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Calabrese_Jeffrey

Jeffrey J. Calabrese

Partner
  • Rochester and New York City
  • 585.231.1280

Jeff is a trial attorney with 28 years of experience. He has conducted hearings, trials, appeals, and arbitrations in state and federal courts, administrative bodies, and arbitration forums throughout New York and many other jurisdictions around the country. Jeff’s practice focuses on the following:

  • Restrictive covenant negotiation and litigation, including high-stakes FINRA arbitrations.
  • Counseling management on labor and employment statutory and regulatory compliance.
  • Employment litigation defense, including discrimination, wage and hour, defamation, contract, and WARN claims and class actions.
  • Representation of management in collective bargaining.
  • Advising management on administering collective bargaining agreements, including grievance resolution.
  • Advising on, or conducting, company investigations of employee misconduct.
  • Commercial litigation, including claims over shareholder, operating and partnership agreements, director and officer duties, stock and asset purchase agreements, sales and secured transactions, commercial leases and patent infringement.
  • Counseling on labor, employment and potential litigation issues in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Jeff served for 10 years as HSEʹs Labor & Employment practice group leader and he is a frequent trainer and lecturer on labor and employment and litigation topics.

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

  • Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Rochester Hearing & Speech Center
  • Member, Seventh Judicial District Committee on Character and Fitness
  • Member, Canisius College Pre-Law Advisory Council

HONORS & AWARDS

  • Recognized by Chambers USA from 2019 to present in the field of Labor and Employment (Upstate NY)
  • Named to The Daily Record Power 20 List for Labor & Employment Law 2023
  • Recipient, Leaders in Law Award, The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal’s Legal Excellence Program, 2022
  • Named as Best Lawyers® 2021 Employment Law-Management “Lawyer of the Year” in Rochester, NY
  • Named to The Daily Record’s Power 20 in Labor & Employment Law list, 2022 and 2024
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for:
    • Arbitration
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Employment Law – Management
    • Health Care Law
    • Labor Law – Management
    • Labor Law – Union
    • Litigation – Labor and Employment
  • Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list since 2007
  • Recipient, “Forty Under 40” Award, Rochester Business Journal, 2005
  • Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM Peer Review Rated

NEWS

PRESENTATIONS

  • Co-Presenter, “Navigating the Tough Talks: Discipline, Termination, and Other Difficult Conversations,” HR Legal Lab, October 21, 2025
  • Co-Presenter, “Understanding the ARPA and its Impact on COBRA and FFCRA,” Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, April 22, 2021
  • Presenter, “NYS Paid Leave Update,” Genesee Valley Chapter of SHRM and National Human Resource Association – Rochester Affiliate Legal Update Webinar, February 9, 2021
  • Presenter, “Workplace Vaccination Guidance and the New Stimulus Package,” Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, January 4, 2021
  • Presenter, “Employment Trends: What to Watch and How to Adjust” webinar, The Chemung Chamber of Commerce, October 22, 2020
  • Co-Presenter, “Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic – Session Six,” Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, April 16, 2020
  • Co-Presenter, “Helping Businesses Navigate COVID-19 Legislation Webinar,” Brown & Brown Insurance Webinar, April 2, 2020
  • “What’s Happening at the NLRB? What You Need to Know Even If You Don’t Have a Union. Hint: A Lot,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 30, 2019
  • Guest Lecturer on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Rochester Institute of Technology, Information Security Policy and Law Class, April 9, 2019
  • Presenter, “Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets,” Monroe County Bar Association, March 27, 2019
  • Presenter, “Labor and Employment Law Update,” Rochester Automobile Dealers Association, February 11, 2019
  • Presenter, “HR Best Practices and Trends in an Evolving Work Environment Part 1,” CCA Annual Convention, October 3, 2018
  • Presenter, “2018 Labor and Employment Update,” Rochester Automobile Dealers’ Association, August 21, 2018
  • Presenter, “Update on Trade Secrets and Non-Competition Law,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 26, 2018
  • Presenter, “The Headlines Continue: The Epidemic of High Profile Sexual Harassment Claims,” Harter Secrest & Emery, November 3, 2017
  • Presenter, “Knock, Knock. Who’s There?: What to do When the Government Comes Knocking,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
  • Presenter, “How to Recover Your Stolen Trade Secrets: A Deep Dive into the Defend Trade Secrets Act After its First Year,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
  • Presenter, “Non-Compete Clauses,” Greater Rochester Enterprise’s Eyes on the Future Radio Show, WHAM 1180, June 2013

PRACTICE AREAS

ADMISSIONS

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

CLERKSHIP

  • New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department (1995-97)

EDUCATION

  • University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D.
  • Canisius College, B.A.

