Summary: Sharon Parella joins Thompson Hine as a partner and Leah Ramos will serve as senior counsel in the New York office.
Thompson Hine LLP
Parella’s practice will focus on defending employers, including both domestic and foreign financial institutions and their boards of directors against discrimination, compensation and breach of contract claims in both state and federal courts. Parella will also defend these employers in front of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), fair employment practices agencies, and other regulatory agencies. Parella’s experience includes employment issues as they relate to mergers and acquisitions in the financial industry, as well as restructurings and downsizings.
Parella also has significant experience in discrimination, employee misconduct, sexual harassment and workplace bullying. She advises employers on such issues and provides training on these topics as well. She has drafted and negotiated employment and separation agreements, retention and consulting agreements, and employee handbooks and policies. Parella also advises employers regarding the employment of U.S. employees working abroad, as well as the application of U.S. laws to expatriate employees who work within the United States. She lectures on investigating sexual harassment, innovative work place practices, discrimination and workplace bullying claims, and she has authored writings on these topics as well.
Katherine D. Brandt, the office partner-in-charge, stated, “We are delighted to welcome Sharon and Leah to our New York office. Sharon is recognized nationally as a forward-looking employment lawyer with a wide-ranging and impressive practice. There is an increasing need for lawyers with Sharon’s experience in handling the most significant and timely employment issues for financial institution clients, particularly in the New York market. Her substantial experience will be great asset to out firm and our clients.”
Parella also looks forward to her transition to Thompson Hine. She said, “I was attracted to Thompson Hine’s innovative approach to serving clients. Our clients will benefit from the firm’s dedication to providing progressive and comprehensive solutions to clients in the financial services sector and its strong focus on transactional work. In addition, I was excited to join a firm undergoing major growth in New York.”
The New York office has added five partners, including Parella, in the past nine months. Other partners who have recently been hired by the firm include Tammy P. Bieber, who practices shareholder litigation and securities enforcement; Christopher A. Bordoni, who focuses on transactional finance; Maranda E. Fritz in the white-collar criminal litigation department; and Michael W. Jahnke, who practices in the area of antitrust law.
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