Jonathan L. Shapiro’s practice focuses on all aspects of employment-related litigation and disputes before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and alternative dispute resolution bodies. Jonathan’s experience includes defense of claims of discrimination, harassment/hostile work environment, retaliation, wrongful termination and whistleblowing; disputes involving the enforcement of employment contracts and non-competition/non-solicitation covenants; and tort claims arising out of the employment relationship, such as breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and tortious interference. He also has experience representing employers in wage and hour collective and class action litigation. Jonathan’s commercial litigation experience includes high-stakes disputes involving business torts and breach of contract.
Jonathan also advises clients on a broad variety of issues, including terminations and other disciplinary actions; employment, consulting and separation agreements; investigations of alleged harassment and other employee misconduct; employment policies and practices; and litigation avoidance.
Jonathan has authored articles on employment issues that have been published in Bender’s Labor & Employment Bulletin, Law360, and Thomson Reuters Practical Law.
Jonathan also devotes time to pro bono cases, including asylum and wage and hour matters. Jonathan was honored by the New York State Bar Association as Empire State Counsel for his outstanding commitment to pro bono service and awarded the 2021 Pro Bono Publico Award by The Legal Aid Society for his outstanding service to Legal Aid and its clients.
Jonathan has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star and by Best Lawyers on its Ones to Watch list.
Work Highlights
- Douglas Elliman, a national real estate brokerage firm, in numerous employment matters and commission disputes.
- CareOne, a network of over 50 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities primarily located in New Jersey and Massachusetts, in employment-related litigations.
- Insight Global, a national staffing company, in reaching a successful settlement of litigation brought in the Southern District of New York against a national competitor arising out of the competitor’s alleged employee-poaching scheme and misappropriation of Insight Global’s trade secrets.
- CenturyLink in defense of an employee’s allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.
- mGage, a global mobile messaging company, in the enforcement of restrictive covenants.
- Former members of Jones Lang LaSalle in non-competition, compensation and other separation issues involving the formation of their new firm, AKS Capital Partners.
- Six health care aides, pro bono, in securing a $600,000 settlement from a home health care aide services agency to resolve their lawsuit alleging violations of state and federal labor laws.
- 111 W. 57th Street LLC and Douglas Elliman Realty in defense of breach of contract and tortious interference with contract claims brought by competitor Corcoran Sunshine.
- Yellow, one of the nation’s largest transportation and logistics companies, in numerous employment litigation matters and wage and hour class actions.
Prior to joining Kasowitz:
- An asset management company and its officers in defense of claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation, theft of corporate opportunities, tortious interference, unfair competition and unjust enrichment.
- A digital advertising company in a suit against a former executive for breach of contract and related tort claims.
- A healthcare network and two of its employees in defense of claims for hostile work environment, retaliation and violation of the New York Labor Law.
- A financial services company in defense of claims from a former employee for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
- A global aircraft manufacturing company in defense of a whistleblowing claim asserted under New York law.
- A pharmaceutical company in defense of claims asserted by former employees for discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
- A New York hospital in an overtime wage and hour collective action.
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