Claudia A. Costa is a national partner in the New York and New Jersey offices of GRSM and a member of the Employment Law, Professional Liability Defense and Commercial Litigation practice groups. Her practice focuses on the defense of private and publicly held corporations in all aspects of employment-related matters.
Representative Matters
- Obtained dismissal and award of attorney’s fees and costs in action defending Homeowner’s Association.
- Obtained a dismissal with prejudice in a wrongful termination action against a worldwide hotel chain and its management company. The plaintiff's original $500,000 claim for alleged retaliation for the filing of repeated workers' compensation claims and for disability discrimination settled for $1,000.
- Obtained jury verdict in favor of the defense in legal malpractice action against law firm and attorney involving the leasing of a commercial facility and the sale of a fitness business and equipment.
- Claims of violations of Civil Rights against a New Jersey Municipality and its officers summarily dismissed.
- Entire lawsuit against New Jersey beach town and its officers for Civil Rights violations summarily dismissed.
- Obtained immediate dismissal of claims against New Jersey charter school for breach of contract and violations of public policy concerning termination of teacher.
- Dismissal of claims of violations of public policy; breach of contract and punitive damages asserted against a multi-state environmental remediation firm.
- Successfully prevented the individual owners of New York and New Jersey hotels and restaurants from being sued for pregnancy discrimination and violations of the Family Leave Act.
- Triple Threat to Employers: Wellness Programs, Background Checks and Employee Pregnancy Issues, New Jersey Law Journal, Employment & Immigration Law Supplement, August 17, 2015
- Applying Title IX to Sexual Assaults and Harassment in Schools, New Jersey Law Journal, April 6, 2015
- Ending Damaging Lawsuits, Automotive Magazine, Volume 32, Issue 20, March 20, 2013
Media Commentary
- Hospitality, retail employers urged to stay current on transgender law, Business Insurance, February 9, 2018
- Warning the Internet May Be hazardous to Employees, PLUS Blog, July 2017
- FCRA Suits Mounting, But SCOTUS Might Stem Surge," New Jersey Law Journal, October 16, 2015
- Speaker, Sexual Torts: Defending Misconduct Claims/Litigation in Educational and Religious Institutions, CLM National Conference, March 2018
- Speaker, A Higher Education For All: Title IX, Title VII and the New Administration, CLM National Conference, March 2018
- Speaker, Transgender Employees and Customers–What Retailers Need to Know, CLM Retail Restaurant & Hospitality Conference – Premier Session, February 2018
- Speaker, The Evolving Legal Landscape for Transgender Individuals, DRI Professional Liability Conference December 2017
- Speaker, WARNING – The Internet May Be Hazardous to Employees, PLUS International Conference, November 2017
- Speaker, How to Avoid Relationships…the Attorney/Client Ones. Presentation to Insurance Company Professional Liability Division, June 2017
- Speaker, Employee and Third Party Claims: Accommodations for Transgender Citizens CLM National Conference March 2017
- Speaker, Interactive Discussion with EEOC Chair Victoria Lipnic on the eve of a New Administration, PLUS International Conference, Nov 2016
- Speaker, But, the By-Laws Say….Homeowner's Associations and the Rise in Disability Discrimination Claims, CLM Management Liability Conference, June 2016
- Speaker, Wellness Programs: The Statutory Maze of Regulation and the EEOC’s Involvement. EPLI, ExecuSummit, April 2016
- Speaker, Are You Ready For Ms. Cox? Transgender individuals. and EPL issues facing employers., CLM National Conference, April 2016
- Speaker, How to Approach Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) and Same Sex Marriage Issues in Today’s Workplace, ACI National Conference on Employee Liability, January 2016
- Speaker, Hot Trends in Nonprofit D & O, DRI Professional Liability Conference, December 2015
- Speaker, Not So Harmless, Not for Profits, PLUS International Conference, October 2015
- Speaker, Sexual Harassment and Assault: Educational Institutions, Private Employers, Title IX and Title VII, EPLI ExecuSummit, September 29, 2015
- Speaker, Indemnification Clauses and Additional Insured Provisions, Presentation to International Insurance Carrier, July 2015
- Panelist with EEOC Commission Victoria Lipnic, Background Checks, Criminal History Checks, and Credit Checks and Their Impact on EPLI, ACI National Conference, March 2015
- Speaker, The Tripartite Relationship, ACI National Conference, August 2014
- Speaker, Costs of a Higher Education: The Rise in Claims of Sexual Assault and Harassment on College Campuses, CLM 2015 Professional Liability Conference, June 4, 2015
- Speaker, Actions Against Schools for Bullying and Sexual Assaults, PLUS Hartford, CT Chapter Seminar, May 28, 2015
- Speaker, FLSA Suits Hit Record High in 2014 – Factors That Will Fuel the Continued Rise of FLSA Lawsuits in 2015, EPLI ExecuSummit, October 1, 2014
- Speaker, Social Media and Ethical Pitfalls for Attorneys, Presentation to Insurance Carrier Claims Department, June 2014
- Speaker, Social Media and Trials, NYSBA Annual Conference January 2014
Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
- District of Columbia (inactive)
- Pennsylvania (inactive)
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Memberships
- Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, Professional Liability Committee
- Defense Research Institute, Professional Liability Section
- Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
Education
- J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1989
- Moot Court Board, Editor
- Law Review: Environmental Law Journal, Editor
- B.A., English Lit./History, St. Peter’s University, 1986
- History Honor Society; Collegiate Coach
Honors
- Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
Languages
- Spanish