Cindy Schmitt Minniti

Cindy is the Deputy Office Managing Partner of the New York office. In her practice, she represents management exclusively in labor and employment law, including litigation, counseling, arbitration and mediation with regard to employment discrimination, harassment, labor relations, and wage-hour compliance.

Cindy has extensive experience litigating employment disputes of all types, including defending employers against claims alleging race, age, disability, and sex discrimination; retaliation; sexual harassment; wrongful discharge; violations of wage and hour laws; and breach of contract. She has represented employers in single and multiple plaintiff, collective action, class action and cases before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, and in various arbitration forums.

She has served as lead counsel in several federal and state trials involving allegations of discrimination, retaliation, constitutional violations, as well as state law, contract and tort claims. Adept at counseling clients at every turn of the litigation process, Cindy employs a creative mix of litigation and business skills to determine which cases should be litigated in court, which should be resolved in some alternative forum and which can and should be settled.

Cindy's clients regularly call on her to conduct and advise on internal investigations, and to provide advice on compliance with various laws affecting the workplace including the FMLA, ADEA, Title VII, ADA, FLSA and state wage and hour laws. She has also counseled numerous companies in the planning and execution of reductions-in-force, mergers, and other organizational changes affecting employees.

Cindy also advises clients on all aspects of employment related issues in corporate transactions.

In addition, Cindy supports her clients with strategies, counseling and training to help them avoid government investigations and provides practical advice on all employment-related issues in today's business world, including employee discharge and discipline, reductions-in-force, employment policies and procedures, and compliance with federal, state and local employment laws. Cindy regularly conducts training programs on the full spectrum of employment issues as well as on diversity issues.

Good to know

Areas of Practice 1) Labor & Employment, 2) Business Transactions, 3) Class Actions, 4) Disabilities and Leaves of Absence, 5) Discrimination and Harassment, 6) Grievance and Interest Arbitration, 7) Human Resources Counseling and 8) Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
Law School St. John's University, School of Law, J.D., 1999
Education Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1996
Bar Member / Association New York State Bar Association
Most recent firm Reed Smith LLP
Barbara A. Fitzgerald
Barbara A. Fitzgerald

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Carol R. Freeman
Carol R. Freeman

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Dennis J. Morikawa
Dennis J. Morikawa

Dennis J. Morikawa is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Labor and Employment Practice, where he heads the Occupational Safety and Health Law Practice.