Anne B. Sekel

Anne B. Sekel is a partner and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP.  She serves as the managing partner of the firm's New York office. Anne also is the New York City office chair of the Litigation Department and the Litigation Department’s Training Partner.

Anne has experience assisting clients with a broad range of litigation matters, including employment discrimination and retaliation, trade secrets/non-competes, commercial and financial fraud, breach of contract, and insurance broker professional liability claims. Anne is a member of the firm’s Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Labor & Employment Practices.

Anne has successfully represented clients in all phases of commercial disputes, ranging from pre-litigation dispute resolution through trial or arbitration.

Anne has been active in leadership roles within the firm throughout her career, having served first as the representative of the New York Office on the firm’s Associates Committee and then as the Committee's national chair, as well as serving as a representative on the firm’s Women’s Network. She also frequently works on the firm’s loss prevention and professional responsibility matters.

Representative Experience

• Won a jury trial in a Title VII gender discrimination case in the Eastern District of New York 
• Won a jury trial in a professional negligence and breach of contract action in New York State Supreme Court, Westchester County 
• Obtained dismissal on summary judgment of age discrimination claims in New York State Supreme Court, Queens County 
• Successfully negotiated favorable settlements of a broad range of claims asserted against a global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services

Community Engagement

Anne also devotes a considerable amount of time to various pro bono efforts. She has represented an individual from The Gambia in a defensive asylum application, as well as represented a death row inmate in his post-conviction efforts to have his death sentence vacated. In addition, she represents a non-profit organization that partners with artisans in developing economies to help them build sustainable and ethical businesses.

Anne is the Vice Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial and Federal Litigation Section.

Recognition

In 2013 – 2016, Anne was selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers - Rising Stars® lists. 

In 2017-2021, Anne was selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers® list.

Education

• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law – Yeshiva University (J.D.)
  • Co-chair, Cardozo Advocates for Battered Women
  • Supervisor, Student Advocates for the Courtroom Advocates Project
• Columbia University (B.A.)

Admissions

• New York
• New Jersey
• Southern District of New York
• Eastern District of New York
• District of New Jersey

Publications

• Author, “ICYMI: New York City Amended Its Fair Chance Act, and the Changes are Significant,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, October 4, 2021
• Author, “New York Enacts COVID-19 Vaccination Leave Law,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, March 22, 2021
• Author, “DOL Proposes Changes to financial Reporting Requirements for the Largest and Most Prominent Unions,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, October 5, 2020
• Author, “The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”): Understanding How its Paycheck Protection Program Incentivizes Employers to Retain or Rehire Employees,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, March 30, 2020
• Author, “No Summer Break for New York State’s and New York City’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Protections,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, July 16, 2018
• Author, “New York City Mandates Cooperative Dialogue for Accommodation Requests,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, April 23, 2018
• Author, “Off-Duty Emails May Be Compensable (or Not),” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, August 14, 2017
• Author, “Could Wellness Programs Be Making Your Company “Sick?” The Potential Perils of Collecting Biometric Data About Employees,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, March 13, 2017
• Author, “SCOTUS Sends Auto Workers Back to Circuit Court for Overtime Regulation “Repairs”,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, October 10, 2016
• Author, “NYC Lays Down Law (And The Wave Of The Future?) On Gender Identity Discrimination,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, May 23, 2016
• Author, “Paid Parental Leave: Boston Starts Another Party,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, July 6, 2015
• Author, “As the Late, Great Joan Rivers Would Say, ‘Can We Talk’ (About Our Salaries)? The Answer May Soon Be ‘Yes,’” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, January 20, 2015 
• Author, “Micro Unions Are Here to Stay: Cosmetics Workers Made Up for Unionizing but Shoes Salespeople Need to Find a Better Fit,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, August 4, 2014 
• Author, “Third Circuit Rules: Big Cheese Is No Employee,” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, August 26, 2013 
• Co-author, “GINA?? No, She’s Not Your Niece. ‘She’ Is the Newest Area of EEOC Focus and It’s Time to Take Note of ‘Her,’” Labor & Employment Law Perspectives, June 24, 2013