Premier New England Trial Attorneys
Employment Litigation

 We are proud to serve clients throughout New England.

New England Employment Litigation Attorneys

Defending You & Your Business in Your Time of Need

Melick & Porter, LLP has helped clients achieve successful results in a wide variety of employment cases involving allegations of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, and criminal record discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, wage and hour violations, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Our attorneys regularly appear at state and federal agencies as well as in state and federal courts. If you or your business is facing workplace allegations, our New England employment litigation attorneys can provide you with options and be by your side to defend you in court.

Our professional attorneys have decades of experience in the New England area. Contact us online or call (617) 523-6200 today!

Common Types of Employment Lawsuits

In employment law, some lawsuits occur more frequently than others – the most common types of lawsuits our employment litigation lawyers in New England are approached with include:

  • Employment discrimination: Most workers are protected from allegations of discrimination by the Civil Rights Act, which bars employers from discriminating against workers based on sex, race, religion, color, or national origin. Additionally, employers cannot discriminate against women due to pregnancy and must pay men and women the same wages if they perform the same amount of work in the same workplace.
  • Wrongful termination: This refers to the firing of an employee in violation of the law. Many employees file wrongful termination lawsuits that are based on allegations of discrimination, including older workers who cite ageism as the reason for their termination. Workers can also file lawsuits alleging retaliation, which refers to the firing, demotion, or harassment of workers as a form of punishment after they have filed a complaint or other lawsuit.
  • Wage law violations: Many employees file claims against their employers citing wage and hour violations, including being paid below minimum wage, having wages withheld, and failing to be paid for overtime work.
  • Breach of contract: Employers can also be accused of breach of contract by their employees if they believe them to not be complying with its terms. Common breaches of contract include a non-payment of wages or travel expenses that are owed, changes to terms and conditions without the consultation of the employee, a non-payment of holiday or sick pay that was included in the contract, and more.
  • Torts: There are two types of torts that can eventually lead to lawsuits against businesses, including unintentional torts and intentional torts. Unintentional torts, or negligence, typically involve personal injuries resulting from accidents, while intentional torts include false arrests, wrongful evictions, and more.

How to Avoid Workplace Lawsuits

While our employment litigation attorneys in New England can resolve your impending claims or lawsuits, we also provide counsel to businesses who are looking to avoid lawsuits or prepare in case one arises. Our team is well-versed on employment laws, rules, and regulations, and is able to share our knowledge with clients to help them safeguard their businesses.

You can avoid an employee lawsuit through the following:

  • Understanding laws and regulations regarding hiring practices, anti-discrimination, and workplace safety
  • Being prepared with insurance to protect yourself against a lawsuit
  • Providing safety training to all employees to prevent accidents and resulting injuries
  • Documenting everything, including employee records, performance reviews, and safety audits

How Our Team Can Help

We serve as panel counsel for many large insurers, represent companies in a variety of industries, and act as national coordinating counsel for a national professional employer organization. Employment litigation is a distraction from optimal business performance. Our goal is to minimize the burdens of litigation by providing aggressive and efficient representation at competitive rates so employers can prioritize their business needs. Mindful of the escalating costs of litigation, we collaborate with employers to develop appropriate human resources policies, train personnel on how to prevent discrimination and harassment, and draft employee handbooks to assist employers in managing their potential risk.

We are also active members of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Our team is informed on any new changes in employment law practices and is able to provide comprehensive education for our clients to help them grow their businesses and prevent any unnecessary interruptions that can potentially harm what they have built.

Our New England employment litigation attorneys are an award-winning team that can be trusted to put your business first from preparation to trial. Call (617) 523-6200 or contact us online!

Nationally-Recognized & Award-Winning Trial Attorneys

  • Stephanie E. Bendeck Photo
  • Mark S. Bodner Photo
  • Sophia P. Breene Photo
  • Alexandra D. Burroughs-Hood Photo
  • Christopher A. Costain Photo
  • Kyle P. Dutch Photo
  • Lauren S. Fackler Photo
  • Christian H. Hinrichsen Photo
  • Nicholas M. Luise Photo
  • Michael J. Mazurczak Photo
  • Robert P. Powers Photo
  • Kurt A. Rocha Photo
  • Lauren C. Roche Photo
  • Holly G. Rogers Photo
  • Stephanie E. Bendeck Photo
    Stephanie E. Bendeck

    Associate

    Stephanie Bendeck is a skilled and experienced trial attorney. She has tried over fifty cases, both jury and non-jury, and argued complicated motions involving complex legal issues to the court. She is experienced in preparing, defending, and cross-examining both lay and expert witnesses.

