Ervin Cohen & Jessup

Karina Sterman, Esq., Partner at Ervin Cohen & Jessup

http://www.ecjlaw.com/

Ms. Karina B. Sterman, Esq. provided the MHB students insight into the world of employment law.  In discussing her field of work, she emphasized the importance of integrity.  She provided thorough descriptions of several litigation cases she had dealt with in the past, and took us through the steps that she would typically take in each of those situations.  Contrary to popular belief, she informed us that the outcome of the case is not what ultimately matters for the employer, but rather the integrity of the employer's response to the case.  Another piece of advice Ms. Sterman provided us is that an employee or HR representative should never assume that one person is guilty and one person is innocent.  This was supported with several cases she had worked on in the past, where the initial self-proclaimed "victim" turned out to be the "villain" in the end.  

Overall, Ms. Sterman provided an engaging lesson in how business litigation and employment law can affect us in the professional world - whether from the employee or employer standpoint.  For those of us going into human resources, it was a much appreciated 'heads-up' in terms of what we should expect in our years to come.  Meanwhile, the rest of us learned about the importance of compliance and thorough follow-through, regardless of the task at hand.

Kate Tomich