Ari Karen
District of Columbia
Mitchell Sandler PLLC
1120 20th Street, NW
Suite 725
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-886-5265
Email:
akaren@mitchellsandler.com
Web:
www.mitchellsandler.com
Ari Karen is a Partner and Head of the Labor & Employment and Litigation practices at Mitchell Sandler PLLC, a leading D.C. based boutique law firm.
His practice is diverse, covering subject matters including employment and labor statutes, wage-hour class actions, employment discrimination and fair lending matters, whistleblower complaints, non-competition claims, banking regulations, consumer protection regulations, Dodd-Frank financial reform laws and contractual disputes. This combination of expertise in employment, litigation, and regulatory matters allows him to develop and implement multifaceted strategies drawing from diverse experiences that provide his clients an edge in litigation and competitive environments.
Ari represents businesses and financial institutions in litigation matters, government investigations, and advises clients on regulatory compliance matters. He is widely praised for his business-friendly style of representation that combines aggressive advocacy with a sensitivity to practical business considerations. Ari’s approach looks at the impacts of legal strategy in real life scenarios, allowing his clients to remain both compliant and competitive.
Ari litigates before state and federal trial and appellate courts nationwide. He has won precedent-setting decisions against the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, blocking the EEOC’s efforts to establish that employers could be held liable for violations of Title VII dating back to its passage in 1964. He has also counselled mortgage banks and financial services firms on their development of cutting-edge employment policies and procedures, as well as developing creative but compliant business strategies. These procedures have allowed institutions to solve legal and regulatory challenges without disrupting proven business models or undermining competitive advantages.
Education
- J.D., Emory University School of Law, with distinction
- B.A., University of Maryland, cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Maryland
- *New York (pending)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
-
Ari has written and spoken extensively on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Independent Contractors, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, among other statutes.
-
His speaking engagements include talks to members of CMLA, Lenders One, the Empire State Mortgage Bankers Association, and mortgage groups and associations in Texas, California, the Carolinas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Maine, Ohio, Maryland, Kansas, Arizona, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
-
Ari writes frequently for leading publications within the mortgage banking industry.
-
Ari speaks with human resources groups, and his work as a labor lawyer has been cited in Dealer’s Edge Car Magazine, Employment Law360, Washington SmartCEO, Baltimore SmartCEO, MBA NewsLink, and Employee Benefit Plan Review.
The labor and employment attorneys at Mitchell Sandler have a broad range of experience representing diverse industries, with a particular focus on the financial services industry, having represented such companies for decades.
The team has a deep understanding of federal and state labor and employment laws, but they are also familiar with and sensitive to the regulatory, financial, and competitive forces affecting financial services clients. The employment team provides clients with expansive and diverse experience that comes from decades of collective experience among our attorneys.
The firm’s experience expands far beyond advisory services, drafting agreements and evaluating internal policies and procedures. In the litigation context, Mitchell Sandler’s attorneys understand how federal and state regulations impact the merits of a case and its strategy without needing the benefit of explanation. From issue-spotting to the application of specific strategies and considerations of risk and opportunity, the synthesis of diverse experience empowers clients and provides them an advantage in the boardroom and the courtroom.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the firm’s lawyers include some of the most well-recognized and well-respected financial services regulatory, enforcement, and litigation attorneys in the country.
The firm offers high-quality and cost-efficient legal services through practical advice and innovative approaches to billing, while deploying cutting-edge legal and regulatory technology solutions in support of their clients’ needs.