  • Mark S. Bodner Photo
    Mark S. Bodner

    Partner

    Mark is an experienced trial attorney with a focus on employment law and professional liability. Mark also has extensive experience handling product liability, construction, premises liability, unfair business practices, and general litigation matters. He represents clients in both federal and state courts.

  • Sophia P. Breene Photo
    Sophia P. Breene

    Associate

    Sophia is an Associate in Melick & Porter’s Boston office. Her practice focuses on the defense of complex liability matters in the areas of construction, premises, and automobile. She also handles employment law matters. Prior to joining the firm, Sophia was a public defender for several years in New Hampshire, where she represented juveniles and adults facing misdemeanor and serious felony criminal offenses.
  • Alexandra D. Burroughs-Hood Photo
    Alexandra D. Burroughs-Hood

    Associate

    Alexandra is an Associate in the firm's Boston office. Alexandra's practice focuses on the defense of employment practices, general liability cases and insurance coverage.

  • Christopher A. Costain Photo
    Christopher A. Costain

    Associate

    Chris is an Associate in Melick & Porter's Connecticut office. His practice focuses on defending individual and corporate clients in a wide range of civil litigation matters involving employment practices liability, premises liability, general liability, and insurance coverage issues.

  • Kyle P. Dutch Photo
    Kyle P. Dutch

    Associate

    Kyle is an Associate in Melick & Porter's Boston office.

    Kyle worked for various Philadelphia-area law firms while attending Drexel University's Thomas R. Kline School of Law. At Drexel, Kyle was the Lead Research Editor of the Drexel Law Review, a Dean's List honoree, a recipient of the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Workers' Compensation Law, a member of the Business Law Society, a full-tuition scholarship recipient, and a volunteer for the Student Bar Association mentor program.

  • Lauren S. Fackler Photo
    Lauren S. Fackler

    Partner

    Lauren is a Partner in the firm’s Boston office. Her practices focus on defending employment practices liability matters involving a variety of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. She also handles professional liability, general liability, and insurance coverage matters. Lauren represents clients in both state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies.

  • Christian H. Hinrichsen Photo
    Christian H. Hinrichsen

    Partner

    Christian has extensive experience in complex litigation matters, including bench and jury trials, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and mediations. His corporate counseling includes risk assessment and contract review. He is admitted to the state and federal courts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Christian's practice has earned him selections as a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer.”

  • Nicholas M. Luise Photo
    Nicholas M. Luise

    Associate

    Nick is an Associate in Melick & Porter's Boston office. His practice focuses on employment law, general liability, professional liability, and premises liability.

  • Michael J. Mazurczak Photo
    Michael J. Mazurczak

    Member

    Maz has been at Melick & Porter his entire legal career. He began as a Law Clerk in the summer of 1988 and joined the firm as an Associate in the fall of 1989. Maz has extensive experience in complex civil litigation matters, representing clients in both federal and state courts for over 30 years. A significant portion of his practice involves employment law and includes providing major national corporations with oversight and defense of their employment litigation.

  • Robert P. Powers Photo
    Robert P. Powers

    Member

    Bob joined the firm in 1984 after graduating from law school and has made it his professional home. In the years since, he has tried numerous jury cases in both federal and state courts involving a variety of civil matters, including professional malpractice, insurance coverage, and general liability claims. Bob oversees our firm's appellate practice and has successfully argued cases before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

  • Kurt A. Rocha Photo
    Kurt A. Rocha

    Partner

    Kurt is a Partner in the firm's Rhode Island office.  His practice encompasses premises liability, personal injury defense, and insurance law. He is admitted in three jurisdictions: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, as well as the United States District Courts for the District of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

  • Lauren C. Roche Photo
    Lauren C. Roche

    Associate

    Lauren is an associate in the firm’s Boston office. Lauren’s practice focuses primarily on the defense of complex general liability, premises liability, liquor liability, sexual abuse litigation, personal injury, construction, and employment law matters.

  • Holly G. Rogers Photo
    Holly G. Rogers

    Partner

    Holly Rogers has earned a reputation as a zealous and effective advocate. She practices from our Connecticut Office, which she also manages. Holly has extensive experience in complex litigation matters. She devotes the majority of her practice to representation of clients in employment and professional liability matters. Holly represents clients in both federal and state courts in Connecticut and New York, as well as before federal and state agencies. Holly has arbitrated and mediated numerous claims before the American Arbitration Association and other dispute resolution entities. She has authored articles on a variety of legal topics and has spoken on topics of interest before client groups and legal peers.

What Sets Us Apart

  • Client-Centered Approach
  • Well-Qualified & Accomplished Firm
  • Nationally Recognized Super Lawyers®
  • Seasoned Litigators & Appellate Attorneys
  • High-End Legal Representation
  • Track Record Of Client Success