Jeff Kohn represents clients in a broad range of employment and labor law disputes and serves as a strategic advisor on workplace matters. Jeff’s clients span a variety of industries, including sports, entertainment and media, financial services, airlines, pharmaceuticals, professional services, and transportation, among others.
Jeff serves as a strategic legal advisor on labor-management relations, including collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, and NLRB and NMB matters for a variety of clients. Jeff has an active employment litigation practice, including employment discrimination, employment contract, wage and hour, executive compensation, and trade secret litigation. He also has substantial experience as a strategic advisor for clients, including businesses who need to restructure their operations or reorganize in bankruptcy. Jeff also manages sensitive internal investigations for clients across a variety of industries.
- Served as lead counsel for a major financial institution in defending over 400 race discrimination claims brought to binding mediation/arbitration
- Prevailed on behalf of American Airlines in an ERISA representative action challenging investment options in American’s 401(k) plan
- Served as lead counsel representing a major sports team in several high-profile cases
- Successfully represented Morgan Stanley in defeating an ERISA whistleblower action tried before a FINRA arbitration panel, resulting in a recovery to Morgan Stanley of a US$1.2 million award, including attorneys' fees
- Defended American Airlines in a gender equity putative class action
- Successfully defended Eddie Murphy and Paramount Pictures in a $375 million sexual harassment lawsuit brought by an actress terminated during the filming of a major motion picture
- Successfully represented transportation company CEVA Logistics in obtaining summary judgment in a wage and hour class action challenging CEVA's business practice of using independent contractors as drivers
- Served as lead labor negotiator and labor counsel for a leading pharmaceutical company in achieving several labor contracts for their largest facility
- Served as lead labor counsel and negotiator for Remington in its successful reorganization in bankruptcy
- Served as lead labor negotiator for Six Flags (New Jersey) one of the largest regional theme parks in the United States, employing over 4,000 people
- Provided strategic counsel to Prestone in successfully defeating the UAW’s bid to represent Prestone
- Served as lead labor counsel in bankruptcy for Interstate Bakeries (Hostess) in its efforts to restructure over 400 labor contracts
- Served as trial counsel in Delphi Automotive's 1113 proceeding in the Southern District of New York
- Successfully represented a U.S. airline in a pension dispute with one of its unions that saved the airline $30 million in past contributions and $6 million/year in future pension contributions
- Represented XPO Logistics in obtaining summary judgment of Pennsylvania wage and hour claims challenging the company's use of independent contractor drivers
- Successfully represented Cintas in resolving an FLSA minimum wage and overtime claim in the Northern District of New York
- Successfully represented a U.S. airline in a 300-person class action brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act in the Northern District of New York
- Secured an injunction for Atlas Air against its pilots' union to prevent worldwide disruption of its operations
- Served as lead counsel in the defense of 50 race and age discrimination claims brought to arbitration against a major financial institution
- Successfully defended a major insurance company in a high-profile employment discrimination federal jury trial that led to a precedent-setting decision striking punitive damages as a remedy under the New York Human Rights Law
- Obtained summary judgment for United Airlines in a multi-plaintiff, multi-district litigation in which plaintiffs alleged failure to hire claims
- Successfully obtained summary judgment, affirmed on appeal by the Second Circuit, in a precedent-setting decision under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Successfully obtained the dismissal of an 82-plaintiff case against a U.S. airline
- Handled and advised on numerous internal investigations
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
Court Admissions
- US District Court, District of New Jersey, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of New York
- US Court of Appeals, Second and Third Circuits
- US Supreme Court
Education
- George Washington University, J.D., 1984: with high honors; Order of the Coif; Managing Editor, The George Washington Law Review
- Cornell University, B.S., Industrial and Labor Relations, 1981: with honors
Honors & Awards
- Named a “Leading US Corporate Employment Lawyer” for Labor & Employment, esp. Litigation by Lawdragon (2021)
- Named a Labor & Employment Star - Northeast (2019), Local Litigation Star (2019-2020, 2023-2024) and Labor & Employment Star (2020-2024) for Labor & Employment by Benchmark Litigation
- Recognized by The Legal 500 US for Labor & Employment (2011-2021)
- Named a “Distinguished Leader” by the New York Law Journal (2018)
- Selected by HRE Executive and Lawdragon to its “Most Powerful Employment Lawyers” list (2014-2019)
- Recognized by George Washington University Law School as a Distinguished Alumni (2014)
- Recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” for Labor & Employment by Chambers USA; recognized among Top 20 Employee Benefits Lawyers in Guide to the World’s Leading Labour and Employment Lawyers
- Recognized by Hope’s Door for outstanding pro bono contributions to the organization
- Named a “Super Lawyer” for Employment & Labor in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. (2012 to present)
Professional Activities
Community Legal Services
- Counsel to many non-profit organizations in labor and employment matters and governance
Board of Directors
- Bryn Mawr College
- Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (Past)
- New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (Past)
- Westchester Jewish Council
Faculty Member
- Adjunct Professor, George Washington University Law School (2017 to present)
- Adjunct Professor, New York Law School (Past)
Speaker
- NYU Annual Conference on Labor
- NYU Center for Labor and Employment Law
- American Bar Association
- New York City Bar Association
- Matthew Bender Conference
- Wall Street Executive Conference
- NYU Law School
- George Washington University Law School
Member
- Industrial & Labor Relations Advisory Council, Cornell University
- Dean’s Advisory Board, George Washington University Law School
- Advisory Board, Center for Labor and Employment Law, New York University School of Law
Editor-in-Chief
- ABA Employment and Labor Relations Law Committee, quarterly newsletter (Past)
Media Resource
- CNBC-TV (commentator on employment discrimination law)
- Bloomberg Television (commentator on disputes in airline industry)
Contributing Writer/Editor
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Many publications, including Matthew Bender’s NLRA Law and Practice and the ABA’s Model Jury Instructions for Employment Litigation (as contributing editor)
Author
- “Strategies for Reducing Labor Costs Independent Contractors, Temporary Staffing Agencies, Outsourcing: At What Point do you Become Joint Employer?,” NYU Annual Conference on Labor,
co-authored with Aparna Joshi and Rachel Schy (2014) - “Swine Flu Pandemic: Issues For Employers,” Employment Law360, co-authored with Scott Dunham and Elyse Meyers (May 4, 2009)
- “Withdrawing from U.S. Operations: An Analysis of Practical Concerns and Options,” M&A Review, co-authored (May 2009)
Leadership
- Former Managing Partner, New York Office of O’Melveny & Myers
- Regional Head of Litigation, New York Office of O’Melveny & Myers
Related Practices
Related Industries