Lawyers

Elizabeth Lorell is a partner in the Insurance, Professional Liability Defense, Employment, Class Action and Privacy & Data Security Practice Groups in the New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia offices. She also serves as Co-Chair of the firm's E-Discovery Practice. Her practice focuses on employment litigation, insurance coverage, professional liability, class actions, data security and other complex litigation.

Admissions

New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Colorado
U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania

Memberships/Positions

Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel

• President-Elect (2018-2019)
• Secretary-Treasurer (2017-2018)
• Executive Committee (2015 – 2018)
• Senior Director (2013 – 2017)
• Winter Meeting Convention Chair, Marco Island, FL (March 2014)
• Winter Meeting CLE Program Chair, San Antonio, TX (March 2013)
• Director (2012 – 2013)
• Vice President (2011 – 2012)
• Chair of Employment Practices and Workplace Liability Section (2010 – 2012)

Lawyers for Civil Justice

• Board of Directors (2018-2020)

Defense Research Institute

• Board of Directors (2018-2020)

Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
New Jersey Federal Bar Association
The Historical Society of the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
Justice Morris Pashman Inns of Court (1996 – 2000)

Employment Litigation

• Ms. Lorell assists employers and insurance carriers in the resolution of difficult employment issues; also defends employers and senior personnel against claims of harassment, discrimination, hostile work environment, whistleblower reprisals and other misconduct including alleged violations of wage-and-hour statutes. She handles ERISA litigation and has successfully defended fiduciaries against breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims.
• She also counsels clients on issues relating to interpretation of state and federal statutes in the employment and housing discrimination arena.
• Ms. Lorell has successfully defended housing discrimination claims, of first impression, on behalf of landlords and property owners in New Jersey before the state and appellate courts.

Professional Liability

• Ms. Lorell defends lawyers, accountants, insurance brokers, title agents, title companies, architects, engineers, doctors and real estate agents on serious malpractice and related claims. She has a close working knowledge of each profession and she has a reputation for successfully defending these matters with zeal and sensitivity.

Insurance Coverage

• Ms. Lorell has been involved in the forefront of major insurance coverage litigation for over 20 years, exemplified by the nationally famous Love Canal environmental coverage case. She has also litigated novel issues in coverage litigation brought by the insurance carriers against the NFL and by a large national securities brokerage firm to cover the cost of past settlements with thousands of female employees for alleged historical employment discrimination.
• Ms. Lorell also handles litigation and counsels national insurers on unique and complex coverage issues stemming from director and officers, errors and omissions, title, and first party/third party insurance policy disputes including claims of bad faith.

Class Actions

• Ms. Lorell has successfully handled class action litigation in New Jersey dealing with violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, improper labeling of food products, diet drugs (Fen-Phen), recording of deed and mortgage fees, and discrimination and violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Her talents have added to one of Gordon & Rees' premier practice groups as the firm has a national reputation for its experience in defeating class certification motions.

