Legal Profile

KIRSTEN SCHEURER BRANIGAN, Owner

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Kirsten Scheurer Branigan is the owner of the Law Office of Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, P.C., a 100% woman-owned law firm. Ms. Branigan has 12 years experience in employment law, including conducting independent investigations, providing corporate preventative and remedial measures, and handling litigation matters. Ms. Branigan conducts independent investigations into harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other employment-related complaints, and provides preventative counseling to corporations. Ms. Branigan routinely counsels corporate clients on numerous employment law issues including, disability, family leave, harassment, discrimination, discipline, restructuring, lay-off and termination issues, employment handbooks, corporate policies, employment contracts and severance agreements. Ms. Branigan likewise counsels and negotiates on behalf of individuals with respect to all types of employment claims, employee compensation, non-compete agreements and severance packages, including high level executives. Ms. Branigan offers full-service employment training, such as training to human resources and in-house legal staff on conducting investigations, training to managers on how to address employee performance problems, discipline, leaves of absence and termination issues, and training on the prevention of harassment/discrimination to all, including individual one-on-one training to alleged harassers. Ms. Branigan also handles employment litigation.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
EXPERIENCE
LEADERSHIP, AWARDS, BAR ADMISSION, EDUCATION
PUBLICATIONS
PRESS
SEMINARS
ASSOCIATIONS

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

OWNER
Law Office of Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, Newark, NJ
September 2006 - Present

COMMISSIONER
Public Employment Relations Commission, Trenton, NJ
November 2007

ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNSEL
Essex County, Office of County Counsel, Newark, NJ
April 2006 – February 2007

FLEX-TIME PARTNER
Fischer, Porter & Thomas, P.C., Englewood Cliffs, NJ
January 2006 - September 2006

ASSOCIATE
Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.C., Woodbridge, NJ
September 1995 - January 2006

LAW CLERK
City of Jersey City Law Department, Corporation Counsel, Jersey City, NJ
1993 - 1995

JUDICIAL INTERN
United States Magistrate Judge Ronald J. Hedges
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
1993 - 1994

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EXPERIENCE

Throughout her career, Ms. Branigan has performed numerous independent investigations in both the private and public sectors. Her investigation work has encompassed a wide array of businesses and organizations, including, but not limited to, those in the pharmaceutical, communications/information technology, manufacturing, education, health-care, and publishing industries. She has been called upon as an independent investigator by large national companies (including Fortune 200 and 500 companies), international and domestic companies, public entities and organizations, small to mid-size privately held businesses, educational institutions, hospitals and non-profit organizations.

Ms. Branigan has handled and managed litigation from both the plaintiff and defense sides of employment claims gender, age, race, religion, national origin and disability, as well as, wrongful discharge, wage and hour, Family and Medical Leave Act, Family Leave Act, Conscientious Employee Protection Act, tenure dismissal, invasion of privacy, defamation, breach of employment contracts, retaliation claims and complex class actions and multi-party litigation on matters filed in state and federal courts and with administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.

Ms. Branigan has frequently conducted sexual harassment/diversity training and provided practical training on how to perform investigations for corporate clients. Ms. Branigan has reviewed and negotiated employment contracts, severance agreements, and executive compensation packages on behalf of individuals. Ms. Branigan has further provided counseling to private and public employers, including, but not limited to, Boards of Education, county colleges, public authorities, counties and municipalities regarding collective bargaining and civil service issues.

Ms. Branigan has handled labor arbitrations and mediations in connection with collective bargaining grievances and matters arising from civil service departmental hearings, as well as appeared on matters before the State Board of Mediation and the Office of the Administrative Law Courts.

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LEADERSHIP, AWARDS, BAR ADMISSION, EDUCATION

• President of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (a 300+ member statewide association dedicated to the advancement of women in the legal profession) (2006-present)
  
• Professional Lawyer of the Year Award (2006), bestowed by the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism and the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association.
  
• Executive Women of New Jersey Board of Directors, as Chair of the By-laws Committee (2006-present), Scholarship Committee (2006), Programming Committee (2006-2007)
  
• New Jersey State Bar Association’s Diversity Committee
  
• Founding Member of the New Jersey Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education’s Women in Law Retention Project (2006)
  
• Committee Member, New Jersey State Bar Association’s Diversity Committee
  
• Bar Admission: New Jersey/U.S. District Court, New Jersey, 1995
  
• Rutgers University School of Law – Newark, Juris Doctorate 1995 (Articles Editor, Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal)
  
• Rutgers University, Rutgers College, Bachelor of Arts, History/Political Science 1992 (Henry Rutgers Scholar Thesis, with highest distinction)
  
• Saint Dominic Academy High School, Jersey City,1988

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PUBLICATIONS

• The Carousel Awaits: A Mother’s Day Tribute
  by Kirsten Scheurer Branigan [Women Lawyers Journal, National Association of Women Lawyers, Spring 2007]
  
