Douglas H. Wigdor
It is difficult to imagine another employment lawyer with a comparable record both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. Ranked one of the Top 100 attorneys in the New York Metro area by Super Lawyers, Mr. Wigdor routinely tries cases to verdict, having won numerous verdicts in the millions of dollars and regularly appearing in the New York Law Journal’s “Top Verdicts.” A tireless advocate for victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault and other forms of unlawful workplace misconduct, Mr. Wigdor’s “pursuit of decency, justice and high-dollar settlements in the #MeToo era have landed Mr. Wigdor on the list of Law360’s Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2019,” according to a recent profile recognizing Mr. Wigdor as one of the 10 most influential plaintiffs’ lawyers in the U.S. His trial verdicts, arbitration awards and settlements exceed $1 Billion.
From Dominique Strauss-Kahn to Harvey Weinstein, Mr. Wigdor has been at the forefront of some of the most closely watched sexual harassment and sexual assault cases that have made headline news around the world. Mr. Wigdor’s employment trial verdicts and high-profile cases have resulted in several feature profiles about his career, including articles in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek and the London Independent. He has been referred to in these and other major news publications as one of New York’s most high-profile litigators. In a recent study, Mr. Wigdor was the only plaintiffs’ employment lawyer to be recognized as one of the most fearsome lawyers in the Country. A former U.S. Senator for New York said of Mr. Wigdor, “it’s much better to have him on our side than risk sitting across from him.”
Mr. Wigdor is known for taking on some of the most powerful people in the business and political worlds. Some of his notable representations include six alleged victims of sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein (including one woman who testified at Weinstein’s criminal rape trial in New York), the hotel maid in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault case, the rape victim in the Delhi Uber case that led to numerous executive resignations, NBA All-Star Charles Oakley in a defamation lawsuit against James Dolan and Madison Square Garden, former Recording Academy President and CEO Deborah Dugan in a sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation case in connection with the Grammy Awards, the former chief of staff to ousted WeWork CEO Adam Neumann in a pregnancy discrimination case, multiple clients in the seminal “shop and frisk” cases, five award-winning female journalists at NY1 in an age and gender discrimination lawsuit against Charter Communications, countless women in their gender discrimination and sexual harassment claims against their powerful employers, and over 20 employees at Fox News in their claims of gender discrimination, race discrimination, retaliation and defamation against the network. In connection with his representation of his Fox clients, Mr. Wigdor was invited to and testified before the UK Parliament.
Publicity
Mr. Wigdor’s successful handling of numerous high-profile cases has resulted in frequent television and radio appearances including Nightline, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, Neil Cavuto as well as regular spots on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, NY1, the BBC and NBC News. He is regularly quoted as a legal expert in newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, New York Law Journal, New York Magazine, London Times, Daily Telegraph, London Independent, USA Today, New York Post, and New York Daily News.
Mr. Wigdor’s extensive litigation experience is frequently distinguished in the media. Notably, in a profile on Mr. Wigdor’s career, The New York Times concluded that Mr. Wigdor is “one of New York City’s most aggressive employment lawyers.” A sitting U.S. District Judge commented in another profile in the London Independent that “Mr. Wigdor is a winner.” And Bloomberg Businessweek, in yet another profile of Mr. Wigdor, described him as among the “top tier of telegenic anti-discrimination lawyers.” Another well-known media outlet noted that “although U.S. lawyers are known to actively seek out victims to encourage them to sue for damages, Mr. Wigdor doesn’t need to chase clients.”
In 2019, Mr. Wigdor was one of only three plaintiffs’ employment attorneys selected to the list of Top 100 attorneys in the New York Metro area by Super Lawyers. The New York Law Journal has featured Mr. Wigdor and Wigdor LLP’s clients in the top New York State verdicts six times, including the number one and two employment verdicts and the number one disability discrimination verdict. Mr. Wigdor and Wigdor LLP have also been recognized by Chambers and Partners, one of the most prestigious legal directories in the world. Wigdor LLP is routinely recognized for extraordinary achievement in the categories of employee discrimination, wrongful termination, civil rights, whistle-blower and wage and hour law. The Firm was named a winner of The National Law Journal’s 2019 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the categories of Civil Rights, Employment Rights, Racial Discrimination and Elite Women of the Plaintiffs’ Bar — more than any other law firm.
Mr. Wigdor is also a lecturer, editor and author of articles on employment and criminal-related subjects. He is regularly invited to appear and participate in leading legal forums regarding topical employment issues. Mr. Wigdor has appeared multiple times as part of an employment mediation panel at JAMS (Judicial Arbitration & Mediation) continuing legal education events, and has also appeared as a speaker at the American Arbitration Association forum, the National Employment Lawyers Association, Columbia University, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law Schools, as well as Oxford and Cambridge Universities. In 2019, Mr. Wigdor launched “Professionals in Residence,” a week-long student engagement program at Oxford University’s St Cross College in which Mr. Wigdor led a series of lectures, workshops and other educational events about the rapidly evolving U.S. legal and employment landscapes. Mr. Wigdor also frequently speaks and moderates other continuing legal education seminars for the American Conference Institute and Practicing Legal Institute. He is also quoted frequently in the New York Law Journal, presents lectures to various Bar Associations, and has published articles in numerous journals.
Notable Outcomes
The vast majority of cases handled by Mr. Wigdor result in confidential, out-of-court settlements before a complaint is ever filed. Nonetheless, Mr. Wigdor has a reputation for obtaining multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. Some of Mr. Wigdor’s most notable public outcomes include:
- $23.72 million arbitration award on behalf of the former Chief Financial Officer of Six Flags, one of the largest single-plaintiff employment arbitration verdicts;
- $7.5 million verdict in a disability discrimination case against Walmart, one of the largest single-plaintiff verdi
- New York Law Journal, "Top Verdict"
- Super Lawyers, "Super Lawyer"
- Top American Lawyers, Lifetime Membership Award
- Martindale-Hubbell, "AV Preeminent Rated"
- Law360, Employment Law Editorial Advisory Board member
- Avvo, Rated 10.0 ("Superb")
- U.S. News, Best Law Firms
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellowship
- BTI Consulting Group, Most Fearsome in Litigation Award
- Lawdragon, Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyer Award
- Law360 Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar Award
- Super Lawyers Top 100: New York Metro
- Chambers and Partners, Labor and Employment: Mainly Plaintiffs Representation in New York
- Lawdragon, Leading Lawyer in America Award
- Best Lawyers, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- The National Law Journal: Elite Trial Lawyers Award
- Super Lawyers, Employment Litigation/Labor Blue Ribbon Panelist
- Best Lawyers, Employment Law – Individuals
- Best Lawyers, Labor Law – Management
- Trial Lawyers Board of Regents, Litigator Award
- American Society of Legal Advocates, Top 100 Labor and Employment Lawyers Award
- National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- American Academy of Trial Attorneys, Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for New York
- America's Top 100 Attorneys, Lifetime Achievement Award
New York, New York 10003
