Rapaport Law Firm, PLLC

Today's Washington Post reported that the Mississippi governor says that he will sign a bill to remove Confederate emblem from state flag. Calling this long overdue is, to put it mildly, an understatement. It is sickening to think that Confederate symbols are considered acceptable anywhere. Rapaport Law Firm is proud to be at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights. The end of the fascist and illegitimate administration currently occupying the White House will truly be a new dawn for America and the world.

This week, we celebrate a landmark civil rights victory. On Monday, it became illegal in all states to fire someone for being gay, bisexual or transgender. Like many watershed moments in the decades-long struggle for civil and human rights, we are left to ponder why anyone would feel it appropriate to treat someone worse simply for being who they are. It seems self evident: no compassionate or decent person would demand that someone hide their sexuality as a condition for getting (or keeping) a job. But many people (including, sadly, our nation's president) lack compassion and decency. This is precisely why we need judges at every level who will expansively interpret and apply the protections of the Civil Rights Act and other civil rights laws.

Rapaport Law Firm’s employment lawyers and staff continue to work remotely. Rest assured, we intend to double down on our mission to protect the wage and employment rights of New York building maintenance workers and all other employees, who bravely perform their jobs during this crisis. New York City will persevere, as our great city has done in the face of past crises. We have all suffered so much from COVID-19. Last week, attorney Marc Rapaport lost his father, Leonard Rapaport, to the virus. Marc mourns this loss of a great man whose integrity was unparalleled and who gave his children strength, love and inspiration. Simply put, Leonard Rapaport made the world a better place.

In a decision that resolved an important legal issue of first impression, the U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled in favor of our firm's wage client, holding that employees' overtime claims against non-debtor joint employers are not barred by bankruptcy releases of third-party liability. The decision, which was reported in yesterday's New York Law Journal, was issued in the case Campos v. Aegis Realty. Beyond the importance of this decision for our client, this decision will help future wage plaintiffs who assert wage claims in the face of an employer's bankruptcy.

Francis Irizarry is the tech genius who has helped us at Rapaport Law Firm for years. We would be lost without him! Thanks Francis!

Happy Labor Day Weekend to Everyone!

Here is the view from Rapaport Law Firm's offices above Penn Station, looking southwest as a thunderstorm slowly rolls over Manhattan. The scene is breathtaking. But as I look at these dark clouds, I am reminded of the much darker and more ominous clouds that are hanging over our nation. With each passing week, the world around us seems to sink deeper into an abyss. Difficult times.

The New York State Bar Association takes a stand against the cruel treatment of asylum seekers and immigrants. https://www.nysba.org//NYSBA_President_Hank_Greenberg_Sp/

At Rapaport Law Firm, we advocate for the employment rights of hardworking immigrants, the vast majority of whom perform manual labor jobs that few others in our society are willing to take. Our clients face monumental challenges in nearly every aspect of their lives, including exploitation in the workplace. In the face of the wave of racism and xenophobia that is plaguing our nation, we applaud Bishop Mark Seitz, who bravely escorted a group of Central Americans with asylum claims across a U.S. - Mexico border bridge. https://www.nydailynews.com//ny-texas-bishop-escorts-migra

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Maria Nunez has joined our firm as a part-time paralegal. Ms. Nunez is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia, and she is pursuing a graduate degree in American Literature at NYU.

Rapaport Law Firm proudly announces that Raj Telwala has joined our firm as a paralegal. Raj received his BA in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics and Urban Policy from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He also minored in English. Raj has already become fully involved in our firm's wage and hour practice on behalf of NYC workers who are victims of wage theft.