• Importance of workplace investigations -
  Corporate preventative and remedial measures
  by Ty Hyderally and Kirsten Scheurer Branigan [New Jersey Lawyer, October 30, 2006]
  
• Women in the Legal Profession:
  The Quest to Overcome Barriers to Advancement Continues
  Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, co-author [Commerce magazine, Summer 2006]
• The Impact of Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination
  on the Workplace - What Employers and Employees
  Need to Know. New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, Bottomline Newsletter, Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, author. [June/July 2006]
• What NJ Employees Need to Know About Disability & Age Discrimination-Protected Family & Medical Leaves
  Silk Purse Women Newsletter, Kirsten S. Branigan, author.
  [Winter 2006]
• What Women Need to Know About Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, published in Garden State Woman Magazine, Kirsten S. Branigan, author. [December 2005/January 2006]
• The High Price of Employment – Expensive Employee Lawsuits – What Employers Need to Know, published by the Middlesex County Business Journal (January 2000), in the North Essex Chamber of Commerce trade publication (November 2005) and in Entrepreneur. COM, K. Branigan, author.[November 2005]
• The Impact of Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination on the Workplace - What Employers and Employees Need to Know, published in a newsletter issued by the Counseling Centers for Human Development, Inc., Kirsten S. Branigan, author (2004)
• Conducting and Attacking Employment Investigations
  An inadequate investigation can give rise to employer liability to the alleged harassment victim, or the alleged harasser by Kirsten S. Branigan and Christopher P. Lenzo [New Jersey Law Journal, March 24, 2003]
• The Employment-At-Will Doctrine: Have its Exceptions Swallowed the Rule? Common Law Limitations Upon an Employer’s Control over Employees-At-Will, published by Practising Law Institute, Kirsten S. Branigan, author. [1997-2002]
• Note-Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal, The Clipper Chip: Cryptography Technology and the Constitution - The Government’s Answer to Encryption “Chips” Away at Constitutional Rights, Kirsten S. Branigan, 21 RUCTLJ, 263 [1995]

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PRESS

• Study: Female Lawyers Shortchanged at the Top, Kirsten Scheurer Branigan interviewed. [NJBIZ, January 21, 2008]
  
• Minority and Women Judges, Kirsten Scheurer Branigan interviewed. [New Jersey Lawyer, January 7, 2008]
  
• Legal Issues Affecting Women in the Workplace
  Kirsten Scheurer Branigan interviewed by Rebecca Lubetkin.
  [New Directions for Women (Television Show), Morris County National Association of Women (NOW), November 7, 2007]
  
• Executive Women of New Jersey Member Spotlight:
  Our second profile this issue is Kirsten Branigan, a self-employed attorney who recently opened the Law Office of Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, P.C. in Newark. [The Update. A publication for EWNJ Members, September 2007]
  
• A question of legality by Andrea Gurwitt
  [Herald News, Working: Ask the Expert, May 7, 2007]
  
• Attorney Advocates for Gender Awareness by Lori Varga
  [Rutgers Alumni Relations Newsletter, February, 2007]
  
• Many spouses will dine alone by Heather Haddon
  [Herald News, February 14, 2007. Source: North Jersey Media Group] www.northjersey.com
  
• Old-Girl Networks Reach Out to Extend a Hand: More experienced women lawyers work to help newbies advance
  Kirsten Scheurer Branigan was featured in the NJ Biz article titled "Old-Girl Networks Reach Out to Extend a Hand" by Victoria Hurley-Schubert. The article focused on how women at some law firms are reaching out to younger counterparts, helping them to develop the skills necessary to get ahead.
  [NJ Biz, January 22, 2007]
  
• Diverting Bench Diversity: Zero to tokenism marks many courthouses by Dana E. Sullivan
  [Garden State Bar Association]
  
• Women's law leader knows the fight is not over
  Kirsten Scheurer Branigan was featured in the The Star Ledger article titled "Women's law leader knows the fight is not over" by Gregory C. Washington. The article focused on Ms. Branigan's achievements, her role as a business women and using her role as newly elected President of NJWLA, to address what she sees as the problems experienced by women who practice law.
  [The Star Ledger, December 21, 2006]
• Branigan Wins NJCPL Award
  [New Jersey Law Journal, December 18, 2006]
  
