ATTORNEY

Irene Donna Thomas is an experienced labor and employment litigation attorney who has handled and successfully resolved numerous cases in New York state and federal courts and Pennsylvania federal courts and has practiced before administrative agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Merit Systems Protection Board.  Before founding Thomas & Associates, and now the House of Labor and Employment Law, Ms. Thomas spent her career as a labor and employment law arbitrator and served as a Mediator in the EEOC's Pilot Mediation Program established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1991.  After launching Thomas & Associates in 1998, Ms. Thomas continued to serve as a Labor and Employment Law Arbitrator, served as an Adjunct Professor of Labor and Employment Arbitration Law at the Fordham University School of Law, and represented clients in state and federal court litigation with an emphasis on labor and employment law, including but not limited to, wage and hour law, race, religion, sex, harassment, and retaliatory discrimination claims.  Ms. Thomas won an important religious discrimination claim for a group of clients, against the City of New York, that was affirmed on Appeal by the Second Circuit.  Ms. Thomas also served as General Counsel of the National Union for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America.  Before starting her legal career, Ms. Thomas worked as an organizer of unorganized workers, including a short stint as Director of Organizing, an organizer for union-represented workers, an elected local union president, and a shop steward.  

 

Ms. Thomas vigorously advocates for the rights of her clients after defining the client’s interests and consulting with the client to map out a strategy for achieving a successful outcome.

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Ms. Thomas is a Stein Scholar in Legal Ethics and Public Interest Law (Fordham University School of Law).

 

Education:

• Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1997; Dean's List (1997)

• State University of New York, Empire State College, B.S. (Industrial and Labor Relations), 1992, Class Valedictorian, G.P.A. - 3.9

• New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Certificate, Industrial and Labor Relations, 1992, Class Valedictorian

Court Admissions: 

• United States Supreme Court

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit

• U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania

• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey

• Federal Circuit Court of Appeals

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

• State of New York

Affiliations: 

• Member, Allegheny County Bar Association

• Past Member, New York City Bar Association

• Member, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity

Miscellaneous​

• Irene Thomas - Labor Law - Lawyers of Distinction (thelawyersofdistinction.com)

• Irene Thomas Arbitration Attorney | Labor Arbitration Attorney in New York | Arbitration.com

• Irene Thomas Mediation Attorney | Employment Mediation Attorney in New York | Mediation.com

• Cibao Meat Products, Inc. | National Labor Relations Board (nlrb.gov)

• Coley et al v. Vannguard Urban Improvement Association, Inc. et al 1:2012cv05565 | US District Court for the Eastern District of New York | Justia

• Patrick v. Local 51, Amer | No. 19 Civ. 10715... | 20210826896| Leagle.com

• Alberto Rivera Bey v. City of New York – CourtListener.com

• Rivera v. City of New York | Nos. 13-3733(L), 13... | 20141029110| Leagle.com