Firm in the News

July 2, 2025
NY Equinox Trainers Score $12M In Unpaid Wages Settlement

Law360 reported on final approval of a $12 million class action settlement for personal trainers. J&K were co-class counsel for the trainers.

January 9, 2025
Lucas Buzzard promoted to partner at Joseph & Kirschenbaum

Joseph & Kirschenbaum LLP is pleased and honored to announce the addition of Lucas Buzzard as a partner in the firm.

Lucas has been with the firm since 2015. Lucas is the consummate lawyer’s lawyer. Lucas’s razor-sharp intellect and keen analytic mind have, for nearly a decade, been an invaluable asset to the firm and our clients. His advocacy has repeatedly advanced the law to protect workers both at the trial court and appellate levels, and he has achieved outstanding results for aggrieved employees. He has been highly successful both in large class actions and in thorny individual whistleblower and other discrimination actions. Lucas has successfully litigated through trial and verdict cases with damages ranging to the seven digits.

Lucas’s kind demeanor and devotion to the firm’s clients and missions have played a huge role in his success at the firm. His intellect, diligence, and hard work have earned him the respect of clients, colleagues, and adversaries alike.

Lucas received his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, magna cum laude. Prior to joining the firm, Lucas clerked for the Hon. Peter W. Hall of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and served as a law clerk at the Second Circuit’s Staff Attorney’s Office.

September 17, 2024
A Famous Frank Sinatra Haunt Is Allegedly Harassing Staff and Stealing Tips

Eater.com reported on J&K’s racial discrimination and wage and hour lawsuits against Patsy’s Italian Restaurant.

August 20, 2024
Recipe Changing For NYC Restaurant Wage Suits

Maimon Kirschenbaum is quoted in this Law360 article about wage and hour cases against New York City restaurants.

December 25, 2023
Has Gratuity Culture Reached A Tipping Point?

Maimon Kirschenbaum is quoted in this New Yorker article about tipping culture.

April 28, 2023
NYC Steakhouse Workers Score Class Cert. In Wage Dispute

Law360 reported on the class certification decision in J&K’s wage and hour lawsuit against 212 Steakhouse.

November 29, 2022
Bottled Water Co., Ex-Delivery Driver End Late Payment Fight

Law360 reported on J&K’s class action settlement of case alleging that the employer violated New York Labor Law by paying employees biweekly instead of weekly.

September 27, 2022
Fired In-House Atty Scores Partial Win Against Real Estate Co.

Law360 reported on court decision finding that J&K’s client was discriminated against based on his disability. J&K attorneys Maimon Kirschenbaum, Mike DiGiulio, and Leah Seliger represented the client.

August 16, 2022
NY Judge OKs $945K Arbitration Award For Ex-CKR Atty

Law360 reported on the court’s entry of a $945,000 arbitration award obtained by J&K attorney Denise Schulman for an attorney who was not paid all of her wages.

June 23, 2022
Restaurants Owe $5 Million for Discrimination, Underpayment

The New York Law Journal reported on the unanimous jury verdict obtained by J&K attorneys Josef Nussbaum and Lucas Buzzard against two restaurants. The plaintiffs prevailed on all claims, including wage and hour claims pursued on a class basis and a national origin discrimination claim asserted by one plaintiff.

April 29, 2022
Equinox Can’t Dodge Certified Trainers’ Collective OT Suit

Law360 reported on court decision granting conditional collective certification of personal trainers’ FLSA overtime claims against Equinox.

February 22, 2022
Discrimination Suit Against Quinn Emanuel Can Proceed

The New York Law Journal reported on the court’s denial of motion to dismiss a race discrimination and retaliation case filed by J&K against a prominent law firm.

January 5, 2022
NJ High Court To Consider Worker Classification Scope

J&K attorney Lucas Buzzard is quoted in this article about a New Jersey appeal concerning whether real estate salespeople are employees or independent contractors under New Jersey law.

February 16, 2021
NJ Justices To Decide If Insurance Agents Always Contractors

Law360 reported on J&K’s appeal to the New Jersey Supreme Court concerning whether insurance agents are employees or independent contractors under New Jersey law.

December 9, 2020
Nonprofit Gets Leftover Funds From Mario Batali Wage Deal

Law360 reported on the distribution of unclaimed settlement funds from J&K’s class action lawsuit against Mario Batali’s restaurants to Make the Road New York.

May 7, 2020
Shearman Vows to Fight Age Bias Lawsuit, Arguing Employee Fired in Pandemic Was ‘Terminated for Cause’

The New York Law Journal reported on an age discrimination case filed by J&K on behalf of an IT employee who worked for a large law firm.

August 29, 2019
José Andrés blames software glitch for underpaid workers; plaintiffs move ahead with lawsuit

The Washington Post reported on J&K class action wage and hour lawsuit against restaurants in Jose Andres’ Mercado Little Spain.

