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Kathleen M. Connelly

kconnelly@lindabury.com
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908.233.6800

53 Cardinal Dr
Westfield, New Jersey 07090

331 Newman Springs Rd #225
Red Bank, New Jersey 07701

200 Liberty St 27th floor
New York, New York 10281

Kathleen Connelly, partner in Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper, serves as the Co-Chair of the Firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group and concentrates her practice in Employment Law. She has more than 30 years of experience representing employers and individual members of management in both the private and public sectors.

Preventative Counseling

Kathleen regularly provides employers with practical and cost-effective preventative counseling on a wide array of employment matters. Her preventative counseling focuses on assisting clients to make legally-compliant employment decisions that advance management objectives and avoid or reduce litigation risks. 

Her substantive legal advice under state and federal employment laws includes employee hiring, discharge and discipline; managing employee leaves of absence; avoiding and responding to unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace; reasonable workplace accommodations for disabled employees; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs; drug and alcohol testing; employee monitoring and privacy rights in the workplace; employee benefits; protected whistle-blower activities by employees; reductions in force and plant closings; severance packages and general releases; individual employment agreements; wage and hour compliance; personnel file management and record keeping requirements; and other related matters.

Litigation Defense and Dispute Resolution

Kathleen has successfully represented employers and members of management in all aspects of proceedings in state and federal courts, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and administrative agencies involving claims of unlawful harassment and discrimination; wrongful discharge; breach of contract; whistleblower retaliation; failure to provide reasonable accommodation; civil rights violations; violation of non-compete agreements; violation of leave rights; wage and hour compliance; and other employment claims.

Kathleen’s appellate practice includes several appearances before the New Jersey Appellate Division. Kathleen has also resolved lawsuits and administrative charges in an effective, cost-efficient manner consistent with our clients’ financial and strategic objectives.

Workplace Investigations

Kathleen regularly provides counsel to clients conducting internal investigations into allegations of sexual harassment or other forms of workplace misconduct. Kathleen is frequently retained by public and private sector employers to conduct internal investigations into allegations of harassment and workplace misconduct and to provide reports of findings and recommendations for further action. Kathleen has conducted more than 100 workplace investigations, including allegations of wrongdoing by executive employees, members of hospital medical staffs and board members. 

Employee Handbooks and Policies

Kathleen regularly prepares comprehensive, legally compliant employee handbooks and policies uniquely customized to the employer’s industry, business practices and workforce.

Training

Kathleen routinely provides management and staff training for our clients in all aspects of employment law compliance, including workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation avoidance; managing leaves of absence and return to duty issues; conducting performance evaluations; implementing employee discipline; monitoring employee electronic communications.

Publications
Education

J.D., Rutgers Law School - Newark, NJ , 1990

B.A., Monmouth University, 1983
Cum Laude

Admissions New Jersey, 1990
New York, 1991
United States District Court District of New Jersey, 1990
Awards
Reported Cases
  • Falco v. Community Medical Center, 287 N.J.Super. 298, (App. Div. 1996), certif. denied, 153 N.J. 405 (1997)
  • Sprague v. Shore Care, 293 N.J.Super. 33, (App. Div. 1996)
  • City Association of Superintendents and Administrators v. State Operated School District of City of Newark, 311 N.J.Super. 300 (NJ 1998)
  • Higgins v. Pascack Valley Hospital, 158 NJ 404, 730 A.2d 327 (NJ 1999)
  • Wade v. Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation, 343 N.J.Super. 338, (App. Div. 2001), aff'd as modified, 172 N.J. 327 (2002)
  • Morgan v. Union County Bd. of Chosen Freeholders, 268 N.J.Super. 336, (App. Div. 1993), certif. denied, 135 N.J. 468 (1993)
  • CPC Behavioral Healthcare, Board of Trustees
  • Kuehne Chemical Company, Board of Trustees
Professional & Bar Association Memberships

New Jersey State Bar Association

Union County Bar Association

Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce

Monmouth Ocean Development Council
Personnel Committee

Irish Business Association

Society for Human Resources Management

National Association of Professional Women