Loraine M. Cortese-Costa
Director since 1996
Loraine Cortese-Costa was graduated from the State University of New York at Albany, magna cum laude. She was graduated from Albany Law School where she was an associate editor of the Albany Law Review. She represents management in the full range of labor and employment arenas including the state and federal courts, CHRO, NLRB, State Board of Labor Relations and in collective bargaining and arbitration. She also selectively accepts cases representing highly placed executives in negotiation of employment and separation agreements and in employment disputes. She is admitted to the Connecticut and New York bars, formerly chaired the Labor and Employment section of the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association and has served as an Attorney Trial Referee and Fact-Finder/Arbitrator for the Connecticut Superior Court since 1996.
Year Joined Firm
- 1989
Areas of Practice
- 35% Labor Relations
- 20% Employment Litigation -- Plaintiff
- 20% Employment Litigation -- Defense
- 10% Employment -- Administrative
- 10% Arbitration and Mediation
- 5% Employee Benefits Litigation
Litigation Percentage
- 65% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Connecticut, 1986
- New York, 1986
- Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
Education
- Albany Law School Union University, Albany, New York
- J.D. - 1986
- Law Review: Albany Law Review, Associate Editor, 1984 - 1986
- State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude) - 1982
- Honors: Dean's List 1979-1982
- Major: Political Science
Published Works
- How Arbitration Works, BNA, 6th Edition & Supp.
Representative Cases
Representative Clients
- University of Bridgeport
- Stew Leonard's
- Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority
- Middletown Area Transit
- Former President/CEO Seitz Corporation; former Division President Nine-West
Classes/Seminars
- Supervisory Training - Employment Law & Labor Relations, University of Bridgeport
- Harassment Awareness Training, Various, 1990 - 2010
- Lorman Education, Various, 1990 - 2010
Professional Associations and Memberships
- New York State Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association, Executive Committee Member, Litigation
- Greater Bridgeport Bar Association, Labor and Employment Committee, Former Chair
