Ariel E. Solomon

• Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, American Bar Association
• Faculty Members, National Business Institute (NBI) on Issues Pertaining to Civil Litigation
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, New York State

• Near million dollar settlement on behalf of a member of the uniformed services who sued the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired 4-Star General John Hyten, for military sexual assault, the only known settlement of its kind.  You can read more about the case here. , 2023
• 9th Circuit Decision in California, Spletstoser v. Hyten, et al.,  changed the law to make it possible for some members of the armed forces to bring lawsuits for military sexual assault. , 2020
• Good v. Department of Homeland security, successful whistleblower case against the Department of Homeland Security in an action brought before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)., 2018
• Perry v. Department of Treasury, successful disability discrimination case against the Treasury Department. , 2018
• Williams v. DHS, successful racial discrimination case against the Department of Homeland Security., 2018
• Rafferty v. VA, successful whistleblower case against the Department of Veterans Affairs, brought before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).  Client, a government employee won against the VA in a wrongful termination case involving whistleblowing.  Although the Office of Special Counsel could have been involved, this was a case best resolved by an attorney experienced in federal employment law. , 2018
• Articol v. VA, wrongful termination appeal against the department of Veterans Affairs. , 2017
• Glover v. Department of Justice, EEOC Appeal No. 0120093752 (2012)., 2012
• Kavaliauskas v. IRS, 2014 MSPB 4, precedential decision regarding appeal rights for wrongfully terminated Department of Treasury Employee., 2014
• Williams v. DHS, obtained a successful verdict against the Department of Homeland Security for racial discrimination and hostile working environment. , 2017
• Bello v. Department of Department of Homeland Security (MSPB), 2013
• Substantial Merit Systems Protection Board settlement reached on behalf of a federal government, GSA employee, who was fired in retaliation for whistleblowing., 2014
• Knox v. FBI, substantial settlement reached in an action brought against the FBI for the wrongful termination of an employee with a hearing impairment. , 2015
• Goldsberry v. Department of Homeland Security (EEOC), 2013
• Barcley v. Department of Veterans Affairs, MSPB NY-0752-13-0039-I-1 (2013)., 2013
• Turner v. OPM, overturning an OPM adverse decision and awarding disability retirement to federal employee., 2014

• Ariel Solomon discusses representation of government employees in federal employment disputes, including wrongful termination, before the Merit Systems Protection Board. , Representation at the MSPB, Legal, Government, 2018
• Ariel Solomon discusses the nuances of representing Federal Employees. , Representation of Federal Employees, Legal, Government, Legislative, 2017
• Ariel Solomon interviewed on Democracy Now concerning her represtation of VA whistleblower, Dr. Jose Mathews, retaliated against for disclosing inadequate patient care to members of Congress, files a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. , VA Whistleblower blows the whistle on inadequate patient care, 2014
• Ariel Solomon provides update on the employment laws affecting New York State, including amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended., Update on Employment Laws affecting New York State, Channel 13, 2009
• Ariel Solomon discusses New York State Pension Reform., New York State Pension Reform, Channel 13, 2009

• Matter of Anonymous Google Whistleblower, discloses Google's Project Nightingale, creates a database of patient information that is not compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and which does not require the consent of patients to release their personal information.  Anonymous Google Whistleblower represented by Ariel E. Solomon. , 2019
• COL Kathryn Spletstoser v. GEN John Hyten, Joint Chiefs of Staff,  Col Kathryn Spletstoser sues the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for sexual assault.  Described as the rare case to survive a motion to dismiss in Federal Court.  , 2022
• Erickson v. United States Postal Service, 571 F.3d 1364, Fed. Cir. 2009.  Precedential appeal against the post office in a USERRA case. , 2009
• McMahon v. FBI, wrongful termination of a whistleblower employed with the Federal Bureau of Investigations., 2014
• Williams v. Department of Treasury, 118 M.S.P.R. 423, 2012.  Federal employee received a sucessful verdict against the Treasury Department in a wrongful termination case brought before the Merit Systems Portection Board. , 2012
• Mathews v. Department of Veterans Affairs, whistleblower retaliation and represention in connection with congressional hearing testimony for federal employee., 2015
• Kennedy v. Department of Air Force, 355 Fed. Appx. 406, 2009, 2009

• Solomon Law Firm, PLLC adds a National Security and Security Cleanrance Practice to it's Washington, DC office.  The practice will cater to the needs of federal employees and government contractors. , 2018
• Solomon Law Firm, PLLC annouces grand opening of the New York, NY office, located at 675 Park Avenue, suite 2607, New York, NY 10152.  The New York office location will optimize the Firm's current representation of Employees located in the tri-state area.   , 2018

