Douglas H. Wigdor

It is difficult to imagine another employment lawyer with a comparable record both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table.  Mr. Wigdor routinely tries cases to verdict, has won numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts and has been named one of the top 20 employment litigators in the U.S. by Benchmark Litigation.  A tireless champion for victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, race discrimination and other workplace misconduct, Mr. Wigdor is a Forbes Diversity & Inclusion Contributor and can often be seen standing up for his clients in TV and radio interviews; he has even appeared in a Netflix film on DSK, a CNN+/HBO docuseries on Rupert Murdoch, and testified before the UK Parliament.  His “pursuit of decency, justice and high-dollar settlements in the #MeToo era has landed Mr. Wigdor on the list of Law360’s Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar,” according to a profile recognizing Mr. Wigdor as one of the most influential plaintiffs’ lawyers in the U.S.  His trial verdicts, arbitration awards and settlements exceed $1 Billion.

From Dominique Strauss-Kahn to Harvey Weinstein to the NFL, Mr. Wigdor has been at the forefront of some of the most impactful sexual abuse and employment discrimination cases of the last decade.  Named a Top 100 Hollywood Power Lawyer by The Hollywood Reporter and a Top Music Lawyer by Billboard, Mr. Wigdor’s prolific legal career has been covered in feature profiles in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek and the London Independent.  He has been referred to in these and other major news publications as one of the country’s most high-profile litigators.  A former U.S. Senator for New York said of Mr. Wigdor, “it’s much better to have him on our side than risk sitting across from him.”

Mr. Wigdor “has levied cases against some of the most powerful players in the business and political worlds — and won,” according to City & State’s 2021 Law Power 100 list.  Some of his notable clients include eight alleged victims of sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein (including two women who testified at Weinstein’s criminal rape trial in New York), the hotel maid in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault case, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and interim head coach Steve Wilks in a historic race discrimination class action against the NFL, the rape victim in the Delhi Uber case that led to numerous executive resignations, NBA All-Star Charles Oakley in an assault and battery lawsuit involving James Dolan and Madison Square Garden, former Recording Academy President and CEO Deborah Dugan in a sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation case in connection with the Grammy Awards, two women in their claims of sexual abuse by billionaire private equity executive Leon Black, the former chief of staff to ousted WeWork CEO Adam Neumann in a pregnancy discrimination case, multiple clients in the seminal “shop and frisk” cases, five award-winning female journalists at NY1 in an age and gender discrimination lawsuit against Charter Communications, countless women in their gender discrimination and sexual harassment claims against their powerful employers, and over 20 employees at Fox News in their claims of sexual harassment, gender and race discrimination and retaliation against the network. 

 Publicity

Mr. Wigdor’s high-profile cases are frequently covered in the international news media.  Most recently, his representation of Brian Flores and Steve Wilks in a landmark race discrimination class action against the NFL has been discussed in countless television programs and articles, and has received public support from President Joe Biden, Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Jemele Hill, Don Lemon, Spike Lee, multiple members of Congress and numerous other high-profile individuals.  The case has been widely heralded as a historic reckoning that could finally force the NFL to remedy the lack of Black representation in its coaching and executive ranks.

Mr. Wigdor’s successful handling of numerous high-profile cases has resulted in frequent television and radio appearances including Nightline, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Mornings, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, ESPN and Neil Cavuto as well as regular spots on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, NPR, the BBC and NBC News.  He is regularly quoted as a legal expert in newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, New York Law Journal, New York Magazine, London Times, Daily Telegraph, London Independent, USA Today, New York Post, New York Daily News and many others.  In 2020, Mr. Wigdor appeared as the victim’s lawyer in Room 2806: The Accusation, a Netflix original documentary series about the 2011 sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn and in 2022 he appeared in a CNN+/HBO docuseries about Rupert Murdoch.

