RPJ’s Deena Merlen was recently interviewed by Business Insider about Microsoft’s large-scale waves of layoffs. Asked whether Microsoft’s recent actions are actually unlawful, Ms. Merlen noted that some employees may seek to argue that they were chosen to be included in the layoffs not because of non-discriminatory, performance-based reasons as...
As civil rights activists recently called on consumers to mount a one-day boycott of Target in late February, Vogue Business asked, “Is a consumer boycott brewing in the US?” That question has been squarely answered as calls for such boycotts have multiplied in protest of companies retreating from their diversity,...
RPJ Partner Deena R. Merlen spoke with Fortune last week about Kelly Stonelake’s lawsuit filed earlier this month against Meta (formerly known as Facebook). Stonelake, who worked at the tech giant for fifteen years, accuses Meta of egregious sex discrimination and retaliation in violation of state discrimination laws in Washington...
In a recent article for ArsTechnica, RPJ’s Deena R. Merlen commented on Dell's return-to-office (RTO) mandate, set to take effect on March 3. This policy requires employees who live within an hour of an office to return full-time in-person. Those living farther away may continue working remotely, though the specifics...
By Alice K. Jump, Ethan Krasnoo, and Deena Merlen In his inaugural speech on January 20th, President Trump articulated his vision for America under his administration, promising to create a “colorblind and merit-based” society. On January 21st, President Trump signed an Executive Order (one of many he has penned in...
by Deena R. Melen The United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “PTO”) has announced changes to the fees charged in connection with trademark registration. This includes increases to many existing fees and the introduction of certain new fees. The PTO is introducing new fees for applications that are incomplete...
RPJ is proud to announce that Helen D. (Heidi) Reavis, Alice K. Jump, Deena R. Merlen, Frederick R. Fucci, and John A. Beranbaum have been selected to the 2024 Metro New York Super Lawyers list and Jill Kahn Marshall has been selected to the 2024 Metro New York Rising Stars list! Following a vigorous and highly-competitive selection process each...
By Deena R. Merlen In today’s digital age, the question of whether we can trust what we see or hear has become increasingly complex. As generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies advance, distinguishing between reality and AI-generated fakes is more challenging than ever. This controversy touches various aspects of our lives,...
RPJ Partner Deena R. Merlen was interviewed by Forbes for an article published recently, titled "All Hands Memo: Why Activism At Work Could Get You Fired." As noted in the article, “Forbes spoke with legal experts about the protections employees have – and don’t have – when it comes to...
RPJ Partners Marshall and Merlen recently published an article titled “Do Managers Have a Right to Fire Workers for Divisive Social Media Posts?” in the business magazine, Fast Company. Their article explores the extent to which employees’ speech on social media is (or is not) protected, including differences between public...