Jeff is a trial attorney with 28 years of experience. He has conducted hearings, trials, appeals, and arbitrations in state and federal courts, administrative bodies, and arbitration forums throughout New York and many other jurisdictions around the country. Jeff’s practice focuses on the following:

  • Restrictive covenant negotiation and litigation, including high-stakes FINRA arbitrations.
  • Counseling management on labor and employment statutory and regulatory compliance.
  • Employment litigation defense, including discrimination, wage and hour, defamation, contract, and WARN claims and class actions.
  • Representation of management in collective bargaining.
  • Advising management on administering collective bargaining agreements, including grievance resolution.
  • Advising on, or conducting, company investigations of employee misconduct.
  • Commercial litigation, including claims over shareholder, operating and partnership agreements, director and officer duties, stock and asset purchase agreements, sales and secured transactions, commercial leases and patent infringement.
  • Counseling on labor, employment and potential litigation issues in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Jeff served for 10 years as HSEʹs Labor & Employment practice group leader and he is a frequent trainer and lecturer on labor and employment and litigation topics.

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

  • Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Rochester Hearing & Speech Center
  • Member, Seventh Judicial District Committee on Character and Fitness
  • Member, Canisius College Pre-Law Advisory Council

HONORS & AWARDS

  • Recognized by Chambers USA from 2019 to present in the field of Labor and Employment (Upstate NY)
  • Named to The Daily Record Power 20 List for Labor & Employment Law 2023
  • Recipient, Leaders in Law Award, The Daily Record and Rochester Business Journal’s Legal Excellence Program, 2022
  • Named as Best Lawyers® 2021 Employment Law-Management “Lawyer of the Year” in Rochester, NY
  • Named to The Daily Record’s Power 20 in Labor & Employment Law list, 2022 and 2024
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for:
    • Arbitration
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Employment Law – Management
    • Health Care Law
    • Labor Law – Management
    • Labor Law – Union
    • Litigation – Labor and Employment
  • Selected to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list since 2007
  • Recipient, “Forty Under 40” Award, Rochester Business Journal, 2005
  • Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM Peer Review Rated

NEWS

PRESENTATIONS

  • Co-Presenter, “Navigating the Tough Talks: Discipline, Termination, and Other Difficult Conversations,” HR Legal Lab, October 21, 2025
  • Co-Presenter, “Understanding the ARPA and its Impact on COBRA and FFCRA,” Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, April 22, 2021
  • Presenter, “NYS Paid Leave Update,” Genesee Valley Chapter of SHRM and National Human Resource Association – Rochester Affiliate Legal Update Webinar, February 9, 2021
  • Presenter, “Workplace Vaccination Guidance and the New Stimulus Package,” Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, January 4, 2021
  • Presenter, “Employment Trends: What to Watch and How to Adjust” webinar, The Chemung Chamber of Commerce, October 22, 2020
  • Co-Presenter, “Guidance for Employers on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic – Session Six,” Harter Secrest & Emery webinar, April 16, 2020
  • Co-Presenter, “Helping Businesses Navigate COVID-19 Legislation Webinar,” Brown & Brown Insurance Webinar, April 2, 2020
  • “What’s Happening at the NLRB? What You Need to Know Even If You Don’t Have a Union. Hint: A Lot,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 30, 2019
  • Guest Lecturer on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Rochester Institute of Technology, Information Security Policy and Law Class, April 9, 2019
  • Presenter, “Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets,” Monroe County Bar Association, March 27, 2019
  • Presenter, “Labor and Employment Law Update,” Rochester Automobile Dealers Association, February 11, 2019
  • Presenter, “HR Best Practices and Trends in an Evolving Work Environment Part 1,” CCA Annual Convention, October 3, 2018
  • Presenter, “2018 Labor and Employment Update,” Rochester Automobile Dealers’ Association, August 21, 2018
  • Presenter, “Update on Trade Secrets and Non-Competition Law,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 26, 2018
  • Presenter, “The Headlines Continue: The Epidemic of High Profile Sexual Harassment Claims,” Harter Secrest & Emery, November 3, 2017
  • Presenter, “Knock, Knock. Who’s There?: What to do When the Government Comes Knocking,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
  • Presenter, “How to Recover Your Stolen Trade Secrets: A Deep Dive into the Defend Trade Secrets Act After its First Year,” Harter Secrest & Emery’s Labor and Employment Law Conference, April 5, 2017
  • Presenter, “Non-Compete Clauses,” Greater Rochester Enterprise’s Eyes on the Future Radio Show, WHAM 1180, June 2013

PRACTICE AREAS

ADMISSIONS

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

CLERKSHIP

  • New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department (1995-97)

EDUCATION

  • University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D.
  • Canisius College, B.A.

Calabrese_Jeffrey
Jeffrey J. Calabrese