Mr. Wigdor’s extensive litigation experience is frequently distinguished in the media.  Notably, in a profile on his career, The New York Times concluded that Mr. Wigdor is “one of New York City’s most aggressive employment lawyers.”  A sitting U.S. District Judge commented in another profile in the London Independent that “Mr. Wigdor is a winner.”  And Bloomberg Businessweek, in yet another profile of Mr. Wigdor, described him as among the “top tier of telegenic anti-discrimination lawyers.”  A different Bloomberg reporter referred to Mr. Wigdor as “the go-to lawyer in high-profile discrimination cases on Wall Street and in the media” who is well known for “hard-knuckle tactics and aggressive public support of his clients.”  In recognition of his work fighting sexual harassment and discrimination at the highest levels of the Media and Entertainment industry, The Hollywood Reporter has named Mr. Wigdor to the Top 100 Hollywood Power Lawyers list, and Billboard has recognized him as a Top Music Lawyer in for the past three years

Mr. Wigdor was named one of New York’s most politically influential lawyers on City & State’s Law Power 100 list.  He was also one of only three plaintiffs’ employment attorneys selected to the list of Top 100 attorneys in the New York Metro area by Super Lawyers.  The New York Law Journal has featured Mr. Wigdor and Wigdor LLP’s clients in the top New York State verdicts six times, including the number one and two employment verdicts and the number one disability discrimination verdict.  Mr. Wigdor and Wigdor LLP have each received coveted Band 1 rankings in Chambers and Partners, one of the most prestigious legal directories in the world.  The Firm was also one of only seven law firms nationwide to be nominated for Labor and Employment Law Firm of the Year by Chambers USA in 2022.  The Firm has won The National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the categories of Age Discrimination, Civil Rights, Employment Rights, Racial Discrimination, Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Elite Women of the Plaintiffs’ Bar.

Mr. Wigdor is also a lecturer, editor and author of articles on employment and criminal-related subjects.  He is a Forbes Diversity & Inclusion Contributor and is regularly invited to appear and participate in leading legal forums regarding topical employment issues.  Mr. Wigdor has appeared multiple times as part of an employment mediation panel at JAMS (Judicial Arbitration & Mediation) continuing legal education events, and has also appeared as a speaker at the American Arbitration Association forum, the National Employment Lawyers Association, Columbia University, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law Schools, as well as Oxford and Cambridge Universities.  In 2019, Mr. Wigdor launched “Professionals in Residence” at Oxford University’s St Cross College, a week-long student engagement program in which Mr. Wigdor led a series of lectures, workshops and other educational events about the rapidly evolving U.S. legal and employment landscapes.  Mr. Wigdor also frequently speaks and moderates other continuing legal education seminars for the American Conference Institute and Practicing Legal Institute.  He is also quoted frequently in the New York Law Journal, presents lectures to various Bar Associations, and has published articles in numerous journals.

 Notable Outcomes

The vast majority of cases handled by Mr. Wigdor result in confidential, out-of-court settlements before they ever reach a courtroom.  Nonetheless, Mr. Wigdor has a reputation for obtaining multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.  Some of Mr. Wigdor’s most notable public outcomes include:

• $23.72 million arbitration award on behalf of the former Chief Financial Officer of Six Flags, one of the largest single-plaintiff employment arbitration verdicts;
• $7.5 million verdict in a disability discrimination case against Walmart, one of the largest single-plaintiff verdicts ever under the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• $8 million (approx.) verdict on behalf of the former Editor‐in‐Chief of The Source Magazine, who was retaliated against after she complained of gender discrimination;
• $3.35 million verdict on behalf of a former employee of Nassau County whose due process rights were violated;
• $1.35 million verdict in a disability case where the client was terminated by his employer after disclosing that he was HIV positive;
• $1.126 million jury verdict in a Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower retaliation case on behalf of a former Vice President and Wealth Manager at JPMorgan Chase; and
• Arbitration award of over $700,000 on behalf of former Managing Director at a Manhattan-based consulting group who was terminated without basis for “Cause.”

