Ari Karen, Principal
Labor And Employment Law And Litigation
| Email: | akaren@offitkurman.com |
| Office Phone: | 240.507.1740 |
| Fax: | 240.507.1735 |
| Mailing Address: | 4800 Montgomery Lane 9th Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 |
| Download vCard: | vCard |
Practice Areas
Practice Focus
Ari Karen is an experienced litigator and speaker who has focused his practice in representing financial institutions in both government investigations and litigation before state and federal trial and appellate courts nationwide.
Mr. Karen's practice is diverse, representing clients on matters concerning banking regulations, Dodd Frank financial reform laws, contractual disputes, employment and labor statutes, wage-hour class actions, employment discrimination and fair lending matters, whistleblower complaints and non-competition claims, among others.
In addition to being known for aggressively advocating on behalf of his clients, Mr. Karen is widely complimented for his business friendly attitude and creativity, advising clients on legal and regulatory compliance in a manner that is mindful of and sympathetic to his clients' business considerations. Mr. Karen's approach affords his clients the opportunity to remain both compliant and competitive in an environment with ever increasing regulatory and litigation challenges.
Mr. Karen is a principal of the firm in its labor and employment group and is also the Founder and Director of C3 Complaince Consultants, the firm's subsidiary mortgage compliance consulting business.
Mr. Karen is also a sought after national speaker and published writer to lenders audiences nationwide. His speaking engagements include talks to members of CMLA, Lenders One and mortgage groups and associations in Texas, California, the Carolinas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Maine, Ohio, and Vermont. A published writer, Mr. Karen writes a weekly blog on "Compensation and Compliance Matters," in the National Mortgage News, one of the leading on line publications to the mortgage banking industry.
Education
- J.D. (with distinction), Emory University, 1996
- B.A. (cum laude), University of Maryland, 1992
Bar and Court Admissions
- District of Columbia
- State of Maryland
- State of Georgia
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- *New York State (pending)
Points of Distinction
Mr. Karen has won precedent-setting decisions against the United States Equal Opportunity Commission, blocking the EEOC's efforts to establish that employers could be held liable for violations of Title VII as far back as the passage of the legislation in 1964. He has also counseled several mortgage banks and financial services firms on the development and implementation of cutting edge policies and procedures. These procedures have allowed institutions to remain compliant with all wage hour laws without disrupting proven business models or undermining their competitive advantages.
Publications/Speeches
Mr. Karen has written and spoken extensively on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Independent Contractors, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, among others. He has spoken before the Empire State Banking Association, and Mortgage Banker and Broker Associations for New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Maine, and New Jersey. Mr. Karen has delivered speeches to human resources groups, and is frequently asked to speak on nationwide audio conferences and webinars. Mr. Karen's work as a labor lawyer has been repeatedly recognized, and has been quoted and/or published in Dealer's Edge Car Magazine, Employment Law360, Washington SmartCEO, Baltimore SmartCEO, MBA NewsLink, and Employee Benefit Plan Review.
