Kathleen Peratis - NY Lawyer Profile

KATHLEEN PERATIS is a partner at Outten & Golden LLP in New York. With over 25 years of experience in employment law, she specializes in employment agreements and severance packages. Serving as the chair of the Public Interest Committee and the Sexual Harassment Practice Group at Outten & Golden, she also plays a key role in the Executives and Professionals Practice Group. During her tenure at the ACLU from 1975 to 1979, she directed the Women's Rights Project, collaborating with (now) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Together, they successfully challenged discriminatory laws based on gender, including those related to pregnancy. Notably, Ms. Peratis secured a landmark victory in the U.S. Supreme Court ensuring that pregnant women could not be denied unemployment benefits solely due to their pregnancy. In another significant case, she represented a female midshipman facing expulsion for a situation in which a male colleague faced no repercussions. In her private practice spanning three decades, Ms. Peratis has championed the rights of individuals entering or leaving executive roles, as well as those who have experienced workplace discrimination or abuse based on race, religion, color, or LGBTQ status. Under her guidance, the Public Interest Committee at Outten & Golden has taken on cases that are typically overlooked due to their size but carry significant societal impact. Apart from her legal work, Ms. Peratis is the author of the book "Woman and the Law" and has contributed to "Workplace Harassment" edited by Lindemann Kadue, BNA (2012). She is a respected speaker and writer on various employment law topics and was a regular columnist for The Jewish Daily Forward from 2004 to 2010, focusing on women's and human rights issues.