 Experience and Types of Cases

Mr. Wigdor’s practice focuses on litigation and counseling of individuals and companies in connection with a wide array of employment issues, criminal matters and international issues.  He has represented numerous clients who have been victimized by unlawful workplace misconduct, including discrimination or harassment based on race, gender, pregnancy, age, religion, disability and/or LGBTQ+ status.

Some of Mr. Wigdor’s most notable representations include:

• Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and interim head coach Steve Wilks in a historic race discrimination class action against the NFL and its 32 teams that many have described as a reckoning for the NFL with respect to the hiring of Black head coaches and executive staff;
• Eight alleged victims of sexual misconduct by disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein: Aimee McBain, Rowena Chiu, Wedil David, Dawn Dunning, Dominique Huett, Zelda Perkins, Kaja Sokola and Tarale Wulff;
• Former model Guzel Ganieva in connection with claims of defamation and rape by Leon Black, the billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management;
• Michelle Gotthelf, former digital editor-in-chief of the New York Post, in a sexual harassment and retaliation suit against the Post and its former editor-in-chief Col Allan;
• Amazon manager Charlotte Newman in a race discrimination lawsuit over Amazon’s alleged systemic “de-leveling” of Black employees into lower paying corporate roles;
• Former Fox News employee Jennifer Eckhart in a lawsuit asserting claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation against Fox News and former “America’s Newsroom” host Ed Henry;
• Deborah Dugan, the former President and CEO of The Recording Academy (the “Academy”), who alleged that the Academy unlawfully retaliated against Ms. Dugan by placing her on administrative leave after she complained to HR about a broad pattern of sexism, corruption, voting irregularities with respect to Grammy Award nominations and other misconduct stemming from the Academy's longstanding "boys' club" culture;
• Journalist Megyn Kelly in connection with a reported investigation by the Office of the New York State Attorney General into allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation and gender discrimination at NBC News;
• Maria DiLorenzo, former general counsel at J. Crew, in a disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit alleging she was fired because of sudden hearing loss;
• Marla Crawford, a former in-house lawyer at Goldman Sachs who alleged she was unlawfully fired as part of a cover-up of sexual misconduct by the bank’s Head of Litigation;
• The former chief of staff to Adam Neumann, the embattled former CEO of WeWork, in a complaint alleging claims of pregnancy discrimination, gender discrimination, unequal pay and retaliation;
• Five award-winning female journalists at NY1 in an age and gender discrimination lawsuit against Charter Communications that appeared on the front page of the New York Post;
• Two former TV journalists at NY1 who allege that they were unlawfully terminated either while pregnant or shortly after returning from maternity leave;
• Six highly accomplished and well-respected female doctors in a sexual harassment lawsuit against Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital;
• Multiple alleged victims of sexual assault by professors at John Jay College of Criminal Justice;
• The former Head of Marketing and Investor Relations at private equity firm Wellspring Capital Management in a rape lawsuit asserting claims under New York’s Gender Motivated Violence Act against Christopher Dawson;
• A former Vice President at Goldman Sachs in connection with claims of sexual orientation discrimination and retaliation against Goldman Sachs;
• A putative class of consumers in a class action lawsuit against Starbucks alleging the use of dangerous pesticides inside coffee shops throughout Manhattan;
• Multiple female former Partners at Ernst & Young (“EY”) in connection with claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender discrimination and/or retaliation against EY;
