New York City’s Civil Rights and Employment Law Firm
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is a preeminent social justice law firm advocating for clients in New York, throughout New England, and across the United States.
We handle complex cases involving public interest, employment law, civil and workers’ rights, and more. Our Manhattan office has served the public since 2004. It was one of the original offices of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and is currently our largest office.
Our Practice Areas
We have a demonstrated record of holding corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and other entities accountable for their wrongdoing.
Our case results have included multimillion-dollar settlements and awards on behalf of students, working-class people, C-suite executives, and municipalities. The verdicts we have achieved have set precedents in state and federal law.
Some of the matters we handle most frequently include: wage and hour disputes; discrimination based on race, gender, disability, religion, nation of origin or age; wrongful termination; whistleblower cases; opioid manufacturing and distribution lawsuits; and Securities and Exchange Commission violations.
Our New York office has unique experience representing students and faculty in cases against major universities, including Columbia University, New York University, and Harvard University.
Our offices in different areas of the U.S. collaborate regularly. As a result, we are capable of accepting large, demanding and niche claims that many other law firms would decline.
Office Location
Our office in downtown Manhattan is located on the southwest edge of Wall Street, adjacent to Battery Park. From our office, there are panoramic views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Manhattan skyline.
We are near several New York courthouses, including:
- U.S. District Court – Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York
- Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, First Judicial Department
- Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings
- Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Nearby parking garages include:
- State Pearl Garage
- 115 Broad St Garage
- Battery Parking
- Ocean Parking
- Icon Parking
- 55 Water St – Lot #23
The subway stops nearest to us are:
In addition to in-person visits, we can meet virtually using teleconferencing software. Client safety is our top priority, so we can implement social distancing and wear face masks, as necessary.
Meet Our Manhattan Staff
The roster for our team in New York is filled with highly accomplished attorneys. The lawyers in our New York office have graduated from top law schools in the country, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and NYU. Our attorneys have dedicated their careers to representing plaintiffs seeking justice from corporations and other institutions. We are honored by the recognition of the legal community for our work—with many of our attorneys receiving awards from Benchmark Litigation, Law360, Lawdragon, Bloomberg Law, and other organizations—but even prouder of the success we achieve for our clients.
In addition to practicing law, our attorneys are committed to serving the community through charity work. Some of the organizations we serve include The National Employment Lawyers Association/New York, the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem and CITYarts.
Notable Cases
In our time in practice, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight has achieved numerous settlements and awards in the multimillion-dollar range and has helped set precedents for employment law and other legal areas. Notable case results include:
- $253 million class action verdict in a gender discrimination lawsuit against Novartis
- $99 million class action settlement for claims of unpaid wages against Novartis
- $28 million class action settlement for claims of unpaid wages against AT&T
- $14.25 million class action settlement for female victims of Rabbi Bernard Freundel
- $14 million class action settlement against C&S Wholesale Grocers
- $13.75 million class action settlement in ERISA claim against Walgreens
This is just a short list of the many favorable outcomes we have delivered for our clients.
Recognizing Covid-19: In-Person and Virtual Appointments Available
Our firm is committed to protecting the health and safety of our clients and staff. We recognize the importance of flexibility and comfort in accessing our legal services and offer both in-person and virtual appointments. Your safety and legal needs are a priority, and we deliver the same high-quality legal services in the manner each client prefers.
Learn More in an Initial Consultation
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is prepared to advocate aggressively for the rights of workers and others against powerful entities that take advantage of them in New York City, New York State, and throughout the region and country. Prospective clients can learn more about our services by contacting our office to schedule an initial consultation.
Testimonial
“Very responsive and extra proactive”
Since the moment I met Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight I immediately could tell their professionalism and ethic was evident. In a city like New York City, it is not very easy to find compassionate lawyers, but I always felt I was heard and understood. . . . They made me feel confident about what I was fighting for, and I always felt they worked really hard for my case. They were always very responsive and extra proactive. . . . I could not be happier to have found them, and I could not be more pleased with the outcome and results for our case. I will forever be grateful of all the efforts Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight did to have made this happen. – A whistleblower
“Professional, caring, persistent, tenacious”
I was one of the very few women in an executive role. I survived by keeping my head down and consistently outperforming my male peers but was suddenly replaced by a man I suspected was paid more to perform the same job I did. We filed claims under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII. Despite the opposition’s constant delay tactics, which was almost three years’ worth, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight attorneys were professional, caring, persistent and tenacious … just the team I needed to battle the good ol’ boy culture that resonated throughout the private family conglomerate. — A former client, President and General Manager
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight
17 State Street
Suite 3700
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 646-512-8609
Our New York Team
David Sanford
Chairman
Jeremy Heisler
Co-Vice Chairman
H. Vincent McKnight Jr.
Co-Vice Chairman
Carolin Guentert
Co-Managing Partner of the New York Office
Michael Palmer
Co-Managing Partner of the New York Office
Nicole Wiitala
Managing Partner for Legal Personnel and Co-Ombudsperson
Russell Kornblith
Partner and General Counsel
David H. Tracey
Firm Managing Partner
Andrew Macurdy
New York Partner
Andrew Melzer
New York Partner
Scott Sullivan
Of Counsel
Sharon Kim
Senior Litigation Counsel
Kate MacMullin
Senior Litigation Counsel
Alok Nadig
Senior Litigation Counsel
Albert Powell
Staff Attorney
Susannah R. Cohen
Associate
Michael Greene
Chief Financial Officer
Clarissa David
Bookkeeper
Kiara Pagan
Human Resources Coordinator
Paul Brownfield
Media and Financial Services Litigation Specialist
Abigail Everett
Legal Intake and Operations Specialist
Elise Hasseltine
Legal Intake and Operations Specialist
Kaili Meier
Legal Intake and Operations Specialist
Emma Petite
Legal Intake and Operations Specialist
Lilly Grace Blakely
Senior Legal Assistant
Talia Koltun-Fromm
Senior Legal Assistant
Alexandra Saczawa
Senior Legal Assistant
Annabelle Wang
Senior Legal Assistant
Yuwen Wang
Senior Legal Assistant
Lesly Gissell Zhicay
Senior Legal Assistant
Chloe Arons
Legal Assistant
Animesh Joshi
Legal Assistant