• Women Lawyers Association Recasts Itself and Its Mission
  [New Jersey Law Journal, November 27, 2006]
• Association Revitalized
  [New Jersey Law Journal, New Jersey Lawyer,
  November, 2006]
• ALUMNAE NEWS 1988: Kirsten Scheurer Branigan was recently awarded 2006 Professional Lawyer of the Year Award
  [Pentimento, Saint Dominic Academy, Spring 2007]
• Lawyer on a Mission
  [New Jersey Lawyer, May 8, 2006]
• Women partners (Still few and far between)
  [New Jersey Lawyer, May 8, 2006]
• The Challenges Women Attorneys still Face
  Kirsten Scheurer Branigan was featured in the May 22, 2006 NJ Biz article titled " The Challenges Women Attorneys Still Face" by Martin C. Daks. The article focused on how Ms. Branigan will be using her role as newly elected President of NJWLA, to address what she sees as the problems experienced by women who practice law. [NJ Biz, May 22, 2006]
• Diverting Bench Diversity: Zero to tokenism marks many courthouses by Dana E. Sullivan, Garden State Bar Association (KSB Interviewed)
• Guest on a New Jersey television program hosted by Steve Adubato, on sexual harassment and its legal and practical implications in the workplace (KSB Interviewed)
• Commentary provided in connection with an article published by The Home News Tribune entitled Abuse of Power: Women Are Still Dealing with [plaintiff-gender] Employers who “Just Don’t Get It” and Their Harassing Comments in the Workplace, Jokes and Sexual Demands (KSB Interviewed) [September 25, 2002]
  

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SEMINARS

• Hot Tips For Handling Disciplinary & Discharge Cases, Panelist, Essex County Bar Association (November 8, 2007)
  
• Legal Issues that Affect Women, presented to the Union-Essex Legal Professionals Association (January 2007)
  
• Co-presented the innovative and interactive mock investigation workshop entitled “HR UNDER FIRE” to a statewide audience of Human Resources professionals at the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) Annual Garden State Conference in Long Branch, NJ (November 7, 2006)
  
• Co-presented the “HR UNDER FIRE” seminar to the Morris County SHRM chapter (October 11, 2006)
  
• Panelist addressing Gender Equity Issues that affect Women in Business at a program by the NJ Division on Civil Rights and the Nutley Women’s Initiative (March 2006)
  
• Speaker at Program for New Jersey Women Business Owners legal issues affecting women-owned businesses (March 2006)
  
• Panelist addressing the legal issues that women face in the workplace at “Because We are Women –Celebrating Possibilities,” Fairleigh Dickinson University (October 2005)
  
• Speaker on the legal issues that women face and an update on gender-based verdicts and settlements to the Central Jersey Women’s Network (2005)
  
• Lecturer to class of female entrepreneurs at Fairleigh Dickinson niversity and to women entrepreneurs through the Rutgers Small Business Development Center (2005)
  
• Speaker to North Jersey Female Executives’ Association program on employment law issues (1999-2000)
  
• Frequent lecturer to Council on Education, a group focused on providing total solutions to the workforce challenges facing both public and private sector organizations on topics such as New Jersey Family Leave and federal Family and Medical Leave Act issues
  
• Speaker on numerous topics such as forms of harassment and discrimination and liability under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination, sexual harassment, disability (and family/FMLA) leave issues and strategies to minimize employment disputes, including, to the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) Convention, at the NJ State Parking Authority and Environmental Authority Conventions
  
• Speaker for numerous different professional organizations, including, but not limited to, chamber of commerce groups
  and female executives’ associations on sexual harassment, FMLA, disability, pregnancy, and leaves of absence issues
  
• Frequent speaker for presentations to law school students, college and high school students thinking about attending law school, particularly those enrolled in, or considering admission, to the Minority Student Program at Rutgers Law School - Newark

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ASSOCIATIONS

• President of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
  (2006-2008) and Member 2006-present
  
• Executive Women of New Jersey, Programming Committee
  (2006-2007); Scholarship Committee (2006)
  
• Labor and Employment of American Bar Association (intermittently 1997-2005)
  
• Labor and Employment Section, New Jersey State Bar Association (1995-present)
  
• National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)
  (intermittently 1996-2005, not every year)
  
• NELA-NJ (1996-present, not every year)
  
• NJSBA, Women in the Profession Section (2005-present)
  
• Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
  (2005 to present)
  
• Membership Committee - Morris County chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) (2005-2006)
  
• Metro Employee Management Association of SHRM (2005)
  
• North Essex Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee (2005-2006)
  
• Rutgers Small Business Development Center Advisory Board (2006)
  
• Co-Vice President of Corporate Relations of the Essex County chapter of New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners
  (2005-2006) and Member 2005-present
  
• Sexual Harassment Committee of National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) (2004-2005)
  
• Essex County Democratic Women’s Political Caucus (2006)
  
• Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey (2005-2006)
  
• Host Committee, PAM’s List Event (June 2006)
  
• New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (2005-present)
  
• National Association of Female Executives (2005-2006)
  
• Women Impacting Public Policy (2005-present)
  
• U. S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce (2005-present)
  
• The International Alliance for Women (2005-present)
  
• Central Jersey Women’s Network (2005)
  
• Rutgers Alumni Association (2005-present)
  
• Saint Dominic Academy, active alumna
  
• New Jersey Time to Care Coalition (2005-present)

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Kirsten Scheurer Branigan
Owner

T: (973) 661-3344
F: (973) 661-3355
kirsten@KSBraniganlaw.com