• The former Executive Vice President of Content at MLB Advanced Media (“BAM”) in a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and unjust enrichment against BAM and BAMTech, a technology subsidiary of Disney;
• Former ESPN anchor Adrienne Lawrence in her claims of sexual harassment and gender discrimination against the network;
• Finance executive Lauren Bonner, named “The Face of #MeToo on Wall Street” by The New Yorker, in her claims of gender discrimination and unequal pay against hedge fund Point72 Asset Management and its founder Steven Cohen;
• Numerous victims of alleged sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape by their Uber drivers in a putative class action against Uber;
• Thirteen former and current employees of Fox News, including former News Anchor Kelly Wright, who alleged race discrimination against Fox News Network LLC, Judith Slater, former Controller and Senior Vice President of Accounting at Fox, and Dianne Brandi, Fox’s General Counsel;
• Fox5 reporter Lidia Curanaj in a lawsuit alleging gender and pregnancy discrimination against Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., Fox Entertainment Group LLC, Fox Television Stations, LLC, and Bryon Harmon, Fox5 News Director;
• Former New York Knicks player and NBA All-Star Charles Oakley in a defamation lawsuit against The Madison Square Garden Company and its Executive Chairman, James Dolan;
• A VP in the Wealth Management Division at the large investment bank Goldman Sachs in a lawsuit alleging systematic racial discrimination against Goldman Sachs;
• Multiple individual plaintiffs in a racial profiling lawsuit against Macy’s;
• Television personalities, news anchors, and other media employees and executives in discrimination, harassment and contract claims against their employers and others individually responsible;
• Employees of The New York Times Company in a class action lawsuit alleging age, race and gender discrimination;
• A former executive in a sexual harassment and retaliation claim against a top hedge fund that appeared on the front page of The New York Times;
• A nationwide class action against Sephora on behalf of over seven hundred and thirty Asian customers who were the victims of racial profiling and discrimination;
• A former senior VP at renowned T.V. channel Al Jazeera America, in a lawsuit alleging retaliation and discrimination against her former employer;
• The courageous victim of a heinous sex crime at the hands of an Uber cab driver in India whose case led to numerous executive resignations;
• Numerous attorneys against their former employees, including prominent international law firms. The attorneys were subjected to various forms of discrimination by their employers such as gender, age and sexual orientation discrimination;
• Thousands of victims of employment discrimination, harassment, unequal pay, and/or retaliation against virtually every large bank and other hedge funds and financial institutions;
• The Adler family, on behalf of Sol Adler, in a discrimination and wrongful termination suit against 92nd Street Y;
• A class action wage and hour lawsuit against CitiGroup;
• Former Executive Director of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) in a retaliation action against the police watchdog;
• Service employees in a collective and class action against Japanese ramen restaurant chain, Ippudo, for unlawful wage practices;
• Former service employees in a class action against celebrity chef David Bouley for failure to pay minimum wages and tips;
• Former Executive in an age discrimination action against MetLife for failure to pay retirement benefits;
• A group of women in a gender discrimination case against Citigroup;
• The former CFO of Six Flags;
• A group of people of color in a race and national origin claim against Bank of America;
• Individual women in an alleged gender discrimination class action complaint against Dresdner Kleinwort;
• The former Tour Manager of *NSYNC in a lawsuit against *NSYNC;
• Employees in a large wage and hour case against CitiMortgage; and
• Several celebrity models, actors, actresses and well‐known chefs in various legal disputes.

