About Us
The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer specializes in all aspects of wage and hour law. We represent both individuals and small businesses with respect to claims of unpaid overtime, unpaid minimum wages, failure to pay tips and failure to pay in compliance with prevailing wage law. We also help small businesses comply with all aspects of Federal and New York State Labor Law.
By representing employees as well as employers, we have the necessary, well-rounded experience to skillfully advocate on behalf of our clients.
Our firm is equipped with dedicated professionals with the necessary intellect and experience to analyze each legal situation. Through our experience, we are confident that we can assist you in all aspects of wage and hour law.
For over the past 5 years we have successfully represented employees in all aspects of wage and hour law. We represent a variety of individuals for unpaid overtime, unpaid minimum wages, unpaid tips and failure to pay in accordance with the New York Prevailing Wage Law.
We have successfully ensured that waiters, construction workers, manicurists, cooks, dishwashers and busboys receive their unpaid wages and unpaid tips.
Representative cases in overtime disputes include:
On the management side, we have efficiently represented nail salons, construction companies, hardware companies and restaurants. We are able to resolve the majority of our management side cases prior to the commencement of litigation so as to ensure that our clients do not spend a significant amount on attorney fees. It is our philosophy that an early settlement in a wage and hour case usually results in the best possible outcome for our management side clients, as this allows them to focus on running their business.
Small Business Representation
The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer also represents small businesses. Our representation encompasses wage and hour compliance along with litigation. We understand the financial constrains of small businesses. Accordingly, we work diligently with our management side clients to develop a game plan that is financially feasible for both sides. We represent nail salons, restaurants, construction companies and hardware companies.
Our lawyers represent clients exclusively in employment related litigation. We have successfully represented small businesses in employment related matters in federal and state courts as well as the New York State Department of Labor as well as in arbitration and mediation.
While we have the experience and ability to defend small businesses through trial and appeal, we recognize that a take-no-prisoners approach to litigation is not always in our clients’ best interests. We pride ourselves in our ability to find the best solution for each particular wage and hour dispute.
Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act, the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law protect New Yorkers from discriminatory acts. These statutes make it against the law for an employer to discriminate against their employees on the basis of age, sex, pregnancy, race, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability as well as other categories.
It is also against the law for an employer to retaliate against an employee (or a prospective employee) for complaining of discrimination with respect to any of these protected categories. Unlawful retaliation does not just encompass an unlawful termination but also can potentially include a demotion, loss of benefits, failure to promote or reduction in salary.
The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer has successfully litigated countless employment discrimination claims. The focus is to resolve the claims efficiently without drawn out litigation. However, we recognize that cases often need to be “pushed” and aggressively litigated in order to obtain a strong result. Representative cases in employment discrimination include:
We engage in counseling on behalf of both individuals and small businesses. By representing both management and employees, we have the ability to see “both sides” in order to obtain the best possible outcome on behalf of our clients. We provide counseling in the following areas of law:
If you have worked in New York on a publicly funded project, you may be entitled to be paid the applicable prevailing wage. Our law firm frequently represents employees in prevailing wage cases.
Prevailing wage is the wage and benefit rate set annually by the New York City Comptroller for each trade or occupation for covered employees of contractors performing public works projects and building service work for New York City government agencies. Under New York Labor Law, employees who work on public works projects are guaranteed prevailing wages and related fringe benefits. If your employer failed to pay you correctly on a publicly funded project, then you may be entitled to significant monetary damages.
The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer’s accomplished team of attorneys and paralegals have significant experience in all facets of employment law. We are seasoned litigators whose focus is to advocate for and protect your rights. In addition to the staff listed below, we often collaborate with other experienced attorneys, depending on the nature of the case.
While the Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer’s primary focus is employment law, we also recognize the need to be a well balanced law firm so as to better serve our clients. Conrad Pollack, with over 30 years of experience, is of counsel to our firm and has assisted our clients in immigration related matters. Justin Heiferman works with us on wage and hour cases, and Joyce Lippman collaborates with us on discrimination cases.
Jacob Aronauer practices before federal and state courts and government agencies in all areas of workplace law, including overtime and pay disputes, employment discrimination, sexual harassment litigation, employment contracts and non-competition agreements. As a practitioner for over ten years in the labor and employment field, Jacob offers both individual employees and employers practical guidance on all aspects of employment law.
