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Suzanne M. Cerra, ESQ.

Partner & Co-Founder / DEI Committee Member

Suzanne M. Cerra has devoted her legal career to representing employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination matters. She also has extensive experience in matters involving the enforcement of restrictive covenants and the protection of trade secrets and confidential information. Ms. Cerra has represented hundreds of clients in state and federal court proceedings, arbitration proceedings, and before administrative agencies such as the EEOC, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and the New York Human Rights Division.

She also has extensive experience providing compliance counseling to her clients regarding all state and federal employment laws and assisting clients with issues relating to discrimination, harassment, leaves of absence, wrongful discharge, wage and hour laws, restrictive covenants and unfair competition. Ms. Cerra is called upon regularly by her peers to conduct internal investigations into claims of unlawful harassment, discrimination and other allegations of workplace misconduct.

AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale Hubbell
Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2015-Present
Recipient of the New Jersey Smart CEO Future 50 Award 2016
Boy Scouts of America, “Tribute to Women Award” Recipient 2015
“The Excellence in Achievement Award”, presented by Seton Hall University School of Law, Peter W. Rodino Society 2014
“KSB Presidential Leadership Award”, presented by the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association 2014
“Professional Lawyer of the Year Award” presented by the NJ Commission on Professionalism in the Law 2013
Listed in Super Lawyers®, Employment & Labor 2009-2020
“Top 100”, New Jersey Super Lawyers® 2010-2020
“Top 50 Women”, New Jersey Super Lawyers® 2010-2020
Listed in Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Law Firms, Labor & Employment 2010-2017
“The Best Lawyers in America”, Labor and Employment 2016
Named “Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs” by Leading Women Entrepreneurs and NJ Monthly Magazine 2012
Named “Best 50 Women in Business” by NJ Biz 2011
“Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, New Jersey”, Finalist 2009
“New Jersey Women in Business Champion of the Year”, presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration 2009

AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM and Martindale-Hubbell NotableSM are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies. A description of the selection methodology can be found at www.martindale.com/Products_and_Services/Peer_Review/Methodology.aspx. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

The Super Lawyers® list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

The Chambers USA Ranking is issued by Chambers & Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.chambersandpartners.com/methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

The Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Emloyment Ranking is issued by Best Lawyers®. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.bestlawyers.com/About/MethodologyBasic.aspx. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

The “Best Law Firms” Rankings list is issued by U.S. News & World Report. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/methodology.aspx. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Professional Experience
Law Office of Suzanne M. Cerra, Basking Ridge, NJ, Founder and Principal 2003-2006
Stanton, Hughes, Diana, Cerra, Mariani & Margello, P.C., Morristown, NJ (now Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stuart), Partner 1997-2003
Stanton, Hughes, Diana, Cerra, Mariani & Margello, P.C., Morristown, NJ (now Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stuart), Associate 1995-1997
Shanley & Fisher, P.C., Morristown, NJ, Associate 1993-1995
Graduate, Trial Advocacy College at the University of Virginia Law School 1999
Published Decisions
JEN Electric, Inc. v. County of Essex, NJ, 2009 WL 529154 March 4, 2009
Terrell v. Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc., 352 N.J. Super.109, App. Div. 2001
Johnson v. Penske Truck Leasing Co., 949 F. Supp. 1153, D.N.J. 1996
Scudder v. Media General, Inc., WL 495945, D.N.J. 1995

 

Education
Boston College Law School J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif 1993
Bucknell University B.S., cum laude 1990
Bar Admissions
State of New Jersey
United States District Court – District of New Jersey

