Steve Gerber has practiced management-side employment and labor law, focusing on litigation and arbitrations, for three decades. His trial practice also includes complex commercial litigation, complex tort defense litigation, internal investigations, and representing colleges, universities and independent schools in litigation and investigations. He began his career as a law clerk for the late Chief U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey, and from 1980 through 1984, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Professional Recognition:

Mr. Gerber has been included on the New York Metro Area Super Lawyers® list several times and the New Jersey Super Lawyers® list, as well as the Top Attorneys, Best Lawyers in America and America’s Most Honored Lawyers . He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Professional Activities:

Mr. Gerber is active in the leadership of the Defense Research Institute – The Voice of the Defense Bar (“DRI”)  the 22,000+ member international association of attorneys devoted to the defense of civil litigation. He is a past Chair of DRI’s Employment & Labor Law Committee, and currently is a Member of the Committee’s Advisory Board and its Seminar Planning Committee. He also has served as a Member of DRI’s Board of Directors, its Law Institute, and DRI’s 21st Century Lawyer Task Force.

In addition, Mr. Gerber serves on the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Employment Arbitrators and Mediators. He is also a Member of the select Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and is a past Chair of the FDCC’s Employment and Workplace Law Section; and is a Member of the select Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the New Jersey State Bar Association and the American Bar Association (Member, Litigation Section).

Active in community affairs, Mr. Gerber is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Passaic County, and serves as Secretary for New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc.

Publications and Speaking Engagements:

• Quoted in the national and legal media on employment discrimination trends
• Lecturer at DRI National Seminars
• Co-author of several articles on jury attitudes towards businesses in employment discrimination litigation
• May 2013, DRI National Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “Pitfalls and Tips: Arbitration of Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Claims”
• May 2016, DRI National Employment & Labor Law Seminar: co-presenter, “It Ain’t What It Used to Be –Practicing in Era of AFAs & RFPs”
• Author, “No One-Size-Fits-All: Investigating and Addressing Complaints of Historical Sexual Harassment and Abuse,” DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2017
• May 2018, DRI Employment & Labor Law Seminar, speaker, IP or Not IP – Is that the Question? Intellectual Property for the Employment Lawyer, “Litigating Claims of Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Theft of Intellectual Property”

Areas of Practice:

• Employment Law
• Complex Litigation
• Internal Investigations & Compliance
• Higher Education & Secondary Schools

Honors and Awards:

• Premier Employment Lawyers, Exclusive Featured Attorney for New York 2021-2022
• Top Attorneys, New Jersey, 2020
• New York Metro Area Super Lawyers, 2013-2020
• New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2017-2020
• Best Lawyers in America, New York and New Jersey, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2018-2021
• America’s Most Honored Lawyers, 2020

Education:

• B.A., State University of New York at Albany, 1974, cum laude
• J.D., University at Buffalo School of Law, 1978, magna cum laude, Articles Editor of the Buffalo Law Review

Admissions:

• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• New York

Courts:

• U.S. District Court of Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York,
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Schoeman Updike Kaufman & Gerber LLP

Employment issues can challenge any company. All employers can realize substantive benefits by retaining the services of experienced employment counsel. We represent public and private companies, as well as universities and other schools. We also represent individuals such as executives, officers, directors and trustees in certain matters. Whether we are defending clients in litigation, creating effective compliance strategies or working with clients on issues of benefits or compensation, our attorneys provide meticulous, forward-thinking representation.

Our Litigation Practice

We strive to resolve our clients’ disputes through alternative dispute resolution whenever practicable. When litigation is the only realistic course of action, our lawyers are prepared to take decisive action. We have defended hundreds of employment claims, including:

• Discrimination, harassment and hostile workplace environment claims under Title VII, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and other federal, state and local laws
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims
• Wage and hour claims
• Whistleblower claims
• Wrongful discharge
• Breach of contract
• Employment defamation
• Workplace safety
• Workplace violence

We are adept at developing strategies that meet our clients’ legal and business needs.

Other Areas of Our Employment Law and Human Resources Practice

Our lawyers also work with employers in other employment matters, including:

• Creating strategies to comply with employment regulations
• Responding to government investigations and conducting internal investigations
• Developing personnel policies and handbooks
• Advising on pension and medical issues under ERISA, COBRA and other laws

In addition, we represent executives in issues involving employment agreements, compensation and benefits