Jacob has worked as a labor and employment attorney at prestigious New York law firms as well as the New York City Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations. At the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations, Jacob served as an Assistant General Counsel for over four years in the Bloomberg Administration. At the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations, Jacob successfully represented New York City agencies, including the New York City Police Department, the New York City Fire Department and the Administration for Children Services in high profile employee terminations, unfair labor practices and contractual disputes. Jacob also worked at Greenwald Doherty where he advised small businesses with respect to overtime, discrimination and retaliation complaints.
Admitted to the New York Bar, Jacob is a graduate of Syracuse University and Suffolk University School of Law. In 2018, Super Lawyers® selected Jacob as a New York Metro Rising Star, a designation awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys.
Jacob lives in New York City. A self-admitted basketball junkie, Jacob can often be found playing pick-up basketball games in New York City and Westchester County. Jacob also takes great pride in his unwavering dedication to the New York Knicks, New York Jets and the Syracuse University “Orange” teams.
Recent Experience
– Represented a not-for profit in connection with claims of discrimination and defamation. Obtained a dismissal on a motion to dismiss.
– Represented an individual in restrictive covenant litigation in New York City. Obtained a favorable settlement.
– Represented a not-for profit before the New York State Division of Human Rights. Obtained a favorable settlement.
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2006
U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York, 2006
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, 2014
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2016
U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 2021
E-mail Jacob at jaronauer@aronauerlaw.com or call him at (212) 323-6980.
Justin Heiferman is the founding member of Heiferman & Associates, PLLC. Prior to starting his own practice, Justin worked for noteworthy institutions including the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Bureau, JP Morgan Chase, Jackson Lewis, BDO Seidman and Credit Suisse First Boston. Justin also spends his time volunteering with children and has been recognized with a service star for his contributions to the Children’s Aid Society. When not working, Justin is a lifelong tennis player who also spent many years as a DJ at New York City nightclubs and lounges.
Jacob and Justin initially met each other as adversaries. Initially opponents, they now collaborate with each other on unpaid wage cases.
Joyce Lippman has been a practicing attorney in New York for over 30 years. For a majority of that time she served as legal counsel to various New York City agencies, providing advice on employment law, contracts law, health law and ethics and conflict of interest law. As an employment lawyer, Joyce has extensive experience in defending and resolving discrimination charges brought before City, State and Federal human rights commissions. Joyce is skilled at providing legal counsel to executives and operating managers about providing EEO related training and strategies for preventing discrimination. Joyce is now working with Jacob to advise both employees and employers of how to successfully navigate the workplace.
Education
J.D. Brooklyn Law School
M.A. University of Connecticut
B.A. Cornell University
For nearly thirty years, Conrad has represented individuals as well as businesses, large and small, in all aspects of immigration law. Recently, Martindale-Hubbell awarded Conrad an AV overall peer rating of 5.0, which is the highest available possible ranking.
As the managing partner of Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP, Conrad has extensive experience in assisting individuals obtain family, employment, non-immigrant & investment-based visas. Conrad also is well-versed in defending his clients in removal proceedings to avoid deportation, as well as guiding families through the naturalization process. Conrad has extensive overall expertise within the immigration field, and regularly works with small and large organizations to help them meet their employee’s immigration needs.
Conrad lives in Westchester County with his wife and children, where the firm maintains a branch office. Conrad enjoys skiing, kite surfing, basketball and is an avid wine collector.
Education
J.D., cum laude, Brooklyn Law School, 1985
B.S., magna cum laude, New York University, 1981
E-mail Conrad at info@aronauerlaw.com or at call him at (212) 323-6980.
Yale Pollack, Esq. heads The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer’s Long Island Office in Melville, New York. Yale graduated from Colgate University in 2001, before attending Touro Law Center, where he served on Law Review and graduated manga cum laude in 2006. After graduating law school, Yale worked for prominent law firms on Long Island, where he gained extensive experience in employment law.
Yale’s experience in employment law incudes representing clients throughout all phases of agency and litigation matters, both on an individual and class-wide basis, on discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage and hour matters. When not litigating matters, Yale assists clients in day-to-day affairs by providing advice on employment issues, drafting employee handbooks and employment agreements (including restrictive covenant agreements), conducting training seminars, and negotiating severance agreements.
Since 2015, Yale has been the managing partner of The Law Offices of Yale Pollack, P.C. Yale’s practice is almost entirely devoted to employment law–both on behalf of employees and management. Over the past five years, Yale and Jacob have successfully collaborated on wage and hour lawsuits in Long Island as well as New York City.
