Workplace Privacy, Data Management & Security Report : Privacy Lawyers & Attorneys : Jackson Lewis Law Firm : Data Security, HIPAA & Confidentiality Issues

Joseph J. Lazzarotti is a Partner in the White Plains, NY office of Jackson Lewis LLP. He coordinates the firm's HIPAA and Workplace Privacy Practice and is a member of the Employee Benefits Group. In that capacity, he focuses on the matrix of privacy and data security laws affecting the workplace. He also counsels companies on compliance, fiduciary, taxation, and administrative matters with respect to retirement and health and welfare plans.

As a part of Mr. Lazzarotti's work in the area of data privacy and security, he has counseled multinational, national and regional companies in regard to compliance with the HIPAA privacy and security regulations, as well as broader data privacy and security mandates at the state level, such as the Massachusetts data security regulations. His work includes conducting on-site executive and employee trainings and helping clients through the process of responding to breaches of personal information. He also has represented companies with respect to inquiries from the Office of Civil Rights and other agencies with respect to alleged wrongful disclosure of protected information and negotiated numerous business associate agreements and other data privacy and security agreements.

Mr. Lazzarotti's work in the benefits counseling area covers virtually all areas of employee benefits law. For example, he frequently advises employers and plan sponsors regarding the establishment, administration and operation of fully insured and self-funded health and welfare plans, including assisting in the set up of administrative and other arrangements with third-party administrators, claims administrators and other vendors. He also provides counsel with respect to the design, implementation and operation of retirement and severance plans. His work often involves day-to-day legal advice concerning employee benefit plan operation and administration and trouble-shooting with respect to errors in operation.

Jason C. Gavejian is an Associate in the Morristown office of Jackson Lewis LLP.  Mr. Gavejian represents management exclusively in all aspects of employment litigation, including restrictive covenants, class-actions, harassment, retaliation, discrimination and wage and hour claims.  Mr. Gavejian regularly represents employers in federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, and the New Jersey Department of Labor. Additionally, Mr. Gavejian is a member of the firm?s HIPAA and Workplace Privacy Practice Group, focusing on the matrix of privacy and data security laws affecting the workplace.

As a part of Mr. Gavejian's work in the area of data privacy and security, he has assisted in counseling multinational, national and regional companies in regard to compliance with the HIPAA privacy and security regulations, as well as broader data privacy and security mandates and preventive safeguards.  His work includes helping clients through the process of responding to breaches of personal information.

Mr. Gavejian is a member of the bar in the states of New Jersey and New York. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Gavejian served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Richard J. Donohue on the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County. Mr. Gavejian received his juris doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in June 2004 and conducted his undergraduate studies at The College of New Jersey receiving his degree in 2001.  Mr. Gavejian has also been named a Rising Star in the Super Lawyers edition of Law & Politics magazine.

Richard Greenberg, a Partner in New York City office of Jackson Lewis LLP, is admitted to the bar of the State of New York and the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Greenberg graduated from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 1992 and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1995.

He advises both unionized and union-free clients on a full-range of labor and employee relations matters. With respect to traditional labor matters, Mr. Greenberg represents clients in collective bargaining negotiations, labor disputes, grievances and arbitrations, proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, and in state and federal court. Mr. Greenberg also advises clients on the legal aspects of remaining union-free. With respect to employee relations matters, Mr. Greenberg has extensive experience assisting clients in numerous industries with the development and maintenance of personnel policies and personnel infrastructures. In this regard, Mr. Greenberg often works on these issues with clients as business needs and culture change as a result of business transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Greenberg regularly advises clients on compliance with the myriad of federal and state employment laws, including the FMLA, FLSA, ADA, ADEA and WARN, as well as new legal developments impacting labor and employment policies and practices.

V. John Ella is Of Counsel to the Minneapolis office of Jackson Lewis LLP. He practices in all aspects of employment law and advises clients in the areas of employment contracts, handbooks, sexual harassment claims, discrimination, trade secret and noncompete litigation, drug testing law, plant closings, ERISA benefits litigation, wage and hour compliance, commission claims, defamation, whistleblower and Sarbanes-Oxley claims as well as closely-held corporation and partnership disputes.

Mr. Ella has obtained successful verdicts as first chair counsel at trial, including jury trials and court trials in both federal and state district court and has appeared before the Minnesota Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He was named by Minnesota Law & Politics as a “Top 40” Employment Law Attorney in Minnesota for 2006 and 2007 and has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in Minnesota since 2002.

Mr. Ella is the author of over fifty articles or book chapters for various legal publications. He frequently lectures on the topic of Common Law Fraud and was co-author of the Summary Guide to Fraud, Misrepresentation and Deceptive Trade Practices. Mr. Ella is also a recognized speaker and commentator on the topic of “Executive Law” and has been quoted in dozens of newspaper and magazine articles regarding stock options, executive compensation, noncompetes, restrictive covenants and executive severance agreements and has lectured at several CLEs on the topic of Executive Law.

For over eight years, Melissa K. Ostrower has worked in the employee benefits area. Ms. Ostrower has extensive experience negotiating and drafting executive employment and severance agreements on behalf of public and private companies. Ms. Ostrower has also worked with public company clients to ensure proper reporting and disclosure of executive compensation arrangements as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, Ms. Ostrower advises companies on all aspects of employee benefits law, including compliance with ERISA and the Code as well as administrative matters and fiduciary issues relating to benefit plans. Ms. Ostrower has advised sponsors of individual retirement agreements concerning compliance with the Code as well. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Ostrower was an employee benefits attorney at Dechert LLP. Melissa is a graduate of Brandeis University (B.A., M.A.), George Washington University Law School (J.D.) where she was a member of The Law Review and New York University (LL.M.).