In addition to representing clients, Mr. Wigdor is an arbitrator, serving on the American Arbitration Association Employment Panel.  While arbitration proceedings in employment cases are typically stacked in favor of the employer, Mr. Wigdor uses his extensive experience litigating employment disputes on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants to bring fairness and impartiality to the arbitration table.

Mr. Wigdor regularly conducts oral arguments in appellate courts, including the Second Circuit, the New York Court of Appeals, and the First Department, arguing some of the most closely watched legal issues in the employment field.  Mr. Wigdor was a Federal Law Clerk to United States District Judge Arthur D. Spatt and was appointed as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, New York, where he investigated, prosecuted and tried hundreds of criminal matters ranging from robberies and burglaries to complex schemes to defraud.  Prior to founding Wigdor LLP, Mr. Wigdor was a senior lawyer at one of the nation’s preeminent management-side labor and employment firms.

 Awards

Mr. Wigdor is one of New York’s most highly awarded employment attorneys.  He has received the following legal honors and accolades:

• Named “one of New York City’s most aggressive employment lawyers” by The New York Times
• Winner of the New York Law Journal’s Distinguished Leader Award
• Selected to City & State NY’s Law Power 100 list
• Named to the Top 100 Hollywood Power Lawyers list by The Hollywood Reporter
• Named to the Top Music Lawyers list by Billboard
• Ranked Band 1 in New York Labor and Employment: Mainly Plaintiffs Representation by Chambers and Partners
• Shortlisted for Labor and Employment Law Firm of the Year by Chambers USA
• Named to the inaugural Top 20 Labor and Employment Litigators list by Benchmark Litigation
• Named one of 10 “Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar” in the U.S. by Law360
• Selected to Top 100 list by New York Metro Super Lawyers
• Blue Ribbon Panelist, Employment Litigation/Labor and Employment, Super Lawyers
• Selected to Super Lawyers list for 12 years by Super Lawyers
• Selected to The Best Lawyers in America list for 15 years by Best Lawyers
• Litigation – Labor and Employment, The Best Lawyers in America
• Employment Law – Individuals, The Best Lawyers in America
• Employment Law – Management, The Best Lawyers in America
• Most Feared Law Firms Award, BTI Consulting Group
• Best Law Firms, S. News & World Report
• Elite Trial Lawyers Award, The National Law Journal
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the USA, National Trial Lawyers
• Top 100 Labor and Employment Lawyers, American Society of Legal Advocates
• Premier 100 Trial Attorney, American Academy of Trial Attorneys
• Leading Lawyer in America Award, Lawdragon
• Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyer Award, Lawdragon
• Lifetime Membership Award, Top American Lawyers
• Top Verdict, New York Law Journal
• Litigator Award, Trial Lawyers Board of Regents
• Lifetime Achievement Award, America’s Top 100 Attorneys
• Fellowship, Litigation Counsel of America
• A/V Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
• 0 “Superb” Rating, Avvo
• Employment Law Editorial Advisory Board Member, Law360

Education

Mr. Wigdor received his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, cum laude; a Master’s Degree from Oxford University in England; and his Juris Doctor from Catholic University School of Law in Washington, D.C., graduating in the top of his class.  Mr. Wigdor was a senior staff member of the Catholic University Law Review and an editor of the Oxford International Review.  While at Oxford, Mr. Wigdor received a coveted “Full‐Blue” and was a member of the Vincent’s Club.

 Admitted to Practice

• S. Supreme Court, 2003
• Her Majesty’s Courts of England & Wales, 2001
• S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 2000
• Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2000
• S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2000
• S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, 2003
• District of Columbia, 1995
• Pennsylvania, 1994
• New York, 1994
• New York State Bar Association
• Suffolk County Bar Association
• Federal Bar Council
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York

 Community Involvement

Mr. Wigdor was named Alumnus of the Year in 2007 and 2014 by St Cross College, Oxford.  Due to his continued support of Oxford, St Cross College, a library has been named after Mr. Wigdor and his wife — the Douglas and Catherine Wigdor Library Garden Room that is currently showcasing the James Currey Collection of academic books, journals, and other literature about Africa..  Mr. Wigdor has also funded the Medical University of South Carolina Crime Victims Treatment Center as well as the ongoing joint research project between Weill Cornell and the Cornell Institute and Labor Relations School into the treatment of home health care workers and the corresponding services provided to those in need. Mr. Wigdor  has also endowed a scholarship for an Arts & Sciences student at Washington University, as well as a cycling studio in the student Recreational Center.  Mr. Wigdor is a member of the Advisory Board for the Cornell Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations (CIHLER), as well as the Board of Advisors for the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell University.  Mr. Wigdor also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University where he provides support and advice on strategic issues central to the school’s mission.

Mr. Wigdor is an active and philanthropic member of the Forest Hills community, where he served on the legal committee of the Forest Hills Gardens Association, and is a proud sponsor of the New York Pops summer series at Forest Hills Stadium.  Mr. Wigdor traveled to Kenya with other lawyers from the Firm to educate Kenyan Wildlife Service Officers on evidence preservation and testifying in court.  Mr. Wigdor is also an active member of the Westside Tennis Club at Forest Hills and a member of the International Tennis Club of the U.S.A.