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2019/02/04/emerging-attorney-riane-lafferty.html
  • Riane F. Lafferty and Sharon M. Porcellio, “Noteworthy Reminders on Venue and Preliminary Injunction,” New York Law Journal Western District Roundup, July 22, 2016.
  • Charles D. Grieco and Riane F. Lafferty, “Hospitality: New Regulations for Tipped Employees in the Hospitality Industry,” New York State Brewers Association Blog, January 4, 2016.
  • Riane F. Lafferty, “Workin' on our Nite Moves: A Pole-Arized Application of a Sales Tax Exemption to Exotic Dance,” 64 Syracuse L. Rev. 171, 2014.

  • For Every Little Handprint, Board Member
  • Leadership Buffalo, Rising Leader Class of 2018