
Elizabeth D. McPhail
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
Education
Clemson University, B.A., Cum Laude
University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D.
Elizabeth represents both public and private sector employers regarding the full range of labor and employment-related issues. Elizabeth counsels management clients in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, health care, nonprofit and social services, long-term/nursing care, and food preparation, regarding their rights and obligations under various labor and employment statutes, including counseling them regarding wage and hour issues, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the National Labor Relations Act, and state and federal anti-discrimination laws. In essence, Elizabeth helps employers avoid costly and time consuming issues involving their employees and resolve problems with those employees if avoidance proves impossible.
Elizabeth provides employment services to union and non-unionized clients regarding disciplinary action and terminations, defending discrimination claims, attending unemployment hearings, assisting with mass layoffs or reductions in force, drafting employment agreements and separation/severance agreements, and counseling clients about the application of various state and federal employment laws. She provides a wide range of labor services to union employers, including advice about negotiations, defending labor arbitrations, processing grievances, and general advice about navigating the union environment.
Elizabeth also counsels school districts on a variety of topics, including negotiations with labor organizations, conducting discrimination investigations, teacher disciplinary issues, and general board of education governance.
Elizabeth counsels European clients on a broad range of labor and employment legal issues related to expansion and acquisitions (due diligence) into the U.S. market.
Honors
- Buffalo Business First's 40 Under Forty Award, 2011
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Employment Law – Management) 2019 - 2021
Experience
- Helping School District Clients Navigate the Court of Public Opinion
- Successful Defense of Public and Private Sector Employers Against Discrimination and Retaliation Complaints
- Successful Defense of College in Matter of Discrimination Grievances
- Labor and Employment Representation for Food and Beverage Manufacturers
- Union Relationship Management on Behalf of For-Profit & Nonprofit Employers
In the News
- Buffalo Business First, March 27, 2020
- Buffalo Law Journal, January 14, 2019
- Buffalo Business First, June 29, 2018
Press Releases
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 20, 2019
- Press Release, August 15, 2018
Publications
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, January 12, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, January 7, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, December 18, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, December 3, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert , December 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, November 2, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, October 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, October 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor and Employment Alert , October 21, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Food & Beverage Alert, September 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, September 14, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Food & Beverage Alert, August 31, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal and Education Alert, August 7, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, August 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ College & University Alert, July 31, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, July 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ COVID-19 Litigation & Employment Action Team Alert, July 14, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, July 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, July 7, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 29, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 29, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 23, 2020
- Municipalities Hit with Deluge of FOIL Requests After Repeal of Section 50-a of the Civil Rights LawHodgson Russ Municipal Alert, June 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 18, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, June 9, 2020
- Governor Cuomo’s Latest Executive Order Extends Deadlines to Submit Absentee Ballots for School VoteHodgson Russ Education Alert, June 8, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, June 5, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, May 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, May 13, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, May 5, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, May 2, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, April 28, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, April 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, April 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, April 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, April 14, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, April 14, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, April 10, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education, Municipal & Public Finance Alert, April 8, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Food & Beverage Alert, April 7, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, April 7, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Practice Alert, April 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Food & Beverage Practice Alert, April 3, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment and OSHA Alert, April 2, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Public Finance Alert, April 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert , March 31, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 30, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, March 30, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 29, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 26, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 25, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, March 25, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Tax and Labor & Employment Alert, March 24, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, March 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 19, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 19, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 18, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 17, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education Practice Alert, March 17, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Food & Beverage Alert, March 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, March 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, February 3, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, January 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal and Education Alert, October 21, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, August 16, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, July 25, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, July 17, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, July 2, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Labor & Employment Alert, June 25, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Education Alert, June 14, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, June 5, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, May 30, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, May 3, 2019
- Hemp & Medical Cannabis Alert, April 12, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, March 26, 2019
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, February 28, 2019
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, February 7, 2019
- Labor & Employment Alert, January 15, 2019
- Labor & Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Labor and Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, December 26, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, November 19, 2018
- Agriculture Alert, November 6, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, November 5, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, October 1, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, August 29, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, August 27, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, August 14, 2018
- Labor & Employment Alert, July 19, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, April 13, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, March 5, 2018
- Labor & Employment and Employment Litigation Alert, February 27, 2018
- Labor and Employment Alert, January 23, 2018
- Labor and Employment Alert, December 26, 2017
- Labor and Employment Alert, December 19, 2017
- Labor and Employment Alert, December 12, 2017
Presentations & Events
- January 15, 22, and 29
- October 27, 2020
- August 13, 2020
- July 8, 2020
- May 15, 2020
- March 20, 2020
- Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Buffalo NY 14225, January 17, 2020
- Buffalo Niagara Marriott, Amherst, NY, November 14, 2019
- August 1, 2019
- Millennium Hotel Buffalo, January 18, 2019
- Buffalo Niagara Marriott, Amherst, NY, November 15, 2018
- September 18, 21, 24 and 27
- Hodgson Russ, 140 Pearl St, Buffalo, NY 14202, August 3, 2018
- Offices of Hodgson Russ, June 28, 2018
- Buffalo Marriott HARBORCENTER, June 8, 2018
- BAEC, 438 Main Street, Sun Room Auditorium, Buffalo, NY, June 1, 2018
- United States Law Firm Group PresentationHodgson Russ, 140 Pearl St, Buffalo, NY 14202, May 17 to May 18, 2018
- Millennium Hotel Buffalo, 2040 Walden Ave, Buffalo, NY, January 12, 2018
- Buffalo Niagara Marriott, Amherst, NY, November 2, 2017
- 2017 Summer Law Conference Series: Collective Bargaining – What is Happening Out There?New York State School Boards Association, July 20, 2017
Professional Associations
Elizabeth is a member of the New York State Bar Association and Bar Association of Erie County.
Community & Pro Bono
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Immediate past Chair of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board of Trustees
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Board Member and Secretary of the Zonta International Empowering Women Through Service and Advocacy Club of Grand Island
- Board Member Board of Directors Planned Parenthood of Western New York; Professionals Committee Member