August 14, 2019
Pharma Wholesalers Strike $7.5M Deal In Drivers’ OT Suit

Law360 reported on settlement of J&K’s lawsuit that alleged that employer misclassified delivery drivers as independent contractors and failed to pay them overtime compensation.

June 12, 2019
Interview With Restaurant Worker Attorney Maimon Kirschenbaum

Maimon Kirschenbaum was interviewed about employment law issues in the restaurant industry.

Interview of Maimon Kirschenbaum

Bill O’Shaugnessy of radio station WVOX interviewed Maimon Kirschenbaum about wage and hour and discrimination issues in the restaurant industry.

November 12, 2018
LaGuardia Airport’s $4B overhaul project is paying women less: suit

The New York Post reported on a lawsuit filed by J&K alleging that women working on the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport were paid less than similarly situated men.

October 13, 2018
Mallozzi Group settles lawsuit over unpaid tips for $550,000

The Albany Business Review reported on the settlement of a J&K lawsuit against Albany catering halls seeking recovery of service charges paid by customers

May 26, 2018
The Predators in the Kitchen

Maimon Kirschenbaum is quoted in this New York Times article about sexual harassment in the restaurant industry.

February 1, 2018
Mission Chinese Is a ‘Hotbed of Racial Discrimination,’ New Suit Alleges

Eater reported on the racial discrimination and wage and hour lawsuit J&K filed against Mission Chinese restaurant.

January 24, 2018
New York restaurant Le Bernardin sued for sexual harassment

Reuters reported on J&K’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Le Bernardin.

November 7, 2017
Amid Weinstein Scandal, Employment Attorneys See Business Gains

Maimon Kirschenbaum is quoted in this New York Law Journal article about the increase in sexual harassment cases during the #MeToo era.

November 4, 2017
The restaurant world braces for its Harvey Weinstein meltdown

Maimon Kirschenbaum is quoted in this New York Post article about sexual harassment in the restaurant industry.

August 22, 2017
Woman fired for being ‘too cute’ may have a case after all

The New York Post reported on J&K attorneys Maimon Kirschenbaum, Denise Schulman, and Lucas Buzzard’s successful appeal of a case where the plaintiff was fired because her boss’s wife thought she was “too cute.” The New York Appellate Division, First Department found that the plaintiff’s allegations could support a claim of gender discrimination under the New York City Human Rights Law.

December 3, 2014
Michelin chef Cesar Ramirez accused of racism at Brooklyn restaurant

The Guardian reported on J&K’s discrimination and wage and hour lawsuit against Brooklyn Fare.

September 18, 2014
‘Exploited’ Le Cirque staff bring lawsuit against owner

The New York Post reported on J&K’s wage and hour lawsuit against Le Cirque.

May 24, 2013
Why Are New York’s Chefs Afraid of This Man?

Grub Street profiled Maimon Kirschenbaum and the firm’s wage and hour class action lawsuits against restaurants.

March 8, 2012
Batali Settles Wage Lawsuit for $5 Million

The Wall Street Journal reported on the settlement of the firm’s lawsuit against a number of Mario Batali’s restaurants.

December 14, 2011
The Top 10 Restaurant Fights and Freak-Outs of 2011

The firm’s class action wage and hour lawsuits against New York City restaurants were number three on Eater’s Top 10 Restaurant Fights and Freak-Outs of 2011.

September 28, 2011
Lawyer Fires Back at Joe Bastianich Over ‘Frivolous Lawsuits’ Comment

Grub Street published Maimon Kirschenbaum’s response to restaurant owner Joe Bastianich’s comments in response to being sued by J&K.

May 8, 2011
For restaurants, more lawsuits on the menu

Crain’s New York quoted Maimon Kirschenbaum in this article about wage and hour lawsuits against New York City restaurants.

December 6, 2010
Tip Sheet: Tim and Nina Zagat’s Guide to Restaurant Class Actions

The AmLaw Daily discussed Maimon Kirschenbaum’s lawsuits against New York City restaurants.

September 2, 2010
Restaurateurs Under Siege

The Wall Street Journal reported on the firm’s wage and hour litigation against New York City restaurants.

July 22, 2010
Batali and Bastianich Sued for Failure to Pay Overtime, Minimum Wage

Grub Street reported on the wage and hour class action lawsuit J&K filed against Mario Batali’s Babbo restaurant.

July 7, 2010
Lawyer Sues Firm for Failing to Pay Overtime

The New York Times reported on a lawsuit the firm filed seeking overtime pay for a contract attorney.

June 11, 2009
Frank Accused of Withholding Pasta; Matsuri Also Hit With Lawsuit

Grub Street reported on the firm’s lawsuits against Frank, Super, and Matsuri restaurants.

August 3, 2007
At Nobu, a Lawsuit Over Workers’ Tips

The New York Times reported on the firm’s wage and hour lawsuit against Nobu.

June 10, 2007
Manhattan: Ex-Restaurant Workers Sue

The New York Times reported on the firm’s wage and hour class action against V Steakhouse.