Publications
“Achieving Balance: Suzanne M. Cerra and Katherin Nukk-Freeman Reveal How a Flexible, Team-Based Business Model Benefits Fee-Earners and Clients”, Managing Partner Magazine (Volume 15 Issue 2); Co-Authored with Katherin Nukk-Freeman, Esq. October 2013
“Monitoring Electronic Communications and Social Media Usage in the Workplace: What are the Limits?”, New Jersey Labor and Employment Law Quarterly (Volume 32, No. 2), Co-Authored with Galit Kierkut, Esq.
“COBRA Subsidies Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: How Will They Impact Businesses?”, New Jersey Defense (Volume 25, Issue 2), Co-Authored with Katherin Nukk-Freeman, Esq. Spring 2009
“We Can Have it All”, New Jersey Women Lawyers’ Association Gala Journal, Co-Authored with Katherin Nukk-Freeman, Esq. April 2009
“Elements of an Effective Harassment Investigation”, New Jersey Labor and Employment Law Quarterly Winter 2007
Speaking Engagements
Returning to Work after COVID, NJSBA Labor and Employment Law Forum February 2021
“Winning Strategies from a Women-Owned Law Firm”, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Podcast Episode November 2020
How to Be an Upstander: Intervening in Racism in the Legal Workplace, Lawline CLE Program September 2020
How to Be an Upstander in the Face of Racism, ACCNJ Live Webinar Presentation August 2020
COVID-19 Awareness: Employment Law Q&A #2, Live Webinar, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC April 2020
“Battling the Bully: My Way or the Highway”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Hot Topics in Employment Seminar November 2019
Clearing the Haze: What Does Weed in the Workplace Mean to Employers?, The Hershey Company Legal and Human Resources Department April 2019
Legislative & Strategic Trends in the Aftermath of the ‘Me Too’ Movement, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, 2018 Hot Topics in Employment Law Seminar November 2018
New York State and New York City Anti-Harassment Legislation: Here is What You Need to Know, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, Webinar May 2018
The UBER Nightmare, a Harassment and Discrimination Horror Story, New Jersey Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Basking Ridge, NJ April 2018
Salary History Bans, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, Webinar February 2018
Building Emotional Intelligence with Good Communication, Presentation to UPS Legal Department February 2018
Salary History Bans – What is Prohibited and How Do You Comply?, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Webinar December 2017
Effective Internal Investigations, CLE Presentation to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ Legal Department November 2017
An Employment Law Horror Story, Dissecting the UBER Nightmare, Presented at Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Hot Topics in Employment Law Seminar November 2017
Salary History Bans – What is Prohibited and How Do You Comply, Presented at Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC, In-House Counsel Seminar, New York City October 2017
Restrictive Covenants that Will Hold Up in Court, Presentation to Katsy Korins LLC January 2017
Are You Prepared for the DOL’s New Overtime Rules?, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Hot Topics in Employment Law Round Table November 2016
New Overtime Regulations, What Should Employers Do to Prepare, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Webinar August 2016
When the Threat of Litigation Looms, How Can Employers Protect Themselves?, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Hot Topics in Employment Law Round Table November 2015
How to Deal with a Difficult Adversary in an Ethical and Professional Manner, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Presentation August 2015
Successful Law Management: Dealing with the Question of Compensation, presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education December 2014
The High Price of Misclassification: Are You Properly Classifying Interns and Volunteers?, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Webinar Presentation May 2014
The High Price of Misclassification: Are You Properly Classifying Interns and Volunteers? presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education January 2014
Workplace Investigations, presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education November 2013
Professional & Ethical Implications of Gender Bias in the Practice of Law, presented by the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association and the Essex County Bar Foundation October 2013
In House Counsel and the Attorney Client Privilege, presented by Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC October 2013
The Pros and Cons of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Movement, presented by Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC May 2013
Bring Your Own Device Movement, presented at the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Business Meeting February 2013
Properly Classifying Temps, Interns, Independent Contractors & Volunteers, presented at the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Annual Meeting September 2011
Navigating the Social Media Minefield, presented by Nukk-Freeman & Cerra June 2011
Successful Law Firm Management: Increasing Firm Profitability, presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education April 2011
“Round Table Discussion on Social Media”, American Express Open July 2010
“The Pitfalls of Social Media in the Workplace”, Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, PC Webinar July 2010
“Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations”, presented to ASIS International, New Jersey Chapter June 2010
“How Social Media and Networking Websites and Technology Are Changing the Employment Landscape”, presented at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, Labor & Employment Section May 2010
“The Costliest Mistakes Made by Employers: What You Have to do to Protect Your Business”, presented to the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education November 2009

Park Avenue Club, Board of Trustees 2014-Present
New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, Past President 2014
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, “Power of the Promise” Fundraising Committee, Past Member

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