Overview

Pamela S.C. Reynolds represents and counsels national corporations, small businesses, universities, and other clients in a broad range of labor and employment matters, including:

  • Employee benefits disputes and litigation
  • Employment discrimination
  • Termination
  • Employee discipline
  • Disability accommodations
  • Wage and hour obligations
  • Enforcing post-employment restrictions
  • Protecting trade secrets and proprietary information
  • Competition and trade secret law

She has successfully litigated on behalf of employers in New York State courts, federal courts in New York and other jurisdictions, and federal and state agencies including the New York State Division of Human Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the New York State Workers' Compensation Board. She also has advocated for employers in investigations and other matters before the New York State Department of Labor (including in unemployment matters), the U.S. Department of Labor, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and the National Labor Relations Board. Pamela has taken on pro bono matters in family court, as well.

Pamela has experience in matters arising under:

  • The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • New York's Compassionate Care Act (medical marijuana legislation)
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act
  • New York Labor Law
  • New York Human Rights Law
  • National Labor Relations Act
  • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

In particular, Pamela has litigated cases nationwide involving claims under ERISA, including successfully defending clients against claims of denial of medical, severance or retirement benefits, and breach of fiduciary duty, among others. Pamela also has defended clients against claims of race, national origin, gender, age, disability, criminal background, military status, marital status, and familial status discrimination, sexual harassment, unequal pay, retaliation, and defamation, as well as claims arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and New York State wage and hour laws. She has represented clients in litigation matters regarding enforcement and defense of agreements containing post-employment restrictions, as well. Additionally, Pamela counsels employers on compliance with state and federal employment and labor laws, including the development and revision of corporate policies and employee handbooks.

Prior to joining Littler, Pamela practiced at a Rochester-based litigation firm, where she represented corporate clients in a wide range of litigation matters, including employment, commercial law, education, medical malpractice, insurance, healthcare, and general tort defenses, and counseled clients on litigation prevention.

In law school, Pamela served as an extern for the Honorable Cleo Powell of the 12th Judicial District of Virginia, who is now a Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and was managing editor of the Journal of Global Law and Business. Before law school, she taught world and U. S. history to high school students in Milton, Florida.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Board Member

ROCCREW Naiades Rowing Over Cancer

2024-present

Member

Women's Council, an affiliate of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce

2023-present

Member, Board of Directors

Foundation of the Monroe County Bar

2017-present

President

Foundation of the Monroe County Bar

2022-2023

Member

Women's Bar Association of the State of New York

Member

Monroe County Bar Association

Co-Chair

Labor and Employment Committee

Monroe County Bar Association

2019-2021

Treasurer

Foundation of the Monroe County Bar

2018-2020

President

Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys

2016-2017

Treasurer

Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys

2012-2015

Member

Committee on Women in the Law

New York State Bar Association

2009-2014

Adjunct Instructor

SUNY Geneseo

Spring 2023, Spring 2024

Past Chair

Staff-Parish Relations Committee

Asbury First United Methodist Church

Past Chair

Lay Personnel Committee

Asbury First United Methodist Church

Past Trustee

Asbury First United Methodist Church

Recognition

Recipient, Women of Excellence Award

Rochester Business Journal

2020

Named, Up and Coming Attorney

Excellence in Law Program

The Daily Record

2017

Named, Rising Star

Upstate New York

Super Lawyers

2017

Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honor Society

News, Analysis & Press

State Might Require Diversity and Inclusion CLE

New York Daily Record

January 20, 2017

GRAWA President’s Message: The Women’s Bar Takes a Stand

New York Daily Record

December 7, 2016

GRAWA President's Message: Women in Politics

New York Daily Record

November 9, 2016

GRAWA President’s Message: ‘The Gavel Gap’ report

New York Daily Record

October 12, 2016

Books & Book Chapters

  • Employee Benefits Law, Third Edition, 2015 Cumulative Supplement, Contributing author

Speaking Engagements

2024 Tri-State Regional Employer Conference

New York, NY

September 19, 2024

Face the (Cyber) Nation - Employee Benefits

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 10, 2024

Legal Update 2024 - Show and Tell: Pay Transparency and Disclosure Requirements in New York

Genesee Valley Chapter of SHRM and the National Human Resource Association - Rochester Affiliate, Rochester, NY

February 7, 2024

Reasonable Accommodations in an Unreasonable World

Women's Bar Association of the State of New York's 2021 Annual Convention

May 22, 2021

COVID Vaccine Considerations for New York Employers

National Human Resources Association, Rochester, NY

May 11, 2021

Fiduciary Best Practices

March 4, 2021

2020 Virtual Benefits Symposium: Addressing Issues in the New Normal

October 29, 2020

Back to Work in New York? Littler Discusses Whether and How to Reopen

May 26, 2020

Legal Update: What’s New in ERISA? What Are the Courts Saying?

