Ms. Prestegaard advises employers on the full range of employment and workplace issues, and represents them in federal and state courts and agency proceedings defending Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA and Human Rights Law claims. Ms. Prestegaard handles wage and hour collective and class actions under the FLSA and New York Labor Law, as well as investigations and actions by federal and state Departments of Labor. She has represented higher education institutions with her work on faculty tenure and contract disputes, investigations of claims of misconduct and civil rights violations, regulatory compliance, faculty and staff handbooks, appointment letters and affirmative action plans.

Ms. Prestegaard also represents management in traditional labor law matters, including conducting training regarding concerted activity, union awareness and campaigns, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, NLRB proceedings and LMRA litigations. She also has extensive experience investigating claims of harassment, discrimination and workplace misconduct. In addition, Ms. Prestegaard conducts training on avoiding sexual and other harassment in the workplace, wage and hour compliance, human resources best practices and other workplace issues.

Phillips Lytle

In today’s market, employers face an ever-increasing number of laws and regulations governing their business and employee relations. For employers to effectively navigate the complex world of labor and employment law, they need the help of experienced attorneys who understand the intricacies of the law and the workplace. From small businesses and not-for-profit organizations to FORTUNE 500 companies, our Labor & Employment attorneys work to provide practical advice and develop risk management strategies to achieve business goals and reduce the chance of litigation. Should litigation arise, we vigorously defend and advocate for our clients. But what sets us apart is our commitment to thoroughly understanding our clients’ businesses and providing them with the most effective legal advice to meet their objectives.

Our attorneys have been defending and counseling employers since our firm’s founding more than 180 years ago. We continue our proud tradition by representing today’s businesses on a full range of current labor and employment issues. Our attorneys are well versed in the labor and employment issues faced by employers today and have real-world, hands-on experience helping to solve them. We have been in the courtroom, at the negotiating table, in the picket line, and anywhere else our clients have needed us. We understand that every issue our clients face, no matter how small, is important and deserves our best effort. We are committed to providing our clients with prompt, practical and effective advice and representation whenever and wherever they need help.

Our attorneys are experienced in all aspects of labor relations law, employment law and litigation, state and federal wage and hour law and litigation, OSHA, workplace torts, workplace fraud/unfair competition, non-compete agreements, contract claims, wrongful discharge, risk management, and alternative dispute resolution.

We regularly handle matters before state and federal agencies that regulate the labor and employment area, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the New York State Division of Human Rights (“NYSDHR”), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), and the U.S. and New York Departments of Labor.