Monica Shah

Practice Areas

I am a litigation partner at Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein LLP, a leading boutique litigation firm in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 20 years of experience in the legal field, I have developed a strong reputation for excellence, integrity, and advocacy in employment law, criminal defense, higher education/Title IX matters, and complex civil litigation.

In my civil practice, I have litigated and negotiated numerous employment cases involving discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, FMLA, wage and hour laws, and whistleblower protection laws, as well as disputes involving contractual disputes and non-competes and other restrictive covenants. I have also assisted executives and professionals in reviewing and negotiating contracts, severance agreements, and licensing board proceedings. Additionally, I have a strong background in higher education law, handling Title IX investigations and hearings, as well as academic misconduct and disciplinary matters, for students and faculty.

In my criminal practice, I have successfully defended clients in a wide range of white collar and other serious criminal cases, including from the early stages of investigation through trials and appeals. I have also advised and represented individuals in foreign extradition matters, including successfully obtaining bail pending extradition. I serve as a federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel member, providing representation to indigent federal defendants in the Boston federal district courts.

In addition to my practice, I am deeply involved in legal bar across my practice areas. I serve as a Member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Lawyers for Civil Rights, a legal services organization that fights discrimination in employment, housing, and in other areas both locally and nationally. I am also a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Judicial Nominating Committee of the National Employment Lawyers Association, and served as co-chair of the Amicus Committee of the Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association from 2018-2024. I also participate as a member of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, the Women’s White Collar Criminal Defense Association, and the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Massachusetts, New York

Education

Awards