Publications & Presentations

• Successfully Navigating Through Ethical Minefields, Gordon & Rees’ New York, New York and Hartford, Connecticut Conferences (May 2018)
• Employment Law: Hiring, Firing and Everything In Between,  CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold, New Jersey (October 2017)
• What Changes do C-Suite Professionals see on the Horizon?, Corporate Counsel Symposium of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (September 2017)
• The Trump Card-How Politics Shapes our Employment, Regulatory and Tax Laws, Gordon & Rees’ New York, New York and Hartford, Connecticut Conferences (May 2017)
• Employment War Stories: Avoiding Costly Mistakes, Gordon & Rees National Employment Webinar Series (December 2016)
• An Employment Round-Up: Hot Topics in Employment Law, CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold, New Jersey (November 2016)
• Elizabeth F. Lorell, et al., Do The Right Thing! Ethics For Lawyers in the Modern World, FDCC Winter Conference, San Diego, California (March 2016)
• Ted Talks “5 in 10”, FDCC Winter Conference, San Diego, California (March 2016)
• What Every Employer Must Know in N.J., CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold, New Jersey (November 2015)
• Is THIS Sexual Harassment?, Florham Park, New Jersey (November 2015)
• Back to School, Back to Work: The ABC’s of Workplace Bullying Legislation and Dealing with Bullies in the Workplace and Schoolyard, Gordon & Rees National Employment Webinar Series (September 2015)
• Don’t Become a Statistic: The Top 10 Rules for Avoiding Workplace Pitfalls and Employment Lawsuits, Olathe, Kansas (August 2015)
• Crossing the Finish Line: Best Practices in Avoiding Malpractice During the Mediation and Settlement Process, Gordon & Rees National Professional Liability Webinar Series (July 2015)
• Innovative Strategies for Early and Cost Effective Resolution of Claims, Redbank, New Jersey (June 2015)
• The Ever Evolving Duty to Defend, Redbank New Jersey (June 2015)
• Cutting Edge Legal Issues and Practical Tips in Handling Employment and Discrimination Claims, Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania (May 2015)
• Staying Ahead of the Curve: What Every Employer Must Know, Medical Group Management Association Annual Meeting, Atlantic City, New Jersey (May 2015)
• Dealing with Defense Counsel – Mechanisms to Improve that Important Relationship, Annual Conference of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Palm Desert, California (March 2015)
• Best Practices in Claims Handling, Olathe, Kansas (January 2015)
• Employers Beware! How to Prevent Your Company From Being Sued, Gordon & Rees National Employment Webinar Series (October 2014)
• What’s New in the Coverage World?  New York, New York (July 2014)
• Hot Topics in the Professional Liability, Employment and Insurance World, Deerfield, Illinois (June 2014)
• The Ethics of Litigating in a Cyber World, Redbank, New Jersey (April 2014)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, et al., Staying Ahead of the Curve - FDCC Insurance Industry Initiative Conference, New York, New York (October 2013)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, Gen Y: The Young and The Restless - FDCC Insurance Industry Initiative Conference, New York, New York (October 2013)
• A Panel of Excellence: Women’s Leadership Forum, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, New York, New York (October 2013)
• The Art of Successful Mediation, Jersey City, New Jersey (November 2013)
• Danger Ahead: Cutting Edge Ethical Issues, New York, New York (June 2013)
• The Ever Changing World of Employment Laws, Deerfield, Illinois (November 2012)
• Elizabeth Lorell et al., Give Me Shelter – Fair Housing Update, Lawrenceville, New Jersey (November 2012)
• Elizabeth Lorell et al., Walmart v. Dukes: A Happy One Year Anniversary?, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Whistler, British Columbia (July 2012)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, et al., Agency Initiatives and Enforcement: The Government Is Busy -- and Why Employers Should Care, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Whistler, British Columbia (July 2012)
• Elizabeth Lorell et.al., The Landscape of Employment Law in 2012: Legal/Administrative/Regulatory and Legislative Update, PLUS, Chicago, Illinois (May 2012)
• Claims Handling: Best Practices, Practical Considerations and Legal Developments, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey (May 2012)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, et al., Borders and Fences: Who gets to be an American?, Winter Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Phoenix, Arizona (March 2012) and New York, New York (June 2012)
• What You Type is What You Get--Cyber Liability Issues in a Digital World!, Hudson Inns of Court, Jersey City (June 2011) and Florham Park, New Jersey (December 2011)
• Elizabeth Lorell et al, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Williamsburg, Virginia (July 2011) and FDCC Quarterly (Vol. 61.1, Fall 2011)
• The Fair Housing and American with Disabilities Act, Lawrenceville, New Jersey (July 2011)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, et al, Beware: The Hidden Dangers in Employment, Winter Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Indian Wells, California (February 2011)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Jeffrey Lorell, Mediation, Not If But When and How, FDCC Quarterly Newsletter (Vol. 61.1, Winter 2010)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Keith Murphy, Into the Void, Insurance Coverage in a Virtual World, Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, Defense Research Institute, New York, New York (Fall 2010)
• Practical Concerns and Insurance Claim Handling Issues in New Jersey and New York, Cincinnati, Ohio (September 2010)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, Sex, Lies and Videotape - Cyber Liability Issues in a Digital World, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Munich, Germany (July 2010), FDCC Quarterly (Vol. 60.1, Fall 2010), and New York State Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Journal (Spring 2011)
• So What’s Next - Trends in Employment Litigation, Simsbury, Connecticut (April 2010)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin, The Anatomy of an Employment Claim, New York, New York (November 2009)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mitchell Tarter, Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave-An Overview of the Subprime Lending Scandals, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Homestead, Virginia (July 2009)
• Getting a Handle on E-Discovery Before it Takes a Hold of You!, Florham Park, New Jersey (April 2009)
• Elizabeth Lorell and Mercedes Colwin et al, The Keys to Successful Mediation: A Case Study, Winter Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Kauai, Hawaii (February 2009)
• Elizabeth Lorell et al. Key Work Place Documents: What Every Employee Should Know, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Banff, Canada (July 2008)
• The Perils of E-Discovery in Claims Handling, Birmingham, Alabama (April 2008)
• Preparing to Meet the Challenges and Protecting your Schools from Legal Claims, New Brunswick, New Jersey (February 2008)
• Elizabeth Lorell, Rebecca Levy-Sachs, Charles Baker, David Bell, Thomas Hanekamp, Terry Hill, John M. Intondi, Scott Kreamer, Stephen Pate, William Ricci, and Richard Traub, E-Discovery Survival Manual, Annual Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Sun Valley, Idaho (July 2007)
• Elizabeth Lorell, and Rebecca Levy-Sachs, 2006 E-Discovery Federal Rule Changes, Winter Conference of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Scottsdale, Arizona (February 2007)
• The Art of Interviewing and Retaining Employees without Paying the Price for Liability, Newark, New Jersey (February 2006)

What do you enjoy most about your practice?

I truly enjoy everything about the practice of law and feel very lucky to have chosen this profession. I relish the opportunity to work with our clients and colleagues on interesting, challenging and unique issues; creatively, effectively and quickly solving our clients' problems and litigation needs; all in order to get the job done and get it done well!

What is the secret to obtaining successful trial results?

Preparation, preparation and the ability to listen to and trust your gut feelings!

What are your favorite pastimes when you are not practicing law?

Sailing, reading and spending time with family and friends.