William I. Greenbaum tackles potentially volatile employment law matters with pragmatism and a thorough understanding of the employers he represents. Backed by 17 years of experience as Assistant General Counsel at Warner-Lambert, he provides clients with practical solutions to difficult employment situations while minimizing costs and interruptions to their business.
A “fine lawyer with an excellent reputation” (Chambers USA), Bill focuses on all aspects of employment law, with a particular emphasis on the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries. He has extensive experience handling employment and severance agreements, policies, employee relations, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, safety and health, immigration, ERISA, security and workplace investigations, and corporate compliance. In addition, he regularly resolve matters on behalf of employers before the EEOC; the U.S. Department of Labor; numerous state and local counterparts to these agencies; and the many federal, state, and local agencies that investigate and audit compliance with and enforcement of employment laws.
Bill also maintains deep ties to his community. He served on the Board of Directors of Free the Slaves, Jersey Battered Women’s Service, and the New Jersey Ballet. He is a founding member of the Academy of New Jersey Management Attorneys, an association of experienced labor/employment lawyers engaged as advocates for management.
REPRESENTATIVE ENGAGEMENTS
- Represented a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company in a major reorganization that involved two plant closures and nine reductions in force. Provided advice and prepared documentation relating to plant closures, federal and state WARN Act issues, reduction-in-force issues, severance payments, benefits continuation, releases of claims, and compliance with wage and hour laws in 50 states. Worked closely with the client’s legal, human resources and payroll departments and its outside insurance and outplacement service providers to ensure the orderly handling of more than 600 employee separations and/or relocations. Handled reductions in force and individual performance-based terminations for the client on an ongoing basis.
- Advised a leveraged buyout firm on the employment and employee benefits aspects of the $2.4 billion carve out of the world’s largest producer of hard capsules and an innovator in drug delivery systems. Bill provided legal counsel on employment law issues, negotiated employee contracts, advised on and drafted benefits programs, and assisted with setting up payroll in more than a dozen countries.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in litigation against its insurance carrier, which refused to cover the defense of an employee’s claim of age, sex and disability discrimination under an existing employment practices liability insurance policy.
- Represents technology companies, construction companies and a variety of consumer product companies in all employment matters.
- Represents executives in complex negotiations involving employment agreements and separation agreements.
PRESS MENTIONS
- In an interview with Governor David Paterson on WOR 710 Radio, William Greenbaum discusses the legality of employers asking for access to potential employees’ social networking accounts, including potential discrimination under the anti‐discrimination laws and issues relating to concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act. WOR 710 Radio, April 3, 2012.
- In The Christian Science Monitor, William Greenbaum comments on the laws relating to employers’ monitoring of employees’ private social media postings. The Christian Science Monitor, March 23, 2012.
- In a Law360 article, William Greenbaum comments on companies that require current or prospective employees to provide their social media passwords. Law360, March 22, 2012.
Areas of Practice
- Employment Counseling & Litigation
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Bar Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Education
- Cornell Law School, Juris Doctor; Honors: Moot Court Board, International Law Journal
- Dartmouth College,B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Published Works
- Greater Protection Afforded to Independent Contractors, New Jersey Law Journal
- A Close Look at Leave Requirements, New Jersey Law Journal
- New York Employers Beware: State and Local Salary Thresholds for Exempt Employees Exceed Federal Requirements, Employment Client Alert, December 1, 2016
- New Hiring Restrictions Imposed Upon New York City Employers, Employment Alert, June 30, 2015
- New York City Employers To Be Restricted In Their Use of Credit Checks For Job Applicants or Employees, Employment Alert, May 11, 2015
- Effective March 24, 2014: OFCCP Regulations Increase Federal Contractors’ Affirmative Action Obligations
- Regarding Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities, Employment Law Client Alert, March 24, 2014
- United States Supreme Court Finds That Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives Are Not Entitled to Overtime, Employment Law Client Alert, June, 2012
- Title VII Prohibition Against Discrimination Based on Sex Applies to Transgender Status, Employment Law Client Alert, April, 2012
- NYC Employers Beware: New York City Human Rights Law Bars Faragher-Ellerth Affirmative Defense to Harassment Claims, Employment and Labor Client Alert, July 22, 2010
Speaking Engagements
- “Ban the Box: Where Are We Now?”, April 2017
- “Wage and Hour Update”, ACC NJ Breakfast Series, January 2016
- “How to Manage Leaves of Absence Under FMLA, ADA and Workers’ Compensation”, Everything You Need to Know for 2016 Seminar, 12/14/2015
- “Wage and Hour Update”, ADP Seminar, September 2015
- “Ban the Box Legal Compliance in 2015”, September 2015
- “Employee Background Checks and the Law in 2015: Is Your Company At Risk?”, January 2015
Honors and Awards
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Selected as a Leading Lawyer in the labor and employment section, clients praised him for being a “fine lawyer with an excellent reputation” and ” a great counselor.” Sources say they “value his advice greatly.” Bill is also noted for handling “employment law issues pertaining to the pharmaceutical and life science arena. Clients applaud his ‘sage and well-informed’ advice”
- The Best Lawyers in America – Recognized in the Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment categories
- Super Lawyers – Consistently acknowledged for labor & employment and employee benefits/ERISA
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Member
- New York State Office of the Court, Member
- New Jersey Bar, Member
- New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, Member
- Academy of New Jersey Management Attorneys