Lawrence Peikes

Practice Areas

Larry represents the interests of management in all aspects of the employer-employee

relationship and is particularly experienced in litigation defense. He has

advocated for employers in a wide range of employment cases—before arbitrators,

mediators, and government agencies as well as in state and federal courts. In a field

where most attorneys rarely appear before a judge, let alone a jury, Larry has

successfully tried cases on both the federal and state levels. Despite his extensive

courtroom experience, Larry is first and foremost dedicated to finding the best, most

pragmatic business solutions to personnel relations challenges, with an eye toward

avoiding litigation.

Larry’s practice encompasses the full range of employment law issues, including

workplace discrimination, sexual and other forms of harassment, wrongful discharge,

wage-and-hour compliance, non-competition agreements, trade secret protection,

and contract negotiations. Larry represents employers in administrative proceedings

before such agencies as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; the

Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; the New York State

Division of Human Rights and its New York City counterpart; the National Labor

Relations Board; the U.S., Connecticut, and New York Departments of Labor; and

other administrative bodies charged to enforce federal and state labor laws.

When litigation proves unavoidable, Larry and his team of seasoned employment

lawyers have an enviable record of success, disposing of lawsuits on motions, at trial,

and by way of advantageous settlements. What sets Larry apart is his knack for

swaying jurors, as exemplified by a string of defense verdicts in jury trials including

most recently

▪ Defending a wire-and-cable manufacturer in federal court against claims of

retaliatory discharge and disability discrimination, with the favorable verdict

being upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

▪ Prevailing before a federal court jury in New York City in an off-the-clock

wage-and-hour case for a telecom client, where the jury returned a defense

verdict following less than 20 minutes of deliberation.

▪ Vindicating a hospital client in a highly charged whistleblower suit in

Connecticut state court.

▪ Procuring a defense verdict from a Connecticut state court jury in a

contentious gender discrimination case.

Apart from litigation, Larry’s practice entails day-to-day counseling of employers

large and small, with respect to all aspects of the employment relationship,

including employee terminations and discipline, performance management,

collective bargaining, employment contracts, workplace discrimination issues,

investigation and resolution of sexual harassment complaints and other charges of

wrongdoing, compliance with federal and state wage payment laws, enforcement

of restrictive covenants, union avoidance, policy development and

implementation, human resources best practices, and alternative dispute

resolution. The ultimate goal is to maintain compliance with the myriad rules and

regulations governing the employment relationship, avoid unnecessary litigation,

conserve time and company resources, and develop strategies that minimize legal

risk while promoting the client’s overriding business interests.

Larry frequently lectures and writes on employment law issues ranging from sexual

harassment and developments under federal and state civil rights legislation to

wage-and-hour laws to restrictive covenants. Among other academic initiatives,

Larry is a Co-Editor-in-Chief of Bloomberg/BNA’s Fair Labor Standards Act treatise,

a contributor to that publisher’s treatise The Family and Medical Leave Act, and

Co-Editor of the Employment Law volume of the Connecticut Practice Series.

In addition, Larry is a founding member of the Wage & Hour Defense Institute of

the Litigation Counsel of America, a nationwide network of experienced and

carefully screened wage-and-hour defense attorneys dedicated to advocating the

interests of management on pay issues. Larry is also an active member of the

American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section and previously

served as the management-side Co-Chair of its Federal Labor Standards

Legislation Committee.

Chambers USA has ranked Larry in the Labor & Employment category since 2012

and notes that he continues to be recognized for his handling of employment

litigation in representing management in wage-and-hour, restrictive covenant, and

discrimination cases. In 2021, Larry was elected as a fellow of the College of Labor

and Employment Lawyers.

Larry received his J.D. with honors from The George Washington University's

National Law Center and a B.A. from the University of Maryland.