Employment Law
From its inception over 50 years ago as a commercial law firm, Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman has represented closely-held businesses and business executives, handling their legal and business issues. Our firm represents both employers and employees in negotiating executive employment contracts, and understands the key issues and subtleties of these agreements. Separate and apart from the employment arrangement, we are often consulted regarding an executive’s rights in terminations, from rights to severance payments to calculation of benefits. Our firm also advises clients with respect to the rights of at will employees, harassment and discrimination claims, termination rights, employee reviews, and workplace misconduct.
Our firm advises and drafts policies regarding employee privacy, Internet and e-mail usage, and other questions that arise when a company regulates an employee’s activities at work, including workplace issues of discrimination and harassment.
Whether in conjunction with an employment agreement or independent of any such agreement, our attorneys prepare and negotiate restrictive covenants, non-disclosure agreements and assignments of intellectual property rights. Our firm advises employers and employees regarding employer-imposed restrictions on future employment and competition and what information the employer can rightfully protect. And we advise employers regarding the need for confidentiality and assignment agreements in order to protect their trade secrets and their rights to intellectual property created by employees during the course of employment.
Our firm prepares employment handbooks, which serve as a summary of the employer’s obligations and a guide to employee behavior. We prepare stock option plans and similar employee bonus plans.
Our lawyers are often called upon to advise with respect to the tax effects of employment arrangements and benefit plans.
Our litigation department has successfully litigated employment cases on behalf of employees and employers. From breach of employment contracts to enforcement of restrictive covenants to wrongful terminations and discrimination cases, our firm has the ability and experience to assist all parties with their employment law issues.