Samuel J. Cordes
Pennsylvania
Quatrini Law Group
941 Penn Avenue, Suite 101
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
United States
Tel: 724-552-2728, Ext. 157
Email:
sjc@qrlegal.com
Web:
www.qrglaw.com
Samuel J. Cordes is an attorney in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg offices of Quatrini Law Group, where he primarily represents plaintiffs in employment discrimination, ERISA, civil rights and constitutional law matters.
During the course of his 30-plus year career, Sam has tried numerous high-profile cases in the Western District of Pennsylvania. He was lead counsel in the largest individual age discrimination verdict and largest pregnancy discrimination verdicts ever awarded in western PA, and won the first employment case under the Americans with Disabilities Act to be tried in western PA.
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review calls Sam the “Archangel of employment rights in Western Pennsylvania;” an “extremely creative lawyer, which makes him dangerous to the opposition.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes Sam is “Extremely smart in the scholarly sense and has that practical street-smart sense. You don’t see that combination in too many lawyers.” Chambers USA–America’s Leading Business Lawyers says Sam is “Smart and highly rated for employment litigation; juries love him.”
Sam has been named among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Pittsburgh for 13 years in a row, and one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania. He is also a Fellow of the National College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a member of the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubble and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® and LawDragon. Sam is active with the Allegheny County Bar Association and the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). He has taught continuing legal education classes to other lawyers for more than 20 years, both in Pennsylvania and nationally.
With a B.A. in Journalism and Communication, magna cum laude, and an M.A. in Journalism, summa cum laude, from Point Park University, Sam received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1988, where he was an editor of the Journal of Law and Commerce.
Sam has served as the Co-Chair of National Employment Lawyers Association Trial Practice Committee; as a Member of U.S. District Court for Western District of Pennsylvania Rules Advisory Committee; Chair of Amicus Curie Committee of Pittsburgh Chapter of National Employment Lawyers Association; a Member of Pennsylvania Bar Institute Litigation Education Advisory Committee; Vice Chair of the Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Bar Association’s Civil Rights Committee. Spokesman for the Pittsburgh Infant Mortality Prevention Committee, 1983-85. Member of Columbus, Ohio Bar Association Homeless Project Committee, Chair of the Allegheny County Community College Library Advisory Committee, Member of the Greater Pittsburgh March of Dimes Community Education Task Force, He teaches faith formation classes for Christ the King Parish.
At the Quatrini Law Group, our experienced attorneys represent employees throughout Western Pennsylvania in all types of employment matters, including the following:
- Employment Discrimination (including sexual harassment). Federal, state, and local laws protect most employees from being discriminated against because of their age, disabilities, sex (including pregnancy), race, color, religion, national origin, and military service, among other protected categories. The Quatrini Law Group is ready to fight on your behalf against illegal discrimination.
- Retaliation. The same laws that prohibit discrimination also protect employees from retaliation if they make a good faith complaint about illegal discrimination in the workplace or participate in a discrimination investigation. The Quatrini Law Group is here to defend you against retaliation.
- Disability Accommodations. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation, the Quatrini Law Group will work with your employer to ensure that your rights are protected and that your employer takes the necessary steps to accommodate you.
- Employment Agreements. Some employers have employees sign agreements that waive certain rights, such as the right to sue the employer for discrimination, the right to compete against the employer, and the right to solicit the employer’s customers or employees. It is essential to consult with an attorney before signing any employment-related agreement. The Quatrini Law Group will explain the content of the agreement and can negotiate with your employer for better terms.
- Unemployment Compensation. Unemployment compensation provides a safety net to employees who lose their jobs, or who are forced to leave their job through no fault of their own. If your employer challenges your application, it can be an uphill battle to obtain benefits. The Quatrini Law Group is here to stand up to your employer and make sure that you get the benefits that you deserve.
- Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). The FMLA provides eligible employees with 12 weeks of unpaid leave. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for taking FMLA leave or to interfere with your use of it. Contact the Quatrini Law Group to have your FMLA rights protected.
- Whistleblowing. If you work for a local, state, or federal government employer, or if your employer receives government funds, you may be protected against retaliation for reporting wrongdoing or waste by your employer. The Quatrini Law Group will help you understand your rights as a whistleblower and defend against any retaliation by your employer.
- Wrongful Termination. It is illegal to terminate employees in Pennsylvania if it violates our state’s public policy. The right to file for workers’ compensation benefits is one example (there are a number of public policy protections) of that public policy. The reality is that your employer may try to retaliate against you because you file for benefits. The Quatrini Law Group not only helps employees get workers’ compensation benefits, but also protects them from retaliation by their employers.
- Wage and Hour. You have the right to be paid the wages that you earned, including bonuses, and if you are a non-exempt employee, to be paid overtime. If your employer owes you money, contact the Quatrini Law Group. We will fight to get you paid.
First, we focus on securing your primary source of compensation, whether it is the automobile insurance policy covering the person who caused the accident, the Workers’ Compensation carrier if you were hurt at work, or the Social Security award if you have a disabling medical problem.
The QLG difference is that we also figure out what other potential sources of income will help sustain our clients when their lives have been turned upside down, and go after those benefits as well! We are the only law firm in Western Pennsylvania to do this.