Ari Karen

Principal

Washington Area: Fax 301.575.0335
Baltimore Area: Phone 443.738.1540 | Fax 443.738.1535
New York Area: Phone 917.312.2294
akaren@offitkurman.com

Practice Areas
Litigation
Labor and Employment Law
Class Actions
Financial Services Litigation

Practice Focus
Ari Karen is an aggressive and experienced litigator, with a primary focus on disputes involving claims of discrimination, unfair competition, fiduciary breach, partnership disputes, worker misclassification, and minimum wage and overtime litigation in all state and federal trial and appellate courts. Mr. Karen litigates both individual and class actions, utilizing strategies that aim at reducing or eliminating clients' exposure in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. In addition to litigation, Mr. Karen uses his litigation experience to counsel clients in proactive and practical means of compliance with technical wage-hour laws and other labor and employment regulations.

Education
J.D. (with distinction), Emory University, 1996
B.A. (cum laude), University of Maryland, 1992

Bar and Court Admissions
District of Columbia
State of Maryland
State of Georgia
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
*New York State (pending)

Points of Distinction

Mr. Karen has won precedent-setting decisions against the United States Equal Opportunity Commission, blocking the EEOC's efforts to establish that employers could be held liable for violations of Title VII as far back as the passage of the legislation in 1964. He has also counseled several mortgage banks and financial services firms on the development and implementation of cutting edge policies and procedures that have allowed institutions to remain compliant with all wage hour laws without disrupting proven business models or undermining their competitive advantages.

Publications/Speeches
Mr. Karen 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 others. He has spoken before the Empire State Banking Association, and Mortgage Banker and Broker Associations for New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Maine, and New Jersey. Mr. Karen has delivered speeches to human resources groups, and is frequently asked to speak on nationwide audio conferences and webinars. Mr. Karen has been quoted and/or published in Dealer's Edge Car Magazine, Employment Law360, Washington SmartCEO, Baltimore SmartCEO, MBA NewsLink, and Employee Benefit Plan Review.