Akerman Continues Expansion in New York and Dallas
Akerman LLP has announced continuing growth in the New York and Dallas markets with the addition of new partners in both offices.
In New York, labor and employment partners Bran Noonan, Sarir Silver and associate Vincent Avery have joined the firm. The new team joins Akerman’s Labor & Employment Practice Group from Gordon & Rees LLP.
“With the ever-evolving labor and employment law landscape, we continue to add exceptional lawyers where our clients need us the most,” said Eric Gordon, chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group. “The growth of our national team in New York enhances our ability to counsel clients on a range of workplace matters, particularly in the business-critical realm of employment litigation and compliance.”
In a release the firm reported:
Noonan focuses his practice on employment litigation. He has experience representing businesses in both state and federal courts in a wide range of employment actions, including Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), and New York human rights and labor laws. He also regularly represents clients in various complex commercial matters, such as those involving issues of unfair competition, restrictive covenants, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.
Noonan previously served as an adjunct professor at New York Law School and as associate editor of the New York State Bar Journal. In his efforts to give back to the community, Noonan has assisted several organizations and individuals in various pro bono matters, including AmeriCorps in connection with the development of public school educational programs.
Silver focuses her practice on employment litigation. She is experienced in all areas of employment law such as the ADA, ADEA, Title VII, Title III, New York State Human Rights (NYSHR), New York City Human Rights (NYCHR), New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) and Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). Silver defends employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation and other employment claims in state courts, federal courts and administrative agencies. She also counsels management concerning employment law issues in employee terminations, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, equal employment opportunity, employee handbooks, family and medical leave, and compliance with federal and state employment laws.
Avery focuses his practice on defending employers in state and federal litigation involving all types of employment-related lawsuits, ranging from individual and class-based wage and hour litigation under the FLSA, New York Labor Law (NYLL), New York Hospitality Wage Order, and New Jersey Wage and Hour Law (NJWHL), to single and multi-plaintiff discrimination and retaliation claims asserted under various employment statutes. He also routinely counsels employers on various wage and hour issues including overtime pay, minimum wage issues and prevailing wage concerns, among others.
New York has grown into Akerman’s second largest office, tripling headcount to nearly 90 lawyers and other professionals in just 2 1/2 years, the firm says. In addition to Noonan and Silver, the office has welcomed three other partners since 2016 began, including corporate transactional lawyers Lorenzo Borgogni and Jack Habert, and real estate transactional lawyer Dianne Penchina.
The firm has further expanded its Dallas office with securities and commercial litigation partner Bryce Benson in the Litigation Practice Group. He joins Akerman’s national bench of trial lawyers and enhances the firm’s core strengths in the financial services sector.
“Bryce is an experienced litigator, whose strong financial sector focus extends Akerman’s capabilities in complex disputes at the federal and state level,” said Lawrence Rochefort, Litigation Practice Group Chair. “His practice enhances our ability to serve clients with securities and commercial litigation needs and adds important depth to our team in Dallas and nationally.”
Benson’s practice focuses on securities litigation, including the representation of broker-dealers in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrations, regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings. He also has experience litigating complex commercial cases and business disputes, including cases involving claims for breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, and other business torts in state court, federal court and in arbitration proceedings. Benson represents Fortune 500 corporations, mid-size companies and individuals in a variety of industries, including financial services, energy, health care, technology and manufacturing.
Benson joins Akerman’s Dallas office after the team recently welcomed bankruptcy and restructuring partners John Mitchell and David Parham from Baker & McKenzie.
