Keith J. Murphy is a Partner in GRSM's New Jersey office and a member of the Employment, Insurance and Professional Liability and Employment practice groups. Keith has considerable experience defending employers and senior personnel against claims of harassment, discrimination, hostile work environment, whistleblower reprisals and other misconduct including alleged violations of wage-and-hour statutes. He regularly counsels employers on hiring practices, terminations, workplace investigations, reductions in work force issues, and litigation avoidance practices. His employment work also includes negotiation of separation and executive employment agreements, and drafting industry-specific employment handbooks, policies, and procedures.

Keith also devotes a considerable amount of his practice to defending school boards, municipal entities and law enforcement agencies in civil rights litigation including arising under state and federal law, in particular 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the New Jersey Civil Rights Act. He routinely defends police departments against claims alleging wrongful arrest, excessive force and Monell liability.

In addition to his employment and civil rights practice, Keith’s insurance practice focuses on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation and advice involving first party property policies as well as primary and excess liability policies.  He also regularly handles all aspects of insurance cases involving D&O, E&O and CGL policies. 

Keith practices in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania in both state and federal court. He also has extensive handling complaints and investigations pending before administrative agencies such as the EEOC, DCR, DHR and HRC.

Published Opinions

Hedges v. Board of Education of Manchester Regional High School Dist. Passaic County, 399 N.J. Super 279 (Law. Div. 2007)

Horsnall v. Washington Township (Mercer County) Div. of Fire, 405 N.J. Super 304 (App. Div. 2009)

  • Is THIS Sexual Harassment?, Florham Park, New Jersey (November 2015)
  • Back to School, Back to Work: The ABC’s of Workplace Bullying Legislation and Dealing with Bullies in the Workplace and Schoolyard, GRSM National Employment Webinar Series (September 2015)
  • Keith Murphy and Elizabeth Lorell, Into the Void, Insurance Coverage in a Virtual World, Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, Defense Research Institute, New York, New York (Fall 2010)

Admissions

  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, Seton Hall University School of Law, 2005
  • B.S., cum laude, Finance, Seton Hall University, 2000

Judicial Clerkship

  • The Honorable F. Michael Giles, Superior Court of New Jersey

Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Litigation – Labor and Employment (2023-2024)*

 

*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the Best Lawyers selection methodologies can be found at: https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.