• Certification in Advanced Federal Employment Litigation , 2019

• Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), 2018

• Ariel Solomon was recognized among The Best Lawyers in America.  Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review, designed to evaluate the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.  , The Best Lawyers in America, The Best Lawyers, 2023
• Outstanding Professionals Award Association of Professional Women, 2011
• 10.0 superb rated attorney, highest possible rating., Superb Rated Attorney, AVVO, 2018
• The National Advocates: Top 100 Litigation Attorney, Top 100 Litigation Attorney, 2018
• Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor., SuperLawyers Rising Star, 2013
• Albany Business Review 40 under Forty honoree. , Albany Business Review, 2015
• Empire State Counsel Honoree, New York State Bar Association, 2008
• Superlawyers Rising Star selectee, Superlawyers, 2018
• Selected by the American Society of Legal Advocates (ALSA) as one of the top Labor and Employment attorneys to retain in 2018, Top Labor & Employment Attorney, American Society of Legal Advocates, 2018

• The most important consideration when litigating before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), is how to take full advantage of the rules governing discovery in order to get access to information and documents that can help you defend against an adverse action and/or carry your burden of proof on affirmative defenses that were raised. Information obtained through discovery can be used to both defend against adverse actions such as removal, and to prove claims that a federal employee may have brought against a Federal Agency (affirmative defenses). In this sense, discovery is used for both an offensive and defensive strategy. , I filed an appeal with the MSPB, now what?, MSPB Blog, 2022
• #MeToo Legislation: Did Congress Just Put Its Money Where Its Mouth is?In an effort to create greater accountability and better resources for victims of sexual harassment, Congress passed S.3749 on Dec. 13, 2018. The law represents a bipartisan response to the onslaught of sexual harassment allegations plaguing Congress and the resulting torrent of resignations., author, #MeToo Legislation:Did Congress just put its money where its mouth is?, New York Law Journal, Legal, Government, Legislative, 2019
• Co-Authored, Publication for the American Bar Association Concerning the Employment Rights of Veterans under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), co-author, Ensuring the Employment Rights of America's Citizen Soldiers, American Bar Association: Human Rights Journal, Legal, 2017
• Featured guest speaker on employment rights for returning veterans under USERRA., Panelist, N.Y. State Law School Veterans Consortium & G.I. Bill Conference, Albany Law School, 2014
• Featured speaker concerning Women's Equality in the Workplace with Tonko supported cadidate for New York State Senate.  , Featured Guest Speaker, Women's Equality and Gender Discrimination in the Workplace, Candidate For New York State Senate, 2014
• Ariel Solomon featured as a distinguished attorney by the Albany Business Review for her representation of high profile clients., Featured Attorney, How to Stand Out in the Law, Albany Business Review, 2014

• American Society Legal Advocates (ASLA) top Labor and Employment Lawyer to retain in 2018., 2018

• Discrimination
• EEOC
• Employment Litigation
• MSPB
• Office Of Special Counsel
• Sexual Harassment
• Whistleblower Law
• Wrongful Termination

“Ariel is a credit to the legal profession. Over the years, I have seen her grow in the profession and achieve excellence. I highly recommend her.”

“Ariel practices employment law in the federal arena on behalf of employees of federal executive agencies, therefore, the local attorneys do not generally have an opportunity to appreciate her significant accomplishments that are rarely realized by someone practicing for less than 5 years. Within one month of admission to the bar, the American Bar Association invited Ariel to be a featured co- author in their Human Rights Journal following their acknowledgment of her several successful accomplishments in representing veterans in employment matters under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. Solomon, Ariel E. and Tully, Mathew B., “Ensuring the Employment Rights of America’s Citizen Soldiers.” http://www.abanet.org/irr/hr/spring08/tully_solomon_spring08.html. Within One year of practice, Ariel independently taught herself the complex practice area surrounding representation of federal employees and independently built a thriving federal employment practice, that was instrumental to establishing new law and provided exceptional representation to clients. Ariel’s clients have often times remarked about her unassuming tenacity and casual brilliance in the court room.Within one and a half years Ariel had successfully represented clients before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ariel served as an inspiration to her colleagues and her clients, often winning cases and obtaining lucrative settlements on the basis of rote determination alone, while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and integrity. After two years of practice, Ariel served as the principal attorney in precedent setting cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and a champion of the employment rights of veterans returning home from service abroad, who too often, found themselves unemployable or terminated from the their jobs. Erickson v. United States Postal Service, 571 F. 3d 1364 (Fed. Cir. 2009). After three years of practice, Ariel left big law firm life to establish an additional federal employment practice where she has more freedom to practice law in a manner commensurate with providing affordable representation to clients who are most in need. Ariel has been recognized by the New York State Bar Association for her pro bono work and her dedication to ensuring exceptional representation is attainable to everyone.”