New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Annual Audit of Employee Benefits Plan Conference

May 19, 2020

COVID-19 In the Workplace

Monroe County Bar Association, Rochester, NY

May 7, 2020

New York State's New Workplace Harassment Laws: What You Need to Know

Monroe County Bar Association, Rochester, NY

January 22, 2020

Top Ten New York Law Updates for Our 10th Anniversary

Fairport, NY

October 29, 2019

What Managers Can Do To Mitigate Litigation Risk (and What You Can Do To Help Them)

NY State SHRM Annual Conference, Albany, NY

September 23, 2019

Employment Law Happy Hour

Littler & New York State Craft Brewers Association, Rochester, NY

June 17, 2019

DOL's Proposed Increase to the White Collar Overtime Exemptions: What Should Employers Do Now?

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Rochester, NY

April 5, 2019

Breakout Session on Laws Regarding Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

New York State Craft Brewers Conference, Albany, NY

March 8, 2019

None of Your Business? Discrimination and Leave Compliance Issues When Managing Employees with Substance Addictions

Fairport, NY

October 30, 2018

Employment Law Legal Update

Monroe County Job Service Employer Committee Seminar, Rochester, NY

October 24, 2018

A Corporate Balancing Act: Business Need vs. Legal Risk

NY State SHRM Annual Conference, Albany, NY

September 23, 2018

The Implications of Medical Marijuana in the Workplace

Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Rochester, NY

August 3, 2018

ERISA Compliance in 2018: Changes, Observations and Current Issues

Fairport, NY

May 9, 2018

From Harvey Weinstein to [Insert Name]: Preventing Harassment in the Workplace and What to Do When Claims are Made

Fairport, NY

March 20, 2018

2018 Legal Update – Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Genesee Valley Chapter of SHRM and the National Human Resource Association – Rochester Affiliate, Rochester, NY

February 15, 2018

Same-Sex Marriage, Religion and the Workplace

Women's Bar Association of the State of New York's 2017 Annual Convention, Westbrook, CT

May 20, 2017

Defending an Employment Discrimination Complaint before an Administrative Agency

Monroe County Bar Association, Rochester, NY

March 22, 2017

Hot Topics for New York Employers

Fairport, NY

November 1, 2016

Using Data Analytics in Onboarding and Employee Performance Measurement

New York State SHRM Conference, Lake Placid, NY

September 18, 2016

Drug Testing Employees in New York: Union, Medical, and OSHA Issues

Fairport, NY

May 25, 2016

Marijuana Legalization and the Impact on Employers

Rochester Business Alliance, Rochester, NY

December 4, 2015

Employment Law: 2015 Comprehensive Guide – Understanding Legislative Changes: A Brief Overview

National Business Institute, Rochester & Buffalo, NY

November 17-18, 2015

Pressing Issues for Higher Education: Title IX Compliance and Union Organizing on Campus

Fairport, NY

April 28, 2015

“Adapt, Armor & Avoid” – New Challenges in Wage and Hour Compliance

Fairport, NY

September 16, 2014

The Defense of Marriage Act: Implications & How It Affects Client Representation

Monroe County Bar Association, Rochester, NY

December 11, 2013

Fundamentals of Employment Law: "Sexual, Racial, and Other Harassment in the Workplace"

Sterling Education Services, Rochester, NY

April 19, 2013

The Impact of the 2012 Elections on Labor, Employment and Benefits Law

Fairport, NY

January 24, 2013

A New York Legal Update: The Top Employment and Labor Laws Affecting New York Employers Right Now

June 3, 2011

Effective Negotiations

Seventh Annual Edith I. Spivack Symposium, Committee on Women in the Law - New York State Bar Association

January 25, 2011

Education

  • J.D., University of Richmond School of Law, 2005cum laude
  • B.A., University of North Carolina, Wilmington, 1999

Bar Admission

New York

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York