Yale is admitted to the New York Bar, New Jersey Bar, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, and Second Circuit Court of Appeals. From 2012 through 2022, Yale has been named a “Super Lawyer,” a prestigious award that is only granted to 5% of all attorneys in their respective fields.
Yale lives in Long Island with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Yale coaches his boys, loves to travel, plays golf and is a passionate Mets and Dolphins fan.
Corey Shotwell is a paralegal with practical experience in employment law. Corey is knowledgeable with regard to wage and hour cases in NY, CT, and NJ and employment discrimination, especially under the New York City Human Rights Law. The most rewarding thing about being a paralegal at The Law Offices of Jacob Aronauer is working to represent members of our community who have been unfairly treated.
A native of Michigan, Corey currently lives in Connecticut where he also works as a freelance professional musician. He enjoys backpacking, struggling to keep plants alive, and drinking coffee.
Education
M.M.A., Yale University, 2020
M.M., Cleveland Institute of Music, 2014
B.M., summa cum laude, Western Michigan University, 2012
Karin Weston is a paralegal specializing in wage and hour cases under the Federal Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law. Karin also works on discrimination cases on the basis of pregnancy, disability, gender, race, national origin and religion.
Karin has an international background. While her family is originally from Washington State, Karin grew up overseas in Pakistan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Now a resident of Brooklyn, she sings classical music professionally as both a choral singer and a soloist.
Education
M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 2015
B.A., magna cum laude, Scripps College, 2012
E-mail Karin at kweston@aronauerlaw.com
College students and recent graduates may soon have cause to celebrate: employers are coming under increased scrutiny when it comes to unpaid internships. Following the success of interns suing for wages at Fox Searchlight and the recent $450,000 settlement in favor of Elite Model Management interns, the Second Circuit finds itself at the epicenter of […]
Alex Rodriguez’s future in baseball is tenuous at best. The Yankee third-baseman was originally suspended by Commissioner Bud Selig for a record 211 games. The discipline stemmed from violations of MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement (JDA). These violations included the use of performance enhancing drugs and the destruction of incriminating evidence. In response, Rodriguez noted that […]
In November 2013, the Second Circuit ruled against a class of Starbucks baristas claiming the Seattle-based coffee maker’s practice of allowing shift supervisors to participate in tip-pooling is illegal. Starbucks policy dictates that each store place a container at the counter where patrons may deposit tips. At the end of each week, the tips are […]
On January 1, Bill de Blasio was sworn in as Mayor of New York City. In his inaugural address, the former Public Advocate reiterated the egalitarian campaign theme that was successful enough to seize an office held by Republicans for the last 20 years. “When I said we would take dead aim at the Tale […]
A New York City Human Rights amendment signed into law on October 2, 2013 is set to take effect on January 30th. The new law requires employers with four or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. The law seeks to protect a group left vulnerable under a patchwork […]
In another blow to Detroit workers, GM has escaped liability on a 2007 obligation to pay $450 million to fund retiree medical benefits. GM was granted summary judgment after arguing its obligation to make the payment was extinguished by a later 2009 agreement entered into after it emerged from bankruptcy. The United Automobile, Aerospace, and […]
In a move that could have lasting implications for how corporations do business abroad, the 9th Circuit Court filed an opinion on December 19th holding that corporations can face liability for claims brought under the Alien Tort Statute. A class of plaintiffs of Malian descent has alleged they were illegally trafficked to the Ivory Coast […]
Fast-food workers are determined to make living wages a reality. Small concessions in Washington, California, New Jersey, and New York have done little to pacify the growing discontent of minimum wage earners in the fast-food industry. Indeed, they have captured the attention of the American public and do not intend to waste the opportunity. In […]
In an opinion filed December 5, Bankruptcy Judge Steven W. Rhodes ruled that the city of Detroit is eligible to file for bankruptcy. Perhaps more importantly for the 110 parties that unsuccessfully filed objections, Rhodes also ruled that “[p]ension benefits are a contractual obligation of a municipality and not entitled to any heightened protection in […]
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up almost 26% year-to-date. As the stock market continues on its rapidly ascending trajectory, so too has the call to raise the minimum wage. The federal minimum wage, which is currently pegged at $7.25 per hour, has not risen since 2009. In fact, when adjusted for inflation, it has […]