Amy is a trusted advisor and fierce advocate for her clients. She brings equal measures of experience and creativity as she counsels employers on a broad range of issues to assist them in complying with the various laws and regulations impacting the employer-employee relationship. Amy has experience working with and leading individuals from all levels of an organization including C-Level executives, senior managers, human resource professionals, line managers and third party service providers to achieve the desired results. She represents non-union and union employers and management in all aspects of employment and labor law, including developing and administering workplace policies, providing advice regarding discrimination and harassment, ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws, managing leaves of absence and requests for accommodation, implementing discipline and termination decisions, and conducting workplace investigations. She also counsels clients regarding employment contract disputes, including confidentiality, non-compete, and non-disclosure issues. Her practice includes representing management in collective bargaining and defending grievances and arbitrations. Additionally, Amy works closely with the Firm’s federal contractor clients to develop affirmative action programs and provides counsel on compliance with Executive Orders and OFCCP regulations.
In addition to providing day-to-day counsel, Amy represents clients in civil litigation in federal and state courts, as well as administrative proceedings and audits before federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the U.S. and N.Y.S. Departments of Labor, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and the National Labor Relations Board.
Professional & Civic Affiliations
- Member, Erie County Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Vice President, University at Buffalo School of Law, Alumni Association, 2014-Present
- Member, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, Western New York Chapter
Honors & Awards
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Litigation - Labor and Employment, Labor Law - Management, and Employment Law - Management
- Legal Elite of Western New York, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal, 2018
- Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, 2013-2019
- Recipient, “40 Under Forty” Award, Buffalo Business First, 2011
Publications
- Contributing author to the HSE Labor and Employment Blog
News
- "Paid sick leave mandatory statewide in 2021," Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal, May 2, 2020
- "Breaking down new family-leave benefits," Buffalo Business First, May 11, 2017
- "Tips for Businesses to Avoid Scams This Tax Season," Time Warner Cable News Buffalo, March 23, 2016
Presentations
- Presenter at seminars throughout Western New York on a variety of topics, including NYS Paid Family Leave, wage and hour issues, dealing with sick and injured employees, employee handbooks and workplace policies, and HIPAA obligations of employers.
- Presenter, “Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Six,” Harter Secrest & Emery LLP Webinar, April 16, 2020
- Presenter, “Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Session Four,” Harter Secrest & Emery LLP Webinar, April 2, 2020
- Presenter, “Helping Businesses Navigate COVID-19 Legislation Webinar,” Brown & Brown Insurance Webinar, April 2, 2020
- Presenter, "HR Forum: A Live Panel Discussion," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce, July 9, 2019
- Presenter, "The Gig Economy: Employees or Freelancers?" Harter Secrest & Emery Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 30, 2019
- Presenter, "Payroll Pitfalls-Identifying and Avoiding Costly Errors to Minimize Risk in the Event of Claims or DOL Audits," Harter Secrest & Emery Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 26, 2018
- Presenter, “Encore: NYS Paid Family Leave in the Real World” webinar, Harter Secrest & Emery, December 7, 2017
- Presenter, “NYS Paid Family Leave in the Real World” webinar, Harter Secrest & Emery, November 8, 2017
- Presenter, “Risks Associated with Criminal Conviction Records in Employment” webinar, Harter Secrest & Emery, August 15, 2017
- Presenter, “Ready or Not…Here Comes New York State Paid Family Leave!” webinar, Harter Secrest & Emery, August 9, 2017
- Presenter, "New York Paid Family Leave," Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Employment & Labor Update, June 20, 2017
- Presenter, “Employee Handbooks Should be Living Documents, Not Cookie Cutter,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
- Presenter, “Revisions to the EEO-1 Reporting Requirements to Include Compensation Data,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
- Presenter, “Q&A Sessions About the Delayed Federal Overtime Rules,” Teleconference, November 23 & 28, 2016
- Presenter, “Overtime Understood: How to Prepare for the New DOL Overtime Rules,” Harter Secrest & Emery LLP and The Bonadio Group, September 29, 2016
- Presenter, "Capital Conversations: New Overtime Rules & Paid Family Leave Program," Buffalo Niagara Partnership, July 19, 2016
- Presenter, "FLSA Overtime Exemptions - Countdown to Compliance" webinar, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, June 15, 2016
- Presenter, “Managing Employee Leave Requests and Use,” Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Breakfast Briefings, March 15, 2016
- Presenter, “Working Overtime to Prepare for DOL’s Changes to the FLSA White Collar Exemptions,” Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Breakfast Briefings, February 25, 2016
Admissions
- New York
Education
- University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- SUNY Geneseo, B.A., cum laude