Patricia A. Barasch is a partner in the law firm of Schall & Barasch L.L.C., a firm she founded with her partner, Richard Schall in March, 2000. Since its founding, Ms. Barasch's firm has become one of the preeminent plaintiffs' employment law firms in the State. Her firm focuses its practice exclusively on representing employees who have been the victims of unfair or unlawful treatment at work. She is a frequent speaker throughout the state on issues of sexual harassment, handicap/disability discrimination and family medical leave.

Ms. Barasch has been named among New Jersey's "Super Lawyers" by New Jersey Monthly Magazine in the area of employment litigation for three consecutive years from 2005-2007. In 2006, Ms. Barasch was honored as "Outstanding Business Woman" by South Jersey Magazine. In August, 2002, Ms. Barasch was selected as one of the top 40 lawyers under 40 years of age by the New Jersey Law Journal, which honored 40 lawyers in the State who they deemed "worth watching." For the year 2000, Ms. Barasch received the Professional Achievement Award for the Young Lawyers Division of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Ms. Barasch was selected by SJ Magazine as the "Top" Labor/Employment Attorney in South Jersey.

Most notably, in 2006, Ms. Barasch was elected Vice-President of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), a 3000-member association of attorneys devoted to advocating for employee rights and workplace fairness. NELA is the country's only professional organization that is exclusively comprised of lawyers who represent individual employees in cases involving employment discrimination, wrongful termination, employee benefits, and other employment related matters.

Ms. Barasch's trial victories include the 2007 case of Doe v. Raytheon Company (a $110,000 verdict), the 1999 case of Wiler v. PSE&G (a $550,000 verdict) and the 1998 case of Seiden v. Harrah's Casino Hotel, making ground-breaking law on behalf of handicapped employees. In addition to her successes in handling trial matters, Ms. Barasch has also won major legal victories in her practice for employees in the state of New Jersey. Patti Barasch and her partner, Richard Schall, are the attorneys in the ground-breaking case Maw v. Advanced Clinical Communications, Inc., which went to the NJ Supreme Court, challenging the right of employers to fire employees who refuse to sign an overbroad non-compete agreement.

In addition, acting as amicus counsel for the National Employment Lawyers Association in the case of Andrews v. Goodyear, Ms. Barasch persuaded the United States District Court to issue the first definitive interpretation of the 1996 Rules governing New Jersey lawyers' ex parte contacts with current and former employees of defendant corporations. The decision clarifies that employees through their attorneys are free to interview witnesses who may have knowledge about their cases but who are employees of the defendant corporate entity.

An advocate of voluntary Alternative Dispute Resolution, Ms. Barasch was admitted in 2006 to the State of New Jersey Roster of Mediators for Civil, General Equity and Probate Cases. In her capacity as mediator, Ms. Barasch assists parties in resolving their disputes without the need for protracted litigation. To date, Ms. Barasch has successfully resolved 90% of the cases referred to her for mediation. Ms. Barasch has further demonstrated her commitment to Alternative Dispute Resolution by contributing her time and expertise to the New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics Fee Arbitration Committee. For four consecutive years, Ms. Barasch successfully assisted attorneys and their clients resolve billing disputes amicably and expeditiously.

Ms. Barasch is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania bars, the United States District Court, District of New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and was recently admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Barasch is also a member of the New Jersey Bar Association; the National and New Jersey Employment Lawyers Associations; and the National Organization of Women (NOW). She graduated from Cornell Law School in 1993 and is a 1987 graduate of Wesleyan University. Prior to beginning law school, Ms. Barasch worked as a Research Assistant at Harvard University where she actively participated in the successful union organizing drive on behalf of approximately 3,500 clerical and technical workers across Harvard University. Ms. Barasch currently lives in Marlton, New Jersey with her husband Paul, daughter Cassidy, and son Kieran.

Patricia Barasch can be reached at Schall & Barasch L.L.C. at the above address and telephone number, and at her e-mail address pbarasch@schallandbarasch.com.