STUART M. KATZ is a principal and chair of Cohen and Wolf's Employment & Labor Group. He is also a member of the firm's Litigation and Physicians Practices Groups. Described in Chambers USA (2011 edition) as "practical, technically skilled and an excellent strategic thinker," he represents employers of all sizes in defending discrimination and harassment suits and litigating restrictive covenant, breach of contract, business tort and wage claims. Mr. Katz also represents professionals and executives in matters relating to their employment. In addition, he has extensive experience in matters involving disputes between owners of closely-held businesses, and in litigating other complex business disputes. He practices in both the state and federal courts, often acting as local counsel for out-of-state law firms and companies, and handles matters before the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Department of Labor and other administrative agencies.
Mr. Katz has been recognized as a leading lawyer in Connecticut in the area of Labor & Employment Law, in the 2008-2012 editions of Chambers USA - America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2013 edition) for his work in the areas of Labor & Employment Litigation and Employment Law. He is recognized as a "Local Litigation Star" in Connecticut by Benchmark Litigation, The Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys, in the areas of Employment and General Commercial Litigation (2011-2013), and designated a Connecticut Super Lawyer, in the category of Employment Litigation (2006-2007, 2009-2012). Mr. Katz was selected to the Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyers 2012 list.
Mr. Katz often lectures on employment law topics and has authored numerous articles in this area. He has served on the faculty for the Connecticut Trial Advocacy Institute and is an appointed arbitrator and mediator for the American Dispute Resolution Center Inc. Mr. Katz is a member of the American Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association (Executive Committee, Labor & Employment Section), Greater Bridgeport Bar Association and Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut; the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut; the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Active in the community, Mr. Katz serves as an associate national commissioner and on the regional executive committee of the Anti-Defamation League and is a past-President of Temple Beth Sholom in Hamden. He also serves on the board of directors of Camp Ramah in New England, and the board of directors and planning & allocations committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven.
Mr. Katz received his B.A., cum laude, in 1989 from Brandeis University and his J.D. in 1992 from Boston University School of Law, where he served as articles editor of the American Journal of Law and Medicine.