Sam S. Shaulson represents financial services, pharmaceutical, entertainment, retail, and other clients in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), wage and hour class and collective litigation, and other complex litigation. With an emphasis on the financial services industry, he has represented industry trade organizations such as the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) in employment law issues of industrywide significance. Sam is co-leader of the labor and employment practice’s financial services team.
In addition to unpaid overtime, minimum wage, and other wage and hour claims, Sam litigates sexual harassment, defamation, age, race, sex, national origin, and disability discrimination, and whistleblower claims. He also represents clients in contract, denial of employee benefits, and free speech violations.
Sam partners with clients in traditional labor matters under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act (RLA), and negotiates collective bargaining agreements and individual employment contracts. He has litigated more than 150 class and collective actions, including cases that involve Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the FLSA, state wage and hour laws, and common law negligence. He has appeared in state and US federal courts in civil and criminal divisions, as well as before various administrative agencies.
In the realm of preventive practice, Sam advises clients on executive compensation, bonus plans, employment policy issues, wage and hour issues, arbitration policies, employment testing, and reductions in force. He also helps clients avoid whistleblower, termination, and discrimination claims. He regularly trains employees and managers on how to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
Sam has repeatedly served as a faculty member at the New York University workshop on employment law for federal judges. He also presented “Settlements in Wage and Hour Class/Collective Actions” and “Ethical Issues in Wage & Hour Litigation and Settlement” for the Practising Law Institute, and “Mediating Wage and Hour Class and Collective Actions” for Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS) arbitrator and mediator training. He also facilitated the first annual “Program on Mediator Skills Training for ADR Neutrals” for the New York University Center for Labor and Employment Law.
Chambers USA listed Sam as one of the leading US lawyers for employment law from 2007 to 2016, a ranking based on client, peer, and industry professional views.
Law360 named Sam one of its “Most Valuable Players” for 2013 based on his critical litigation and first-of-their-kind matters. In 2014, Human Resource Executive magazine listed Sam as one of the “Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys.”
Defeated wage and hour collective action certification for a large food services provider in an action claiming that assistant managers were misclassified as exempt from overtime.
Recognized, Leading US Corporate Employment Lawyer, Lawdragon 500 (2020–2022)
MVP, Employment, Law360 (2019)
Most Powerful Corporate Employment Lawyers, Lawdragon (2019)
Lawyer of the Year, Employment Law – Management, New York, The Best Lawyers In America (2023)
Recognized, Employment Law – Management, New York, The Best Lawyers In America (2012, 2016–2020, 2022–2024)
Recognized, Labor Law – Management, New York, The Best Lawyers In America (2012, 2016–2020, 2022–2024)
Recognized, Litigation – Labor and Employment, New York, The Best Lawyers In America (2012, 2016–2020, 2022–2024)
Band 1, Labor & Employment, USA, Chambers Global (2019–2023)
Band 1, Labor & Employment, New York, Chambers USA (2018–2023)
Labor & Employment Star, Northeast, Benchmark Labor & Employment (2018)
Leading Lawyer, Labor and employment: Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense, The Legal 500 US (2013–2014, 2016–2023)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017, 2019)
Ranked, Labor & Employment, New York, Chambers USA (2007–2017, 2020)
Most Powerful Employment Attorneys, Human Resource Executive (2011–2015, 2017–2019)
Lawyer of the Year, Litigation–Labor and Employment, The Best Lawyers in America (2017)
Named by Law360 as one of their "Most Valuable Players" for 2013 based on exemplary work on critical litigation and first-of-their-kind matters
Recognized, New York Super Lawyers (2009–2013)
Recommended, Employment, PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook 2008
Advisor, Restatement of Employment Law, American Law Institute
Member, American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
Member, Order of the Coif, University of Pennsylvania School of Law
Class of 1990 Valedictorian & May Company Scholar, Boston University, School of Management
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