Lisa M. Lewis

Lisa Lewis is a special counsel in the Labor and Employment Practice Group in the firm's New York office.

Areas of Practice

Lisa is experienced at providing advice and counsel on a wide variety of employment law issues, including compliance with federal, state and local sexual harassment and anti-discrimination, medical and family leave and wage and hour laws, with a particular focus on providing advice and counseling to advertising and media clients. She also counsels clients on developing and implementing employment policies and employee handbooks and negotiates and drafts employment and separation agreements. She has extensive experience providing anti-harassment, anti-discrimination and employment law compliance trainings for employees and managers.  

In addition, Lisa represents employers in employment-based litigation in both judicial and arbitral forums, including disputes relating to breach of restrictive covenants and employment agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, discrimination and harassment allegations, and wrongful termination.  In particular, she has substantial experience defending employers in complex class and collective action wage and hour cases.  

Lisa currently represents a number of advertising and media clients, providing them with day-to-day employment law counseling, conducting internal investigations and defending against employment discrimination and wage and hour claims.

Lisa is actively involved in pro bono work at the firm and received awards for Outstanding Pro Bono Service from the Legal Aid Society in 2005 and 2006.

Honors

Labor and Employment, Legal 500, 2018

Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2011-2013

Outstanding Pro Bono Services, Legal Aid Society, 2005 and 2006

Articles

Labor & Employment Law Blog Posts

• "Massachusetts Joins the Pay Transparency Game and Ups the Ante with New Reporting Requirements," September 17, 2024

• "Update: New York Paid Family Leave Law Becomes Effective on January 1, 2018," November 20, 2017 
• "UPDATE: NYC Adopts New Rules Implementing Freelance Law," July 20, 2017
• "New Freelancer Law Imposes Additional Requirements For NYC Companies Contracting With Freelancers," May 22, 2017 
• "Sheppard Mullin Secures Major Victory for Chipotle in Nationwide Misclassification Action By Demonstrating Variations Among Proposed Class Members," April 10, 2017 
• "New York State Department of Labor Proposes Increases to Overtime Exempt Salary Threshold," November 21, 2016
• "New York State Passes 12-Week Paid Family Leave Law," April 5, 2016
• "New York City Commuter Benefits Law (NYCCBL) Makes Changes For Employers With a Workforce On the Go (Compliance Required by July 1, 2016),"January 20, 2016

• "New Year, New Rules for Employers Doing Business in New York," December 22, 2015

• "District Court for the EDNY Denies Motion to Dismiss Selective Enforcement Gender Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Related to Enforcement of Employer’s Hair Policy," September 25, 2015
• "NYC Council Votes to Ban Employers from Conducting Credit Checks," April 28, 2015
• "Reminder: New York Interns Are Now Protected Under Both the State and City Human Rights Laws," September 11, 2014
• "Proposed New York Law Would Extend State Anti-Discrimination Protections to Unpaid Interns," November 4, 2013
• "New York Court of Appeals Places Burden on Employer to Plead that Employee Seeking Indefinite Leave Cannot Satisfy the Essential Requisites of the Job," October 29, 2013
• "Update: New York Department of Labor Releases Proposed Wage Deduction Regulations," June 13, 2013
• "N.Y. Minimum Wage Changes Ahead," April 10, 2013
• "N.Y. Legislature Introduces Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence," February 19, 2013
• "Proposed New York Bill Increases Penalties for Wage Withholding," February 14, 2013
• "Ninth Circuit Applies California Law Despite Choice-Of-Law Clause in Independent Contractor Agreement," July 16, 2010
• "ADA Amendments Act Of 2008 Signed Into Law," September 29, 2008
• "Court Upholds Unequal Wage Suit Based Upon Unfair And Unequal Shift Assignments Brought By Female Server At Manhattan Restaurant," August 7, 2008

New York Commercial Division Round-Up Blog Posts

• "Employers Cannot Bring Unjust Enrichment Claim For Unearned Pay Where Payments Are Governed By An Employment Contract," April 4, 2011
• "Court Refuses to Dismiss Tort and Defamation Claims Against Authors and Publisher of Book About Cryonics Organization," December 21, 2010
• "Domestic Service on Foreign Corporation's Local Attorneys Deemed Proper Under Hague Convention And New York Law," September 8, 2010

Speaking Engagements

• "Labor & Employment Law: 2011 Year In Review," New York, New York, November 3, 2011
• "Labor & Employment Law Update: The First 100 Days of the Obama Administration," New York, New York, May 21, 2009
• "The Perfect Storm: How the U.S. Presidential Election and Recent Economic Events Will Impact Labor and Employment Laws in 2009 and Beyond," New York, New York, November 6, 2008
• "Critical Employment Law Issues to Consider In a Turbulent Economy," New York, New York, June 12, 2008

Events

Memberships

Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Digital Media